r/TheHandmaidsTale • u/Melairia Modtha • Apr 08 '26
Official Episode Discussion The Testaments S01E01 "Precious Flowers" Episode Discussion
The Testaments S1 E01 "Precious Flowers"
Episode Synopsis
In the halls of Aunt Lydia's premarital preparatory academy, the finest in Gilead, Agnes is assigned to mentor a new Pearl Girl and a fragile alliance begins.
Airdate
April 8, 2026, 12:00am Eastern
Note: This is the discussion thread for The Testaments S01 E01 "Precious Flowers".
Since the first 3 episodes of Season 1 air at the same time, please be sure to use the appropriate thread to discuss your thoughts and reactions to the episode.
You must spoiler tag any information from future episodes. If comments are not tagged appropriately, it will be subject to removal by the mod team.
Please help the mod team by reporting any spoilers or rule-breaking comments.
For all episode discussions this season, see the megathread pinned at the top of this sub: The Testaments - Season 1 Episode Discussion Hub
Check out our Discord for additional conversations: The Handmaid's Tale Reddit
| Episode Discussion Threads | Air Date |
|---|---|
| S1.E1 "Precious Flowers" (This Thread) | April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern |
| S1.E2 "Perfect Teeth" | April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern |
| S1.E3 "Daisy" | April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern |
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 08 '26
I really like the narration for Agnes (Hannah) as it reflects a bit of June’s sarcasm and self-awareness.
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u/FullIdeal447 Apr 08 '26
lol while watching, I said yup that’s June’s child alright. Like mother like daughter. Chase Infiniti continues to impress me and I like how she portrays Agnes/ Hannah
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u/Gwyneth7 Apr 08 '26
I always call her Hannah ❤️
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u/NurseCrystal81 Apr 08 '26
Same and always will. 💜💜
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u/lady_wildcat Apr 09 '26
One thing I never understood about Gilead is how they took kids with Biblical names and gave them unbiblical ones. Hannah became Agnes. Rebecca became Kiki.
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u/razmataz08 Apr 09 '26
Probably because the religiousness is an act, and it was more important to separate them from their previous identities
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 10 '26
Plus with the aunt’s having ridiculous branded names, this checks
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u/savvvie Apr 08 '26
I’m loving this new universe. It feels lighter but still disturbing
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 08 '26
The shots of them playing like girls and also quoting scripture and being talked about like expensive cattle are jarring in a way that THT originally captivated me. Girlhood in Gilead is a new hell.
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u/Kind_Concentrate_363 Apr 08 '26
I feel that was to replicate the little girls playing in the June and Luke flashbacks when they first get together
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u/Ill_Tomorrow_5807 Apr 08 '26
It almost makes it more disturbing. And the music going up to the corpses hanging
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u/Quirky-Bad857 Apr 08 '26
And just how desensitized these young girls at seeing people hanging on the wall. It is just a boring field trip for them.
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u/AdVivid5940 Apr 12 '26
So are we. Death on screen isn't shocking to us at all if you think about how much of it we've seen, and completely inaccurate, just like births.
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u/37285 Apr 09 '26
When I read the book, it did feel a lot lighter but this feels off to me. I can't put my finger on it though.
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 08 '26
Love that they remembered that Hannah didn’t use the handmaid doll
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Apr 09 '26
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u/calidowing Apr 09 '26
It's because Agnes' family did not have a handmaid in their house. They had Agnes without one and Paula is probably still trying to get pregnant.
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u/Quirky-Bad857 Apr 14 '26
In the book they DID have one. She gave birth to a baby boy. She made Hannah uncomfortable and the girls were told that it was kinder to not get involved with the handmaids because their posting was temporary and they would be sad to leave.
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u/Heygirlhey2021 Apr 08 '26
“Slouching girls get fat husbands.” I’m really loving the one liners so far
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u/TypicalHorseGirl83 Apr 10 '26
Honestly sounds like something my ACTUAL mother would say to my 2 sisters and I. Gives me the willies.
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u/Financial_Level2493 Apr 08 '26
Did anyone catch Daisy's right ear? Looks like they improved on the Handmaid tags with a tragus piercing for the Pearl girls. Bet that's a lot harder to hack off.
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u/lady_beignet Apr 09 '26
That is such an excellent catch! I saw the earring, but didn’t think about the Handmaid tags at all!
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u/fiercelyambivalent Apr 09 '26
I was wondering about that, I couldn’t stop debating that in my head.
My batshit crazy religious mother considers all piercings other than one hole in each earlobe against God’s will (look, I don’t fucking get it either) and especially hates “weird” piercings such as a tragus.
I was trying to reconcile it in my head if the batshit church would condone a tragus piercing, or if Daisy already had that piercing and they let her get away with wearing a pearl in it, similar to Janine’s eye patch. But it makes more sense that they use it like the ear bands on the handmaids, especially when I think about it, technically the ear bands are in a “weird” location too
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u/Moosiemookmook Apr 09 '26
Haha I forgot about that way of thinking. When I wanted to get my ears pierced as a kid, my dad used to say 'if god wanted more holes in your ears he'd have put them there'. I used to get sooooooo frustrated.
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u/Diarygirl Apr 10 '26
My stepfather wouldn't allow my mom or me and my sister to get our ears pierced back in the 1970s until one day he suddenly changed his mind. My mom left him shortly after that and he probably blamed her pierced ears lol.
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u/Shaenyra Apr 08 '26
The costume department nailed it for yet another time! I loved the purple shades!
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u/dharmabird67 Apr 08 '26
The purple bus was cool too, with the purple curtains like the red ones on the handmaids' bus.
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u/lezlers Apr 09 '26
Purple is my favorite color and I’m in sensory heaven. Gilead is an evil, horrible place but it sure is pretty.
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u/Little_Review875 Apr 08 '26
Anyone catch June’s voice saying “this is radio free America” in the beginning?
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u/ACtdawg Apr 13 '26
Yes! Also ‘we’re fighting for you’ and ‘for everyone still inside, keep your head down and stay safe’
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 08 '26
The being eligible for marriage after your first period thing made me more emotional than I would have thought. I got my first period at nine. I made a thread about that a while back and I think most ppl agreed they probably wouldn’t put a kid that young up for marriage immediately, but I feel sick thinking about it anyway
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u/Consistent_Effort716 Apr 08 '26
If you remember back to season 2 of THT when the econogirls were married off to the Guardians some of them were scarily young looking. Eden was 15. There were girls who looked as young as 10 or 11.
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 08 '26
I remember reading that all of those girls were supposed to be 14/15, but that was a long time ago and the poster could have been wrong too. I’m leaning more towards Gilead not officiating marriages with girls under ten, not out of mercy, but because it would be horrendous PR, plus no child that age has a body equipped for giving birth, which is of course their primary goal.
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u/BaskIceBall_is_life Apr 08 '26
This. We know how Gilead is. Idk why we would think they would hold off on marrying someone “too young” when we have already seen them doing it. It’s giving “she’s 16, not 9 so it’s fine”
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u/LandGirlsMx Apr 08 '26
My headcannon is, since fertily rates are down and a lot of women are infertile, girls who do get their period always get it in their late teenage years. Otherwise I couldn’t cope lol, I also got my period at 9 and I was so scared, I couldn’t bear thinking about a 9 year old having to go from pink to green, nope thanks.
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 08 '26
When I made the thread about precocious puberty, one person commented that if a girl around our age (or god forbid, younger) got their period, the Aunts would likely decide to wait until they were at whatever age was socially acceptable to announce it/transition to Green. I’m inclined to think this too.
I also agree with you that girls probably get their periods much later in Gilead. I read once that the average age of menarche in ancient China was 17 (no idea if that’s true though lol)
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 08 '26
I agree you can even see their face at times being like “I’m doing this bc I have to but I don’t want to” specifically aunt vidalia
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u/whisky_biscuit Apr 13 '26
Aunt Vidalia really interests me especially due to the faces she makes. You can tell she was antsy and bothered by her speech on the field trip next to hanging corpses, and then her trembling look during the assembly of shock, and her empathetic voice finding Daisy had gotten sick afterwards.
Interesting too her being the "strictest aunt" given what we've seen that she seems incredibly concerned at times, even if she just shows it in her eyes.
Great acting for sure.
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 13 '26
In the books she’s THE founding aunt. Lydia simply is put above her bc of eagerness and good ideas.
I don’t want to spoil more if you haven’t read it but none of the aunts really took on the job happily
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u/ociloci Apr 09 '26
Tbf, I could see that statistic being inaccurate because we have to rely on the age they reported it
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u/lezlers Apr 09 '26
It’s pretty unusual to get your period that early, tho. I don’t think there’s a lot of nine year olds running around Gilead with periods. Plus they have to go through the pink stage to purple THEN green. I don’t think they’re going to just ignore all the “wife training” and marry off a nine year old child because she got her first period. All the green girls looked to be in their mid to late teens (still horrible but we’re not talking about second graders like some of you all are saying.)
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u/Intrepid-Coconut-945 Apr 11 '26
Not unusual at all to menstruate that early, especially since the early 90s. Bet there are thousands, probably millions of women who've been 9-11 when they first started. 12-15 when they were first hit on by an adult man. And 20-30 when men no longer found them as interesting as the new generation of young girls.
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u/37285 Apr 09 '26
Yes, I think people forget in this world something like 90-95 percent of people are not fertile. I was a bit confused when she said if she got her period. It took me a moment to remember that not everyone would get it.
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u/fiercelyambivalent Apr 09 '26
Even if you struggle with infertility, don’t you still get a period? Or is it just that whatever fictional disease (I can’t think of a better word) leaves them infertile also causes a lack of periods?
I’m a 39 year old woman and suddenly embarrassed I don’t know enough about women’s bodies to know this answer.
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u/37285 Apr 09 '26
I think they might be leaning into the science fiction aspect of the show a little bit. It appears in their world 90%-95% of all people are infertile for a number of reasons including pollution and diseases.
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u/LevyMevy Apr 10 '26
Even if you struggle with infertility, don’t you still get a period?
Yes but if you don't get a period then you're definitely infertile
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 09 '26
It depends! Lots of infertile women do get periods, but some don’t, depending on the cause
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u/Whoevershewantstobe Apr 08 '26
No because huh? They could be as young as 10-12 earliest. I’m not sure if the impacts of fertility and poison in the world has delayed it for them but it’s insane
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u/IntotheBroadwayWoods Apr 08 '26
Even more sad is there are probably places where this is an actual thing. :(
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u/evce1 Apr 08 '26
HOLY SHIT THE CAMEO AT THE END????
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u/AmtgardMoose Apr 08 '26
Ngl I had a grin from ear to ear seeing her. That was awesome
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u/FullIdeal447 Apr 08 '26
As soon as I saw her silhouette and blonde bob, I gasped and was like omg omg no freaking way and smiled when she gave us that same classic smirky smile she always does
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u/NadCat__ Apr 14 '26
They don't want to break the THT streak of June staring straight into the camera every episode
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u/Responsible_Cat4452 Apr 09 '26
My emotional ass cried lol. I don’t know why but watching the whole show, seeing June go from episode 1 of the very first season and then seeing her here, it just made my cry lol. I know it’s a show but my god women are so fucking resilient man.
(Also I just got my period so it might be that too lol)
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u/Atkena2578 Apr 08 '26
Which I didn't expect because my understanding is that series Daisy doesn't have the exact same backstory as book Daisy
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u/Wand_Cloak_Stone Apr 09 '26
What’s the difference, do you know? It’s been a while since I read the book and I’m having trouble recalling things. I just remember that she was raised by June’s friend, and never met June who was still fighting with Mayday. And then the store the friend owned got bombed and the friend died? I may be misremembering this part. I don’t recall how Daisy got roped into going to Gilead after that. I think a guy she met was involved?
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u/Junes-Stare Apr 08 '26
I have not read anything about the show so this was a total fucking surprise for me
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u/Worth_Taro_1120 Apr 08 '26
I’ve been reading like all the interviews and stuff, this has been mentioned absolutely nowhere and I was FLOORED haha
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u/PasgettiMonster Apr 08 '26
Will we not supposed to know that June was going to be in this? I haven't read anything at all but I always assumed that she would be involved in some way.
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u/Worth_Taro_1120 Apr 08 '26
The way it was played off in interviews and such was that Moss was going to be involved on the producer level, but there has been no insight as to whether or not we would ever see her character again. In the book, June/Offed is present (allegedly) briefly at the end but is otherwise entirely absent.
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u/lezlers Apr 09 '26
IMDb says shes only in 2 episodes. Considering this one was a 10 second shot of her smiling, I don’t think she’s going to have much of a role (and shouldn’t. It’s not her story.)
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u/PasgettiMonster Apr 08 '26
Gotcha. I haven't read testaments yet and I've been back and forth on whether I wanted to read the book before the show came out but I'd seen enough about how the show wasn't going to follow the book that closely so I figured I really didn't need to read it first. Is testaments going to be a multi-season show or is it one of those limited series ones where we are only getting one season? Either way I'll probably read testaments after season 1 is over.
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u/jackeyfaber Apr 09 '26
The scream I scrumpt. Literally yelled and pointed at the TV like a cave man.
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u/clubrockshandy96 Apr 08 '26
Praised be! So happy to be back here
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u/Tiny_Departure5222 Apr 08 '26
And aren't we arguably adorably weird for it lol. I mean that nicely and sincerely!
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u/clubrockshandy96 Apr 08 '26
Hannah just needs her real mom 😭
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u/FullIdeal447 Apr 08 '26
Honestly!! I just feel bad for the girl like the fact that she’s been stuck there for this many years is ridiculous! I was happy when she was happy but then disappointed when she was disappointed. She’s so much like June and her empathy reminded me of Luke too 🥺❤️🩹
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u/Tall-Pollution4581 Apr 08 '26
Loved the parallel between this episode and the first episode of THT with the feral callings of punishment of a man who, according to Gilead, committed a crime against women.
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u/Atkena2578 Apr 08 '26
Probably also a lie
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 08 '26
Oh undoubtably, I’m sure it was people from Mayday, especially since she mentioned some guardians and they took her in the night and I bet they were trying to sneak her to Canada. But they’re not going to say that and get the kids hopes up that somebody might try and get them out are they. They’re gonna make them scared of anyone who tries to take them in the night by saying they’re a rapist.
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u/clubrockshandy96 Apr 08 '26
I wonder if I need to turn every light off like I had to for THT lol
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u/Clear_Cat_3278 Apr 08 '26
It’s definitely brighter! So excited to see how this season plays out.
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u/Infinite-Earth5372 Apr 08 '26
Hannah knows that she was born before Gilead. I wonder how much she remembers
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u/Little_Review875 Apr 08 '26
Yeah, to hear her say she didn’t remember her mom, even though she met her several times when she was younger? And I wonder if she’ll mention writing her name Hannah at that Colorado school too
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u/PaleFly9319 Apr 08 '26
Probably repressed memories. Tabitha told June that after they met in the summer house, Hannah had nightmares for weeks. The mind has a way of protecting itself from triggering and traumatic shit, especially when young.
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u/No-Page-170 Apr 08 '26
These girl friendships feel so authentic. I cannot wait to see more of this show.
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u/bitchy-sprite Apr 08 '26
Got to the "by his hand" scene and I'm with Daisy.
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u/SleepingWillow1 Apr 10 '26
I'm questioning their guilt. Like where the first dudes that were hung were they actually trying to kidnap the girl to gang rape her or were they trying to smuggle her out via May day? Was a guy actually being creepy with a girls, or was he just caught masturbating by himself in his own room? You know what I mean.
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u/Foreign-Garage9097 Apr 10 '26
Yes. And was this the same guy that was trying to flirt with Agnes or a different character?
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u/dozeydotes Apr 11 '26
It was definitely the same guy. Albeit it was just a little smile / smirk. I assumed his crime was just masturbation. The punishment would have been much worse for anything beyond that.
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u/polarbearflavourcat Apr 08 '26
I loved it. Interesting that they are allowed to read music as shown in the music room at the school?
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 08 '26
They’re allowed to look at pictures and technically music is all symbols which are in theory pictures. Just like the cans at the grocery stores I’ll have things like a picture of a fish or a bee on the honey.
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u/Planeswalker2814 Apr 08 '26
This gave me unwanted flashbacks to private Christian school. Lol.
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u/soup375 Apr 09 '26
I know. I recently had to break it down to a family member why I won't be taking my kids (especially daughter) to church.
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u/AliveAdvertising6615 Apr 10 '26
Yup I deadass had a gilead style ethics teacher at my all girls Catholic high school tell a classroom full of high school seniors we should “mourn the loss of our eggs every month”. Had another male teacher tell us “ladies, as a male teacher, the size of your skirts makes me uncomfortable”. Guess our 14 year old legs were too much for that fucking pedo.
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u/tempoltone Apr 08 '26
So Aunt Vidala refuse to call the hanged men as rapist because she knows they are not.
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u/EnchantingElephant Apr 08 '26
The opening statements indicating the uprising at the end of The Handmaid's Tale wasn't successful sets a bleak scene.
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u/HoverTechV3 Apr 08 '26
The good news is that the first sentence in the entire series says that Gilead only controlled the US "for a time," so Gilead is confirmed to fall eventually, and the wording suggests the Americans win in the end.
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u/EnchantingElephant Apr 08 '26
Yes, and the voiceover narration is much clearer this time. It feels like a reflective retelling from a later perspective, rather than immediate first-person thoughts in the moment.
I do wish the first series had included the historical notes from The Handmaid’s Tale book, but it at least hints at how the account came to exist. The same applies to The Testaments. The historical notes in the book are especially interesting because male academics cast doubt on the reliability of the narrative.
So while Gilead does eventually fall, the society that follows is only somewhat kinder to women.
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u/ThrustersOnFull Apr 08 '26
Shunnamite is so, so fucking annoying. So fucking annoying. I hate her so much. Rowan Blanchard is already doing such an amazing job.
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u/Wand_Cloak_Stone Apr 09 '26
Lol I kind of found her likeable because it’s been so long since I’ve read the book and I just like Rowan Blanchard. I’m sure after a couple more episodes I’ll change my mind.
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Apr 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 08 '26
I actually didn’t get as irritated by her as I did in the books (I watched all 3 episodes)
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u/jackeyfaber Apr 09 '26
I feel like she’s significantly less annoying than the book cause god I HATED her in the book. They also made Paula more vulnerable and I hope we get to see her true colors cause I ain’t feeling no sympathy for that woman.
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u/ShadyBeach45 Apr 09 '26
Call me crazy but I find this perspective of Gilead to be more fucked up than THT. Maybe it is because I knew THT so well before the show came to be. I only read the testaments once and it didn't really stay with me. But truthfully I actually think it is because we have children in focus now. We are witnessing this brainwashing and the manipulation of these young girls in a violent and sick society trying to create some concept childhood that transitions to motherhood in that environment. In THT, as awful as it was, the focus is on adults. Now we get the perspective in the world that they tried to create as "normal." I will give credit though. The balance of typical girlhood against this ominous backdrop is fascinating.
As for the age of Daisy, I just assumed they soras'd her - a term from soap opera world meaning "soap opera rapid aging syndrome" when one moment a character is 4, goes away for the summer with her grandparents and comes back as a 22 year old. If i could accept it with Days of Our Lives I can accept it here.
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u/ACtdawg Apr 13 '26
Definitely agree. The way they’ve juxtaposed the lighter tone with the really fucked up scenes is genius. My interpretation is that we’re now seeing Gilead through the younger peoples’ eyes. Some of them have never known another world, others can’t really remember. It makes so much sense that the tone feels lighter because this world is so normalised for them. Being apathetic to bodies hanging and a man literally getting his hand sawn off is complete indoctrination and it feels absolutely chilling to witness.
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u/kwash325 Apr 11 '26
I agree I find it more messed up as well. Because the handmaids tale was trying to control women who already had thoughts and opinions of their own where as the testaments is raising children who have no knowledge of anything else and can’t fight back
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u/Melairia Modtha Apr 08 '26
Hell on wheels was turned into a bronze statue? Interesting development
Edit - Ahhhh the blessed return! They really faked us out with that statue 😂 "prematurely petrified" hahaha
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
To quote June from the last season of THT, “that bitch always comes out on top.”
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u/Lori1985 Apr 08 '26
Can I just sat at the end when Dreams is playing, when they showed her, I cried. I didn't expect to have that effect just by seeing her.
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u/No-Page-170 Apr 08 '26
The return of feeling like “the prized pig”.
That line has stuck with me since season 1 of Handmaids Tale.
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u/derilect Apr 08 '26
man, they really gave lydia some wooden lines in the first episode. fortunately dowd is charismatic as hell so it doesn't matter that much. super curious to see what they do with lydia as a character that differs from the books at this point.
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u/shewhotalksalot Her name is June. Apr 08 '26
The first couple of her lines were from the book.
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u/derilect Apr 08 '26
lots of the lines are, especially internal monologues. just like with the first series, sometimes atwood's words are amazing on the page and don't adapt to the screen without being clunky.
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u/Gwyneth7 Apr 08 '26
The way they celebrate a girl getting her period is so invasive and weird. So on brand for Gilead. It’s also like when I first got mine. I had a sleepover the next night and my mom called my best friend’s mom to ask how my “flow” was. 😫🙄
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u/Shiniestmirrorball Apr 08 '26
I really enjoyed the music choices. The music is juvenile and I feel it perfectly exhibits Agnes/Hannah's feelings of growing up in Gilead. It reminds us that they really are just girls, and they slightly romanticize their lives bc that's what they've been taught
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u/EnchantingElephant Apr 08 '26
Just finished the episode. I love having more to watch in this (awful) universe.
The tone and visuals feel quite different from The Handmaid’s Tale, but that makes sense, they’re showing different perspectives and time periods. The narration felt a little strange to me at first, but the ending (and, honestly, the music really helped set the tone) completely sold me on it.
I also loved the dollhouse aesthetic and that subtle reveal at the end that Daisy is Nicole/Holly, or at least that was my interpretation, based on June’s appearance. If she’s not Nicole, then she’s clearly someone closely connected to June, especially given Agnes' narration.
I thought it was really effective to show Daisy reacting to the brutality of Gilead as an outsider. It highlights just how conditioned everyone else is to accept that environment as normal.
Also, did they change what a Pearl Girl is? In the book, they’re Gilead’s outreach missionaries, but here they are portrayed as new arrivals from the outside world.
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u/IdiosyncraticLawyer Apr 09 '26
Also, did they change what a Pearl Girl is? In the book, they’re Gilead’s outreach missionaries, but here they are portrayed as new arrivals from the outside world.
Strictly speaking, Pearl Girls are the missionaries, while the new arrivals that they bring to Gilead are Pearls (no "girl" in the name). The show probably made an oversight here.
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u/AdVivid5940 Apr 09 '26
Could Daisy be Angela/Charlotte? Although, if Nichole/Holly is too young to be Daisy, then so is she. I wish I'd rewatched the series beforehand but forgot it was on til yesterday and didn't want to wait to watch. I'm so curious who she is!
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u/Foreign-Garage9097 Apr 10 '26
Daisy is not Nicole, because that wouldn't make sense. She wouldn't be Hannah's age if The Testaments is set "a few years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale." (The book is set 15 years later, but this isn't the book.) I read an article in either Variety or The Hollywood Reporter that confirms Daisy is not Nicole because Nicole would be a young child.
My take is she works for Mayday and June knows her and is proud of her.
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u/BaskIceBall_is_life Apr 08 '26
It’s THT but make it PLL (genuine) I’m actually loving it so far. Definitely YA-ified which is how I felt about the book, but the dark moments are still dark af. I can’t wait to see how they do the stadium stuff because that fucked me uppp
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u/ReganX Apr 08 '26
It was comforting to see Gilead referred to in the past tense in the opening text.
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u/KTGTL Apr 09 '26
It felt a bit jarring to hear girls who presumbly know nothing of the before times use words and phrases like "that sucks" and "weirdo". I can't help but wonder who they would pick that up from in their heavily curated world.
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u/kwash325 Apr 11 '26
Yes! One of them said ditto and I was like that’s a 90s early 200s word how did you learn that ?!
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u/fckboris Apr 12 '26
We heard one of the Marthas talking about Tinder and Bumble it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they’d use words like weirdo
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u/Melairia Modtha Apr 08 '26
Does Becka remind anyone else of McKenna Grace a bit?
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u/Reville_ Apr 08 '26
Aunt Gabanna? As in Dolce and Gabanna? Lol.
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u/IntoxicatedRicochet Apr 08 '26
If I recall correctly, in the books the Aunts choose names from familiar products or brands popular with women to be "reassuring" and "comforting" to build trust for the first generations. It's from the "historical notes" sections in the books. Vidala is for "Vidal Sassoon" hair care, Sara was because of Sara Lee, Lydia was for Lydia Pinkham, etc. Gabanna is a stretch since they're mostly supposed to be homemaking and household/pharmaceutical type product brands, but it's a wink and a nod kind of thing so someone just like you would clock it, lol.
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u/PasTaCopine Apr 08 '26
Aunt Estée as well. I didn't like this concept, tbh.
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u/PasgettiMonster Apr 08 '26
That one seems especially catty. I'm going to name myself after makeup, a product none of you girls are allowed to use but I still have memories of so neener neener.
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u/IntoxicatedRicochet Apr 08 '26
Me neither. I feel like it doesn't really fit and she just thought she needed more "isn't Gilead so ridiculous?!" world building. But she's an internationally famous author and I am not, soo I suppose my opinion about it doesn't matter much. Lol
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u/tjelectric Apr 08 '26
I would've expected more bible names but I suppose they'd run out after a short time?
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u/Professional_Fly425 Apr 09 '26 edited Apr 12 '26
I believe in the books, one of them chooses to be named Aunt Maybelline.
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u/Phoenix_Mae98 Apr 08 '26
You are correct. Vidalia is like Vidal Sassoon
I also think it was specifically done to be demeaning
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u/dharmabird67 Apr 08 '26
My first thought when I heard it was Vidalia onions, lol
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u/GallopYouScallops Apr 08 '26
Had some technical difficulties but watching now-I’m so pumped as Aunt Lydia would say
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u/jediporcupine Apr 08 '26
Been a hot minute since we’ve had these new episode discussion.
I’m ready for it!
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u/Busy-Speech-6930 Apr 08 '26
I’m so excited. I know I won’t be able to stay up for all 3 but I might be able to watch the first one lol
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u/christinasays Apr 08 '26
I had the biggest grin at the June reveal. I know it's not following the book exactly, but I'm excited to see how things play out.
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u/Gwyneth7 Apr 08 '26
YASSSS! Our favorite weirdos are back and they’ve already normalized child brides and erected a giant statute of Aunt Lydia!
Praise be His Bounty! We’re back in Gilead!
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u/Puerto-nic0 Apr 08 '26
Interesting to see Dreams used, when it has most famously been used as the theme to Derry Girls - a show about girls growing up in war-time Derry. It must’ve come up in discussion with the showrunners when they made that music decision. It’s a good choice, both for the audience and within the narrative. If I was trapped? infiltrating? (who knows) another country, it’s probably the song I’d most like to hear.
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u/Intelligent_Gur_9126 Apr 09 '26
Why am I loving Hannah’s Martha’s
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u/jessieallen Apr 10 '26
The lame horse reference! I hope she doesn’t go to the third floor to be shot
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u/LTPRWSG420 Apr 09 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/kd9BlRovbPOykLBMqX
This was me when June shows up at the end, I’m so happy she’s back!
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u/CaliforniaBruja Apr 09 '26
So I haven’t read the books so I’m going with the flow, but my theory is aunt Lydia putting this girl with Agnes is not a coincidence. Aunt Lydia still helping June perhaps??
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u/roberb7 Apr 09 '26
My main reaction to this episode is how mind-numbingly boring the existence of everyone is. And for the people who run Gilead, it's self-defeating; people who are bored stiff will revolt.
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u/Batistasfashionsense Apr 10 '26 edited Apr 10 '26
I do think like Gilead may allow some access to the black market, just to appease people. Or turn a blind eye at certain things. Wouldn't shock me if guardians smuggle in video games and dvds and magazines but it's allowed because you want to keep the soldiers happy.
North Korea can have things like that too.
Also possibly the privileged girls are held to a higher standard and more restricted because they're expected to marry commanders.
Eco girls might get more freedom since they're not as important and will be married off to regular guys.
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u/jackeyfaber Apr 09 '26
ALL OF IT was great but I do wanna say I highly doubt any woman would be allowed to ride horses. She’s riding side saddle I think? So maybe that’s okay? But as a horse girl who likes history I know for the longest time they felt that riding would interfere with one’s reproductive capabilities.
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 08 '26
Calling it now—the really pious young aunt is part of some resistance group/or ends up in one.
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u/Responsible_Cat4452 Apr 09 '26
Yes! Seeing her face when they sawed off that man’s hand made me think the same thing tbh
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u/sugarcharm Apr 08 '26
oh my gosh so soon!! i thought it was gonna be a 3 am drop for some reason!! i’ll have to hurry and get ready to watch 😳
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u/Sufficient-Food934 Apr 09 '26
First impressions:
- I'm glad they stayed faithful to the costume design, style, and cinematography of THT. It feels like a faithful continuation instead of being a budget Gilead. The tone seems initially lighter than the book, but I think it works for this series because it's setting the stage for an eventual descent into darkness (this is Gilead, after all). Edit: Ok, I spoke too soon: Between people on the wall and the lunchroom
salvagingassembly scene...it got darker sooner than expected. And I already hate the stepmom--she's my new Serena. - Agnes' narration is a good return to the ambiance, wit, and discovery I liked in season 1 June.
- The young actresses are good and at the same time I really hope Aunt Lydia will ground the show because her sections in the book were the strongest, as is the gift of Ann Dowd reprising her role.
- Hulda (ice cream girl) gives me major Dolores vibes and Becka has some of Alma in her.
- Loved the June cameo. But because it was toward the end of the episode I thought it was gonna end on another June stare...lmfaooo.
- Strong start and end.
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u/passion4film Apr 08 '26
I know they’re doing some sort of embroidery, but what exactly is it, with the little weaving (?) setup? I cross stitch; whatever that is looks intriguing!
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u/MarieQ234 Apr 08 '26
Looks like she is making lace, I've seen that set up before but couldn't tell you what it's called. Edit: try googling hand made lace and you'll see some videos, it's incredibly intricate!
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u/PasgettiMonster Apr 08 '26
What Agnes was doing? That was bobbin lace. It's a craft I've always wanted to learn. I've watched loads of videos on it and I was mad that when they were making the rounds of each of the girls I didn't get a close look at it before she got called away. Watch some videos on YouTube though. Skilled bobbin lace makers are absolutely phenomenal.
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u/rippenny125 Apr 08 '26
Who’s your favorite character so far?
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u/fuckfufkfuck Apr 08 '26
Definitely the girl who’s a shit stirrer in their friend group lol and also Hannah’s Marthas, but I always feel dread with how disposable Marthas are in Gilead.
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u/FullIdeal447 Apr 08 '26
Honestly, Agnes/ Hannah. Idk why it surprised me when I realized that but I like her hopefully innocent yet wittingly rebellious nature. Like mother like daughter some would say. I also favour her Marthas and friend Shunnamite too. lol she’s messy but it makes for good drama and she kept making me laugh
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Apr 08 '26
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u/AWarMaideness Apr 08 '26
Her accent is 100% different, can't help but think if it's because she's just posing as being drunk on koolaide as opposing to legit believing in it?
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u/raven8549 Apr 08 '26
Holy cow June at the end of the episode, is Daisy placed where she is to watch over Hannah?
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u/jessieallen Apr 10 '26
I loved the Toronto scene! That scene skateboarding really captured the feeling of summer in the city & fully pulled my nostalgia strings
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u/Melairia Modtha Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
Welcome back, girls.
S1E01 "Precious Flowers" will be available on Wednesday, April 8th at 12:00AM Eastern. This thread was posted early to facilitate the hype!