Handmaid’s Tale (the)

The Handmaid’s Tale is an American dystopian drama web television series created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood. It was ordered by the streaming service Hulu as a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes, for which production began in late 2016. The plot features a dystopian future following a Second American Civil War wherein a totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called ‘Handmaids’, into child-bearing servitude.

The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released every Wednesday. In May 2017, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 25, 2018. In the first episode of the second season, one of the main characters, June, and other handmaids are taken to Fenway Park, where they are made to believe they will be hanged, but it turns out to be a ruse to frighten them. During this scene, the song This Woman’s Work is played.

In May 2018, Hulu renewed the series for a third season, which premiered on June 5, 2019. In episode 11 of this season, the song Cloudbusting is played.

The Handmaid’s Tale has received critical acclaim and its first season won eight Primetime Emmy Awards from thirteen nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. It is the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award as well as the first series on a streaming service to win an Emmy for Outstanding Series. It also became the first streaming series to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama. Elisabeth Moss was also awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actress.