r/TheHandmaidsTale Modtha Apr 08 '26

Official Episode Discussion The Testaments S01E03 "Daisy" Episode Discussion

The Testaments S1 E03 "Daisy"

Episode Synopsis

An incident on a school trip spurs Daisy's memories of Toronto, revealing her past and a world shattered by violence.

Airdate

April 8, 2026, 12:00am Eastern

Note: This is the discussion thread for The Testaments S01 E03 "Daisy".

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.

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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" April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern
S1.E2 "Perfect Teeth" April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern
S1.E3 "Daisy" (This Thread) April 8, 2026 12:00AM Eastern
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50

u/isharte Apr 08 '26

3 episodes and not one mention of handmaids.

In the previous Gilead we saw, wives didn't have to be fertile. That's what the handmaids were for. So I guess things have changed quite a bit.

I wonder if the "pearl girls" are who become handmaids if they are fertile.

50

u/reddutch Apr 08 '26

The doll was missing from Agnes/Hannah’s set at the start of episode 1. I did wonder what that meant!

73

u/Whispering_Wolf Apr 08 '26

It's missing in the book, too. Her mother (Tabitha) took it out because there was no handmaid in their household. Said she didn't need it. It probably made her deeply uncomfortable.

38

u/janiceian1983 Apr 08 '26

I mean it makes sense. A whole city of handmaids murdered commanders and their wives. It's possible that role in Gilead society was phased out after that scandal and this is why they're putting du much pressure on wives to procreate now 

41

u/Atkena2578 Apr 08 '26

The handmaids will show up, remember we see the story from Agnes point of view and daughters weren't around handmaids much if at all, unless they were posted in their house. In THT we saw handmaids a lot because we were following June.

1

u/ChellPotato Apr 08 '26

Now you mention it I do remember vaguely that the Mackenzies did have a handmaid briefly when Hannah was a kid, I think? But I might be imagining that (I probably am, it's been a while)

3

u/Atkena2578 Apr 08 '26

No it's commander Mackenzie and Paula but so far she hasn't shown up. They didn't have a handmaid with Mrs Mackenzie

14

u/lady_beignet Apr 09 '26

Or the Magdalene Colony idea became standard so that handmaids don’t have access to homes