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The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > TV IV > The Handmaids Tale : Emotional Devastation on a Weekly Basis
 
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Red Oktober
May 24, 2006

wiggly eyes!

precision posted:


The Simple Minds needle drop was absolutely fantastic. Part of why this show is so devastating is that it keeps having moments of humor or hope before reminding you that everything is terrible.

That was a brilliant moment. My partner was sitting on the couch opposite with headphones on while I was watching it, so couldn't hear or see a thing) and said my mouth just dropped open at that moment.

* # ¿ Apr 29, 2017 23:33
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# ¿ May 3, 2024 11:15
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Red Oktober
May 24, 2006

wiggly eyes!

Snak posted:

I mean, part of the premise is that there have been fertility issues for awhile. So a giant civil war with very few children would actually result in a giant drop in population.

I've got no real problem with the concept - a drop off in birth-rate like that would be absolutely terrifying to a population, and I could absolutely see enough of the population being in favour of (or at least not opposing) measures.

I've just had a thought - is Offred named that because she literally belongs to Fred? Same with Ofglen? It's been 16 years or so since I read the book so I can't remember - that's horrifying if so.

* # ¿ Apr 29, 2017 23:47
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Red Oktober
May 24, 2006

wiggly eyes!

Bobbin Threadbare posted:

Yes. The names of Handmaids change to reflect the head of their current household.

Well, that is straight up horror then.

* # ¿ Apr 29, 2017 23:57
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Red Oktober
May 24, 2006

wiggly eyes!

DasNeonLicht posted:


Second, in E4, the scene where Commander Waterford can't get an erection, leaves the room, and Mrs. Waterford follows him and says, "Let me help you." I found this to be a very touching scene, because we that Serena Joy actually loves her husband, and wants to express that love sexually. At the very least, we see some honest sexual desire from a heretofore unlikeable character, or at least, how thirsty she is under this regime. Most importantly, though, I think we see just how deep and hurtful the sexual repression at the heart of this theocracy is (or at least it is for the Waterfords). Human beings are sexual beings, but Gilead's ideology echoes contemporary conservative religious ideology so well in the way it denies and shames sexuality (and perhaps in the way it tolerates or indulges it underground!).

That scene worked really well for me; we see a lot of how terrible things are for the general staff and the handmaidens, but not much about how terrible the whole setup is for the wives. We see them as part of the privileged class, but it has to be utterly loving awful to sit there while your husband fucks another (younger, more virile) women on your lap. It went a long way to humanise her as a victim of the regime as well.

* # ¿ May 13, 2017 21:36
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Red Oktober
May 24, 2006

wiggly eyes!



 It seemed that she was implying they weren't sending her back because she could have too dangerous an influence on the remaining handmaids. Makes sense that they would want to keep her influence away from them.

* # ¿ Jun 1, 2017 14:20
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The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > TV IV > The Handmaids Tale : Emotional Devastation on a Weekly Basis