The Handmaid’s Tale Season-Premiere Recap: Trainwreck

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The first installment of “The Handmaid’s Tale” aired in April 2017, coinciding with Donald Trump marking his first 100 days in office. Initially approved during the era of “I’m With Her” posters adorning lawns, it premiered in an atmosphere of resistance symbolized by the pink hats. The series took on a heightened sense of relevance as Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and reinstated a global gag rule affecting NGOs offering abortion services. At protests around the globe, demonstrators donned cloaks reminiscent of Offred’s red mantle from “The Handmaid’s Tale.

The series strays too far from Margaret Atwood’s original novel, causing it to lose momentum. Instead of continuous acts of rebellion, there are long periods of suffering that overshadow the bursts of resistance. Life and the show seem to mirror each other as we struggle under oppressive forces. Unfortunately, the final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” is airing at a time similar to Trump’s second 100 days in office. The story no longer feels prophetic but may still provide viewers with encouragement or release. Despite the stalled American resistance against Trump, June Osborne refuses to give up. Essentially, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a show about standing up for what’s right, even when it takes a toll on you.

For book enthusiasts, like ourselves, these ten episodes signify the exciting prospect of narrative convergence. There’s a significant timeline gap between the ending of Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, and the start of her sequel, The Testaments, set 15 years later. While the TV series has already started to fill this gap, it is anticipated that the show, with Atwood as a co-executive producer, will foreshadow the events of The Testaments (which is also being adapted for television). Connections will be made, even though the story may remain incomplete.

What’s really exciting me about this upcoming season is the final scene from season five where Serena and June are reunited on a train leaving Toronto, heading towards an unseen part of the playing field. I wonder what new forms their complicated relationship might take. They have been both adversaries and allies, causing harm to each other’s lives yet caring for each other’s children. Now, they are traveling together on the same train bound for a shared safe haven. In the season premiere, June is seen clutching Serena’s son as Serena searches for a bathroom, reassuring Noah that everything will be alright: “Mothers always return.

It seems logical that Serena is keen on emphasizing the shared aspirations among women – a vision of a future where they can coexist harmoniously and securely with their children. Yet, one might question the innocence of this image, given June’s numerous close calls escaping Gilead’s oppressive grasp, and its persistent interference in her life. Just yesterday, she and Nichole were aboard this train, yet the day before that, a pickup truck nearly took June down – whether directly orchestrated by Gilead or not, the incident was certainly fueled by their influence. Even if you manage to cross into Canada, your freedom is limited by the whims of the High Commanders.

However, Serena misunderstands the parallelism between her own and June’s predicament. June cannot move past the past as she has Hannah looking forward to her, growing up in a world that Serena herself has created – a world where privileged girls may be compelled to marry commanders or face even harsher fates.

In the majority of the hour, June and Serena frequently clash, with Serena persistently attempting to assist June who reluctantly accepts due to lack of alternatives. For instance, June requires food and fresh diapers for Nichole, a toddler renowned for her impeccable temperament. Despite my brief fear that Serena might propose nursing Nichole — a bizarre reference I couldn’t have handled emotionally — she simply found the child a bottle of apple juice instead. And when it becomes apparent that June’s arm is infected, it’s Serena who searches through different vehicles until she finds a doctor. There’s no possible way for Serena to make amends for what she’s done to June, but if I were June, I’d let her struggle in the hope of redemption.

Serena doesn’t simply seek a doctor for June; she aims to have the doctor assess every pregnant woman on the train, including new mothers. Soon enough, she orchestrates a separate cabin exclusively for women. It seems that her belief in traditional family values is deeply ingrained, as she once was a theocrat. “We are the most significant individuals aboard this train,” she declares forcefully, although June advises her to tone down the religious expressions. This train is speeding towards the frontier, a place where no one has the authority to shield a suspected war criminal disguised as a political asylum seeker from vigilante justice.

In due time, those women granted entry into the secure confines of the caboose begin to connect, exchanging tales of their hardships and heartaches from their past. As June recounts her story – the harrowing abduction of Hannah that we’ve witnessed repeatedly over six seasons – she says, “I had to let her go.” (I too have shed tears at this scene multiple times throughout those six seasons.) However long this train journey lasts, June knows she can’t linger there for much longer. Mothers always return.

No matter where this train is bound, Serena doesn’t belong. She can’t hide her truth. The doctor she forces into treating the new sorority section is also an escapee from Gilead. He identifies Mrs. Fred Waterford and alerts a police officer on the train that she’s not who she claims to be. This officer, too, is a victim of Gilead. He once had a wife and son, making him sympathetic towards these women (and some men). June stands as the only barrier between Serena and the enraged mob. As Serena is pushed back and forth by those who detest her, I involuntarily whisper “Give Noah to June.” However, it becomes apparent that Noah isn’t any safer than his mother. June saves their lives by pulling the emergency brake, ejecting them from the train in the middle of the night, somewhere in the unknown. I never thought I’d hear June Osborne labeled a traitor, but these women have valid reasons for thinking so. Serena is a key designer of one of the world’s most malevolent regimes, and June has experience with unlawful punishment when it suits her purposes.

As daylight appears, the train arrives at its last stop. Having been denied entry at Vancouver, it veers towards Alaska, where June finds an American flag with just two stars. She and her daughter are secure, but my eyes filled with tears once more as I contemplated June’s exposed state. Moira is in Toronto, dedicating herself to Mark Tuello’s clandestine resistance and Mayday. Luke is imprisoned for murdering June’s assailant. Nick is with his wife in New Bethlehem, expecting a child. Canada intends to close the American Embassy as an attempt to improve relations with Gilead.

June feels more isolated than ever before, with Hannah feeling as distant as she’s ever been. The series thoughtfully avoids dwelling in excessive despair. By the end of the episode, it is revealed that June’s mother, Holly – who was believed deceased in the colonies – is alive and working at the Alaska refugee camp, processing medical intakes. There’s still hope that some of what Gilead has taken may be returned. In essence, Mothers have a way of returning.

This season six premiere of “The Handmaid’s Tale” feels refreshingly bold compared to previous seasons, as if it finally has a clear destination instead of just moving the story along. The show seems eager to delve deeper into its central themes like motherhood, justice, and the consequences of complacency. Characters who were once complex are now reduced to a few beliefs, but this renewed focus is intriguing. As I started “Train,” I wondered how these two runaway mothers would interact, but the episode ends with a more puzzling question: With more freedom, what new identities will June and Serena adopt beyond being fugitives and mothers?

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2025-04-08 20:59