The Handmaid's Tale has never exactly been a feel-good show, but it is dystopian drama at its dreariest and has kept viewers tuning in for five seasons now, with the hope that eventually something good will happen. Season 5, which as it turns out, will be the penultimate of the series, is more of the same — depressing dystopia, a few instances of lightheartedness, some very heavy-handed scenes, and, amazingly, a glimmer of hope near its conclusion.
When last we saw June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) and co., she and fellow former Handmaids had beaten Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) to death in the wooded wilds of No Man's Land (between Canada and Gilead). Waterford initially thought he was being extradited back to Gilead to face the wrath of other Commanders, but instead, Agent Mark Tuello (Sam Jaeger), Nick (Max Minghella), and Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) turned him over to the Handmaids for a bit of vigilante justice.
Season 5 deals with the aftermath of Fred's murder, but do June and the other Handmaids face any repercussions for the crime? June seems very pleased with herself when she returns home to her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and best friend Moira (Samira Wiley), covered in blood. Although they seem shocked and unsettled at first, it soon becomes clear that nearly everyone kind of admires June for killing Fred. Fred was an evil bastard who did some heinous things, so maybe he did get what he deserved in the end. It remains to be seen what will be the consequences for June, if indeed there are any. It definitely brings a new level of complication to her relationships with Luke and Moira, even if they feel she was justified in what she did. In fact, at one point, Moira even tells June she feels scared of her now, to which June replies, "Me, too."
You don't hear much from the other Handmaids that took part in Fred's mauling, aside from a hearty breakfast they consume in silence after the deed is done. In fact, Emily (Alexis Bledel) does not return for Season 5, and the explanation for her absence seems a bit flimsy, at best. Emily's wife tells June that Emily's "not here" and went back to Gilead to fight. This doesn't make much sense, because why, after all that she endured, would Emily go back, especially leaving her wife and son behind? The writers could have come up with a better reason for her disappearance from the show. June seems remarkably okay with her friend going back to fight. Emily was one of her closest allies, after all, so it does feel after a while like all that Emily accomplished in the preceding seasons was for naught.
Meanwhile, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) is dealing with being incarcerated whilst pregnant and now mourning her dead husband to boot. She returns to Gilead for the funeral and works her influence to get a large service for Fred, which is probably more than he deserved. The funeral scene is juxtaposed with a now-free June and Luke attending a ballet in Toronto, while shots of an elegant, emotional dance are interspersed with the somber procession in Gilead. It's beautifully shot, if a bit heavy-handed in showing how June and Serena have in some ways, switched places. That tone continues for much of the season, as Serena now faces an increasingly uncertain future as a global ambassador for Gilead based in Canada. There's also the question of what will happen to her, as an unmarried woman representing Gilead who will soon have an infant on her hands.
Once Serena goes to work in the Gilead Information Center, the threats from June — and Luke — escalate. You can understand their rage and thirst for revenge. After all, Gilead is a terrible place to be a woman, and Serena played a large part in June's years of suffering as a Handmaid — but to speak so casually of killing her, when she's very pregnant, feels a bit much at times. No one, it seems, has any sympathy for Serena Waterford anymore. Just let her die, let her baby die or be taken from her, and go on about your business. It feels especially heartless, since the Handmaids (including June) had to give birth and immediately give up their babies to the wives, like Serena. Serena and June are more alike than ever now, and it's interesting to see how their relationship plays out. How will Serena handle not being at the pinnacle of society? How will June handle her new life?
Back in Gilead, Esther (McKenna Grace), who we met last season as a young wife, is now a Handmaid, along with Janine (Madeline Brewer). Esther faces a pretty grim future, but she vows to "make June proud." Esther's relationship with Janine, who she considered a close ally, changes this season. Since it's no secret that Janine is Aunt Lydia's (Ann Dowd) favorite Handmaid, this leads to a scene that's meant to be moving and emotional, but comes off slightly overacted. This is nothing against Dowd, because anyone who's seen the first few seasons of The Handmaid's Tale knows what a phenomenal performer she is, so it was surprising to see her clearly working for another Emmy rather than behaving appropriately for the situation. However, Aunt Lydia isn't given nearly as much to do as in previous seasons, so it's understandable that she would go for the gusto in the few scenes she does have. As always, Moss brings her A-game, with numerous breakdowns, tearful prayers, and vengeance-seeking badass scenes. Also of note is Whitford, whose performance as Commander Lawrence is always a treat. He's particularly good in Episode 8, scheming and conniving as usual, but also showing a bit of a kink in his armor during a conversation with June.
Only the first eight episodes were available for review, leaving the final two up in the air. In a surprising twist, Episode 8 actually ends on a happy and hopeful note, which makes you wonder if all hell is going to break loose in the final two episodes of the season. Knowing The Handmaid's Tale, probably. Fans of the show will likely feel conflicted at times and satisfied at others, although it's easy to wonder if this series has already seen its finest days. Now that Fred Waterford, arguably the primary villain of the show, is gone, what's left for June to avenge in the final season? Apparently plenty, like the entire government of Gilead. Also, lest we forget, June's oldest daughter Hannah is still there, and Serena still has an important role to play.
All in all, Season 5 is full of scarce highs and really low lows, lots of heavy-hitting drama, and emotional scenes. Some of the biggest events of this season lead to some pretty uncomfortable viewing, but viewers who stick with it will be rewarded with some huge moments that will have repercussions for the final season. In the end, that's exactly what we've come to expect from The Handmaid's Tale, isn't it?
Grade: B-
The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 premieres with two all-new episodes on September 14, with new episodes streaming Wednesdays on Hulu.