“I killed him, and I loved it.”
The world’s favorite dystopian television series, The Handmaid’s Tale, is back and sees June Osborne (Elizabeth Moss) facing the consequences of her actions. In the season four finale, Canadian authorities made a deal with Gilead to trade Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) to the former U.S. government — now occupied by the Divine Republic — in exchange for 22 trapped women. Not to be outsmarted by Fred or Gilead, June conjured up a plan for Fred to be taken to No Man’s Land, where a group of former Handmaids assisted June in murdering him. Now, June returns with a bigger lust for vengeance and an inability to let go of the past. But can she put aside these intense desires or will her reluctance to forgive hinder her ability to start anew?
Season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale answers these questions rather quickly. A victim of rape, kidnapping, separation from her newborn, and other crimes against humanity, June, with good reason, can’t seem to let go. Taking matters into her own hands and serving her enemies with her version of justice is the key to June’s new beginnings. Unfortunately, everyone else must deal with the fallout and repercussions. In the season 5 premiere, Bruce Miller, series creator, writer, and executive producer, recaptures the intensity and nerve-wracking suspense from the season four finale. While the initial episode plays around with the concept of letting go and moving on, Miller’s effective writing reminds viewers that the journey towards forgiveness is long and challenging.
While June struggles to redefine her new life and purpose in Canada, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), now a widow carrying her late husband’s unborn child, attempts to use her growing support and influence in Canada and Gilead to raise her profile. Like June, Serena is also on her own journey towards a fresh start, in which the fallout of her husband’s death provokes a thirst for retaliation. Season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale beautifully juxtaposes June and Serena’s new livelihoods. While they are sworn enemies, the script develops to a point in which their characters almost become dependent on one another, as moving on from a life within Gilead proves to be a challenge for both.
That’s not to say that these characters don’t grow independent of each other. Truth be told, both June and Serena have plenty to worry about in addition to each other. June must find a way to pause her quest for revenge to reunite with Hannah, and Serena must manipulate her way back into power to create a safe haven for her child. However, propelling their independent stories forward is where the season is weakest and relying on their ever-burgeoning feud is where the story excels. Like many things in Gilead, “some sins can’t be washed away,” and each episode would have been better had this been kept in mind.
As the season progresses, many of the middle episodes drag and lose the momentum established early on. However, the slowed pace enables the show to provide more insight into the ramifications of both June and Serena’s actions. For Luke (O-T Fagbenle), that means finding a way to love this new version of June — a woman set on revenge with a lust for defeating her enemies by any means necessary. These episodes also give viewers a chance to experience the new Gilead under Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford), where Janine (Madeline Brewer) assists the young and justifiably rageful Esther (Mckenna Grace) with her new life as a handmaid under Aunt Lydia’s (Ann Dowd) direction.
There’s a turning point in The Handmaid's Tale season 5 that will significantly excite viewers to no end. It comes at a point in which all hope seems lost for every character within the story. June makes a crucial decision, which leads to a showdown that viewers have been waiting for since the start of the series. Even though the execution is slightly rushed, mostly because it requires a drastic change in characterization for the show’s leads, it comes at the perfect time when the series is on the cusp of losing all momentum. It’s not entirely certain that these moments won’t be predictable for viewers, especially considering early foreshadowing, but it is satisfying to say the least.
Like in past seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale, viewers can rely on the show's magnificent cinematography to set the mood of the show. This season, DP Nicola Daley continues the great work of Colin Watkinson through excellent photography that highlights and enlightens viewers on the state of affairs for both June and Serena. The photography itself tells a beautiful story of growth and new beginnings, even when the show slows during midseason. Another reliable element is composer Adam Taylor’s hauntingly beautiful score. From the beginning to the end, Taylor’s score evolves from a dark and gloomy one that encapsulates everything June has suffered to this point, to one that resembles an uplifting and hopeful dawn of a new day. Even when the writing isn’t at its best, the series boasts remarkable technical achievements that make the final episodes worth the wait.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 is tear-jerking, filled with promise, and satisfying, even though it doesn’t always deliver reasonable character growth for the series’ leads or answer all questions. Gorgeous cinematography, paired with a score that is a journey in and of itself, will have viewers looking forward to the story of vengeance unfold. All the violence, conniving, and revenge have led to the ultimate showdown between sworn enemies. It doesn’t always adequately execute its themes, but The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 may just be the justice that viewers have been hoping for.
The first two episodes of The Handmaid's Tale season 5 premiere Wednesday, September 14 on Hulu. The season consists of ten episodes that will release weekly on Wednesdays. The series is rated TV-MA for language and violence.