The Handmaid's Tale - season 4

[Jive Turkey 12617]

first three episodes have dropped.  i'm sure we'll start it up tonight and finish it up by the time the next episode drops.

more reviews are coming out.  they're not very positive.

1.  https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/27/entertainment/the-handmaids-tale-season-4-review/index.html

'The Handmaid's Tale' shifts gears, changing more than just its clothes

"The Handmaid's Tale" joins the roster of programs that have flamed brightly, then kept the fires burning beyond their creative apex.

The result is a fourth season that feels like a very different show, one that partially escapes the suffocating climate of Gilead but can't avoid the sensation that this provocative series is now operating on borrowed time.

 

2.  https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2021/04/28/handmaids-tale-season-4-review-how-long-can-this-go-on/4854685001/

Review: How long can 'The Handmaid's Tale' go on like this?

It's exhausting just to think about the fourth season of "The Handmaid's Tale."

Hulu's flagship drama is back with three new episodes (then streams weekly on Wednesdays), an unwelcome return to the pain and despair of the post-apocalyptic Gilead and star Elisabeth Moss' grim face. 

The plodding, frustrating fourth season is not unlike the plodding, frustrating third or the plodding, frustrating second. "Handmaid's" has uniformly struggled after surpassing the source material in Margaret Atwood's book. Seasons 2 and 3 tried (and failed) to move the plot forward in significant ways, falling back on the series' increasingly grating crutch of making June (Moss) suffer rather than allowing the story to grow. "Handmaid's" had the chance to change for the better, to prove it could run for years and years.

Instead, Season 4 teases something bigger, a pivot to the future, and then takes two steps back once again. By the end of the eight episodes made available for preview, there are hints of something different and promising. But to get there, viewers are subjected to the worst of the series' impulses, as if the first seven episodes were a thumb-twiddling waste of time. And in many ways, they are. 

 

[Js1 85426]

I’m not watching this weekly. I’ll wait until the whole miserable season drops 

[mdmost 43004]

Same. We'll give it 3 episodes. I don't like the preview I've seen where Canadian citizens are petitioning for the Waterfords to be set free. That's just f'ing stupid. 

[henrygandorf 29192]

the trailers make it seem like shit is going down, but i've been hurt before.

i'm gonna be 2 bourbons in before we start the season premiere, and hopefully be 4-5 in before i post on here about it.

[henrygandorf 29192]

we're 1.5 episodes in.

anyone else?

not sure how i feel about this 14 year old mistress of the house.  i'll reserve judgment on episode drop until i see all 3.

[henrygandorf 29192]

through the first 3.

at this point, i think it's entirely possible that this is either a psychological experiment or an elaborate prank.

Spoiler

so far i've seen a handmaid water-boarded, put in a cage, pushed off a building, shot in the back, and hit by a train.

 

[Js1 85426]

So it’s still misery porn? Awesome 

[henrygandorf 29192]

1 minute ago, Js1 said:

So it’s still misery porn? Awesome 

the weird thing is that when they played the recap, there were several instances (like waterford driving into canada and getting arrested, or all the kids getting stashed in the plane) where i was like, "oh yeah, i remember that, i liked that."  so many so to where i actually looked back at previous seasons with fondness.  

it's been 2 years since s3, so it's a little awkward and not notable enough to remember or tolerable enough to rewatch, so i'm kinda stuck starting over from scratch every season.  this show is incapable of building on its own momentum (as we've seen repeatedly in past seasons), so it's next to impossible to expect them to overcome a covid-delayed schedule to keep my attention.

there are 3 separate stories going on - canada with her husband, the waterfords in prison, and june in gilead.  unlike other shows like game of thrones, i never find myself thinking, "come on, get away from the c story and get back to the b story, i'm more interested in that".  i'm just kinda watching it happen hoping for something to grab me.

instead it's just long, slow, dramatic shots of elisabeth moss in anguish or occasionally, very slight amusement.

[Jive Turkey 12617]

we watched the first episode.  more torture porn.

the new 14 year old commander's wife reminds me of Roman Grant's young wife, Rhonda.  i'm probably gonna dislike her a lot, but she may add something.

it's amazing how June continues to run things.  she should have been on the wall 2 seasons ago.  yet here she is, bossing everybody around like she's untouchable.  i can't handle another season of this.  but yet i'll watch.

[immortal13 4059]

I'm just hoping for a Gilead/Canada war....don't really care who wins, just something besides June's scowling face

[henrygandorf 29192]

5 hours ago, immortal13 said:

I'm just hoping for a Gilead/Canada war....don't really care who wins, just something besides June's scowling face

i would love a prequel showing how gilead came to be. would watch 3 seasons of that. 

would love to see a war with canada, or whatever is going on in chicago. but they’ll never show us any of that. 

[Jive Turkey 12617]

we'll get a little snippet or flashback of Chicago from Nick, since he went there but returned.  but that's about it.

of course, we may not even get that.

[UT_OB1 2224]

Why did the director of the show decide that zooming in on June’s face was going to be the thing for that drives this show forward (besides all the torture)?  I hate seeing June’s face at this point. 

[seven 1367]

Lots of slow motion time fillers this season. 

[Guest Lobo]

7 hours ago, UT_OB1 said:

Why did the director of the show decide that zooming in on June’s face was going to be the thing for that drives this show forward (besides all the torture)?  I hate seeing June’s face at this point. 

At some point, I thought it was some cinematographic device to demonstrate that a woman's face, and all its range of expressions should be free from cover and shame like the handmaid's habit/head covering, the muslim Niqab, christian vail, et. al.  But then it just got annoying.  And the range has been basically reduced to a binary display---restrained rage or dour.  

[UT_OB1 2224]

32 minutes ago, Lobo said:

At some point, I thought it was some cinematographic device to demonstrate that a woman's face, and all its range of expressions should be free from cover and shame like the handmaid's habit/head covering, the muslim Niqab, christian vail, et. al.  But then it just got annoying.  And the range has been basically reduced to a binary display---restrained rage or dour.  

As an artsy cinematic move, sure, once or twice a season might work.  It could be her ultimate super power.  But 5..10? times a show is a beating. 

[henrygandorf 29192]

it just further lowers the stakes whenever you may think “wait is she going to die?”

she obviously isn’t, they need her for all those slo-mo’s. 

[Saint Austin 745]

Spoiler

There was a "Republic of Texas" reference in one of the recent episodes. Let's hear about. Or like folks said, a Gilead-Canadian war, possibly with a "Bay of Pigs" element where American refugees in Canada cross the border to fuck shit up inside Gilead. It beats June playing this captured, escaped, captured game for the rest of the season.

 

[henrygandorf 29192]

50 minutes ago, Saint Austin said:

  Hide contents

There was a "Republic of Texas" reference in one of the recent episodes. Let's hear about. Or like folks said, a Gilead-Canadian war, possibly with a "Bay of Pigs" element where American refugees in Canada cross the border to fuck shit up inside Gilead. It beats June playing this captured, escaped, captured game for the rest of the season.

 

yeah, i meant to bring up the little texas name drop.  probably the last we'll hear of it.

[Bottlecap 1523]

there's no way Texas wouldn't be absolutely horny over joining Gilead. Probably the most unrealistic thing about this show so far.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Bottlecap

[henrygandorf 29192]

16 minutes ago, Bottlecap said:

there's no way Texas wouldn't be absolutely horny over joining Gilead. Probably the most unrealistic thing about this show so far.

yeah, the mental picture they painted when the show first started was basically the entire country was gilead now, which is why "america" was now basically reduced to hawaii.  not sure how that's accomplished outside of full nuclear strikes in every big city except boston.

i just assumed texas and the entire south/southwest was gilead.  now they're making it sound like they may not be west of chicago.

[Saint Austin 745]

27 minutes ago, Bottlecap said:

there's no way Texas wouldn't be absolutely horny over joining Gilead. Probably the most unrealistic thing about this show so far.

Let's look at the facts. Gilead has no football, no Whataburger, and no guns or booze-&-womins (at least to the general public)?? Texas looks like a hard no to Gilead.

[Guest Lobo]

Do you even Baptist, bro?

[jdhorn92 1552]

Enjoyed S4E1. Not sure where they go, seems like getting the daughter back is the angle.  Nick would have to be a big player if that's the direction. Thought last commander was getting the gulag treatment when I saw the barber chair.

[CooterBrown 18015]

How June avoids murdering the fuck out of Lydia is the dumbest plot point.

[jdhorn92 1552]

10 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

How June avoids murdering the fuck out of Lydia is the dumbest plot point.

Yeah watched that EP last night, total WTF moment....at least prod tf out of her to slow her down a bit.  That was a bad plot move to try and show she is above that now, I guess.  Come on man, no way anyone lets Lydia off with a free pass in that moment.

[BonzoMontreaux 1061]

I would not be surprised if Lydia becomes a sympathizer to June's cause.  

[lateshow 1304]

Just want to add, this show sucks. 

[CooterBrown 18015]

12 minutes ago, BonzoMontreaux said:

I would not be surprised if Lydia becomes a sympathizer to June's cause.  

I fucking hope not. A special episode dedicated to the torture and slow killing of Lydia better be the reward of 4 seasons of this shit.

 

[seven 1367]

I don't remember the character's name, but every time I see those completely out of place giant tits on the black escaped woman it makes me laugh. 

[BonzoMontreaux 1061]

28 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

I fucking hope not. A special episode dedicated to the torture and slow killing of Lydia better be the reward of 4 seasons of this shit.

 

To be clear...I want her to die horribly too.

[Guest Lobo]

3 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

I fucking hope not. A special episode dedicated to the torture and slow killing of Lydia better be the reward of 4 seasons of this shit.

 

Yeah, I was picturing when Cersei tortured Septa Unella by inviting the Mountain in to un-dead rape her over and over again for weeks on end.  

Have the Handmaid's hold her down like in the bedding ceremony and shove an old baseball bat they found at Fenway Park that time she pretended to hang them all, into her over and over again until she coughs up blood from all the internal trauma.  The blood seeps back into her eyes and the camera lens is washed over in the deep red, the color of the cloak above her, she stares into the eyes of June who is holding her head in place while others complete the tortuous deed.  Eventually the blood washed out her vision and she gasps her last breath and internally bleeds out.  June snaps the bat in half.  Leaves half inside Lydia and shoves the grip portion down into Lydia's throat with a note written in blood that says, "America and its pastime are back!" 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Lobo

[Js1 85426]

Jesus Christ 

[mdmost 43004]

Okay, Armie Lobo Hammer. 

[Guest Lobo]

That wasn't a movie quote or anything dude.  Just what I'd like to see happen to the mean Lydia.  If that was a plot device in another movie, it's one I don't know.  

 

[henrygandorf 29192]

[Saint Austin 745]

Spoiler

"I can't believe there are actual sex slaves in America."

One scene later, demands sex in exchange for shelter. 

 

[jdhorn92 1552]

2 hours ago, Saint Austin said:

  Hide contents

"I can't believe there are actual sex slaves in America."

One scene later, demands sex in exchange for shelter. 

 

Yeah he was like might as well take advantage of this shit

[Jive Turkey 12617]

Alma and Brianna were done wrong.

[henrygandorf 29192]

i actually like where the story is heading.

which means i'm hurtling towards some disappointment.

[CooterBrown 18015]

June is the queen of bad ideas. Hey, let’s pass up these 3 humvees with nice seats where we can ride in relative comfort and instead jump in a refrigerated tank of milk and try not to drown or freeze to death.

[jdhorn92 1552]

14 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

June is the queen of bad ideas. Hey, let’s pass up these 3 humvees with nice seats where we can ride in relative comfort and instead jump in a refrigerated tank of milk and try not to drown or freeze to death.

Ha! so true, I thought the same thing as I was watching.  And I would have not disclosed the part of leaking the whereabouts.  Some things are better left unsaid.

[UT_OB1 2224]

When did they start putting the valves on the inside of the tankers that can’t be operated unless you spoil the milk by swimming in it (or burn yourself horribly because you jumped in a tank of 50% caustic without knowing it)?  

[F250 28785]

On 5/5/2021 at 2:37 PM, Lobo said:

Yeah, I was picturing when Cersei tortured Septa Unella by inviting the Mountain in to un-dead rape her over and over again for weeks on end.  

Have the Handmaid's hold her down like in the bedding ceremony and shove an old baseball bat they found at Fenway Park that time she pretended to hang them all, into her over and over again until she coughs up blood from all the internal trauma.  The blood seeps back into her eyes and the camera lens is washed over in the deep red, the color of the cloak above her, she stares into the eyes of June who is holding her head in place while others complete the tortuous deed.  Eventually the blood washed out her vision and she gasps her last breath and internally bleeds out.  June snaps the bat in half.  Leaves half inside Lydia and shoves the grip portion down into Lydia's throat with a note written in blood that says, "America and its pastime are back!" 

[F250 28785]

What was that resistance group run by unemployed Starbucks employees?

 

[Parliament 14261]

Shaggybevo?

[henrygandorf 29192]

i'm kinda liking this season.

is it getting better or are my expectations that warped?

[Jive Turkey 12617]

i think it's better.  mainly because they finally did what people have been wanting them to do forever - get June out of Gilead.  i was hoping Canada, but Chicago will do.

[immortal13 4059]

On 5/3/2021 at 1:20 PM, Saint Austin said:

Let's look at the facts. Gilead has no football, no Whataburger, and no guns or booze-&-womins (at least to the general public)?? Texas looks like a hard no to Gilead.

Do you even Cloak Room, bro?

[henrygandorf 29192]

more mention of ca, tx, chicago not being gilead. how is gilead even happening then?  earlier we were led to believe hawaii was the only “america” left. whatever, maybe new writers are setting the parameters.