The Handmaid's Tale Archives

Random reflections on S4 of The Handmaid’s Tale

2 Comments / Streaming, TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / June 18, 2021 / Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, Bradley Whitford, Christina Choe, Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Liz Garbus, Max Minghella, Mckenna Grace, O-T Fagbenle, Sam Jaeger, season 4, The Handmaid's Tale, Women Directors, Yvonne Strahovski

The Handmaid’s Tale, season 4, concluded on Hulu on June 15. It was a complicated storyline in 10 episodes. I’m going to hit some high points. Be warned, there are spoilers ahead.

Rosamund Pike and Jamie Dornan in A Private War

Brain Dump: Good Trouble, The Handmaid’s Tale, and A Private War

2 Comments / Movies, Streaming, TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / July 5, 2019 / A Private War, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Elisabeth Moss, Good Trouble, Jamie Dornan, Joseph Fiennes, Maia Mitchell, Marie Colvin, Paul Conroy, Rachel Bloom, Rosamund Pike, The Fosters, The Handmaid's Tale, Yvonne Strahovski

This and that about a few things today. I’ll mention Good Trouble, The Handmaid’s Tale, and the biopic about Marie Colvin, A Private War.

Some Thoughts on The Handmaid’s Tale, S3 Ep 1-3

Leave a Comment / Streaming, TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / June 10, 2019 / Alexis Bledel, Bradley Whitford, Elisabeth Moss, episodes 1-3, O-T Fagbenle, season 3, The Handmaid's Tale, Yvonne Strahovski

Hulu released the first 3 episodes of season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale in one drop. The remaining episodes will appear weekly on Wednesdays.

Review: The Handmaid’s Tale, season 2

4 Comments / Streaming, TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / July 13, 2018 / Alexis Bledel, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, Bradley Whitford, Bruce Miller, Cherry Jones, Clea DuVall, Daina Reid, Elisabeth Moss, Jordana Blake, Joseph Fiennes, Kari Skogland, Madeline Brewer, Marisa Tomei, Max Minghella, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, season 2, The Handmaid's Tale, Women Directors, Yvonne Strahovski

I’ll say it right off the mark: I didn’t think season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale was as strong as season 1. I’m not sure I can pinpoint why, but I’ll offer several theories as to why anyway. You can join in with a comment if you think you have a better sense of why. This review is fairly spoiler …

Review: The Handmaid’s Tale, season 2 Read More »

Adrien Brody and Yvonne Strahovski in Manhattan Night

Review: Manhattan Night

2 Comments / Movies, Streaming / By Virginia DeBolt / June 13, 2018 / Adrien Brody, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Beals, Linda Lavin, Manhattan Night, Manhattan Nocturne, The Handmaid's Tale, trailers, Yvonne Strahovski

Manhattan Night from 2016 is now streaming on Amazon Video and other sources. I’ve wanted to see it since it first came out because it has Jennifer Beals.

10 Great TV Series Directed Wholly or Partly by Women from 2017

2 Comments / TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / December 22, 2017 / Alias Grace, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Ava DuVernay, Claire Scanlon, Floria Sigismondi, GLOW, Jennifer Leacey, Kari Skogland, Kat Candler, Kate Dennis, Lana Wachowski, Lynn Shelton, Margaret Atwood, Mary Harron, Melanie Mayron, Mia Lidofsky, Minkie Spiro, Neema Barnette, One Mississippi, Queen Sugar, Reed Morano, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Sally Wainwright, Sense8, Sian Heder, So Yong Kim, Strangers, Tanya Hamilton, The Handmaid's Tale, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tig Notaro, Tina Mabry, To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters, Victoria Mahoney, Wanted, Wendey Stanzler, Women Directors

My standard disclaimer about top 10 end of year lists: there are many things I don’t see on TV because I don’t have the right channels or subscriptions. If I overlook your favorite, that may be why. Here are the best TV shows I saw in 2017 (even if they weren’t released in 2017).

I Love You, Sally Wainwright

5 Comments / News / By Virginia DeBolt / November 13, 2017 / Anne Reid, Derek Jacobi, elders rock, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Lorraine Burroughs, Mad Men, Nicola Walker, Nina Sosanya, Sally Wainwright, Sarah Lancashire, Scott & Bailey, Siobhan Finneran, Suranne Jones, The Handmaid's Tale, To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters, Unforgiven, Women Directors

I love you, Sally Wainwright. I know it’s a one-sided relationship. I’m the fan. You’re the creative genius behind great television. I know you have other fans. It isn’t an exclusive arrangement I have with you. But, still – I love you.

Review: Alias Grace

2 Comments / Streaming, TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / November 6, 2017 / Alias Grace, Edward Holcroft, Grace Marks, Kerr Logan, Margaret Atwood, Mary Harron, Paul Gross, Rebecca Liddiard, Sarah Gadon, Sarah Polley, Stephen Joffe, The Handmaid's Tale, trailers, Women Directors

Alias Grace arises from the brilliant collaborative team of Margaret Atwood who wrote the novel, Sarah Polley who wrote the adaptation for television, and Mary Harron who directed. Add Sarah Gadon who starred as Grace Marks and you have 4 powerhouse women working to bring Netflix viewers a moving 6 part series about a celebrated murderess. There are spoilers ahead.

Elisabeth Moss and Alexis Bledel in The Handmaid's Tale

Review: Season 1 of The Handmaid’s Tale

7 Comments / TV series / By Virginia DeBolt / June 22, 2017 / Alexis Bledel, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, Bruce Miller, Elisabeth Moss, Floria Sigismondi, Jordana Blake, Joseph Fiennes, Kari Skogland, Kate Dennis, Madeline Brewer, Margaret Atwood, Max Minghella, Mike Barker, O-T Fagbenle, Reed Morano, Samira Wiley, season 1, Tattiawna Jones, The Handmaid's Tale, Women Directors, Yvonne Strahovski

The Handmaid’s Tale was originally a novel from prolific writer Margaret Atwood. I read it about 30 years ago when it came out, but my memory is sketchy. My sketchy memory left me free to watch the new television series The Handmaid’s Tale with fresh eyes. This is a review of season 1.