Blessed be the fruit! Thanks to the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Testaments, The Handmaid’s Tale franchise has reclaimed its former excellence.
The 2019 sequel follows two teenage girls, Agnes and Daisy, as they navigate puberty in Gilead and untangle the secrets of their pasts. While the sequel novel takes place 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale, the show’s six-season run shortens that gap to four years.
To be honest, I was skeptical of the quality after a lackluster final three seasons of Handmaid’s Tale. Season one consists of ten brilliant episodes of television that won eight Emmys in 2017. Critic Adrian Hennigan describes the installment perfectly: “Never before have so many disturbing scenes been staged in such beautiful tension.”
However, I cannot bear to rewatch the first three seasons due to the graphic content that parallels our own world. Last year, I felt inclined, so I turned on episode three, and within 30 minutes, I was sobbing in a panic attack.
When I watched the series for the first time (seasons 1–3), I made a rule for myself: I could only watch one episode a week, in the daytime. I should have known better; during my initial viewing, I could only manage one episode a week, strictly during the daytime. That is how terrified I was. I remember asking my mother about the series; she described it as “sad,” leaving my fourteen-year-old self entirely unprepared. I watched in the dark with noise-canceling headphones, witnessing a level of violence against women I had never encountered. It was a transformative experience—disturbing, yet essential to my understanding of the world.
By the fourth season, the show’s increasingly implausible fabricated plots allowed me to watch without fear. From June surviving a three-story fall while pregnant to her countless narrow escapes from gunfire, the series shifted from a thriller to something I could only enjoy by mocking it—exchanging recaps with family and friends. Additionally, the cinematography became obsessed with extreme close-ups of Elisabeth Moss. I love her performance, but no one needs to stare up her nostrils consistently—not even a doctor. Ultimately, in my opinion, the series prioritized the character’s longevity over honoring the complexities of Atwood’s original novel.
Naturally, I was skeptical when the adaptation of The Testaments was announced. Bruce Miller, the showrunner for the first five seasons of Handmaid’s Tale, stepped down during the final season to focus on this new chapter. Often, retaining the same creative leadership can lead to a repetitive path of disappointment, but I should have had more faith. The first four episodes of the sequel offer a stunningly refreshing perspective on Gilead.
The production design effectively establishes a chilling atmosphere. The greenery surrounding the MacKenzies’ brick mansion serves as a vibrant backdrop to the narrative’s tension. The cinematography perfectly encapsulates the character’s internal conflicts. A standout moment in episode one uses mirrored reflections and aqua tiling to capture three distinct versions of Agnes’s face, symbolizing her evolving identity.
Although the sequel series incorporates close-ups, the shots serve the plot, unlike Moss’s in the first series. In an environment where open communication is a risk, visual cues and facial expressions provide the audience with context to decode the characters’ true feelings. In episode five, for instance, a drunken Becka confides in Daisy while hiding in a bathroom. The camera zooms in on the teens as Daisy insists that Agnes loves her; following Becka’s reply—”Not the way I love her”—Daisy’s eyes fill with a faint sadness. This visual is crucial: in a world where discussing “Gender Traitors” could cost you your tongue, Daisy’s silent expression lets Becka know she is safe. I’ll admit that even during the original show’s mediocre seasons, the acting was never the problem—and the new cast continues that excellence.
When Chase Infiniti was cast as Agnes in February 2025, the actress only had one acting credit to her name: Presumed Innocent. Though a year later, Infiniti rose to superstardom thanks to her breakout performance in One Battle After Another. Both Infiniti and co-star Lucy Holiday deliver incredible performances.
Subsequently, this first season is part of a planned three-season arc, rooted in its loyalty to Atwood’s novel. This foundation provides a structural integrity reminiscent of what made the debut season of The Handmaid’s Tale so successful. Deviating from the book caused major plot issues for the original series; whether The Testaments follows its predecessor’s instability remains to be seen. For now, I am choosing to enjoy these 10 exceptional episodes.