We're currently in the process of archiving our season 1-3 episodes on our website but we're leaving some of our most popular episodes.
We’re doing a rewatch! Join Scarlett, Roxy, and Margery as we go back to the beginning and examine the series with all the understanding we’ve gained from three seasons of Hulu’s series and both of Margaret Atwood’s novels, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments.
This is part 1 of "Offred," season 1, episode 1 of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale, directed by Reed Morano.
1:55 - In honor of revisiting old episodes, we’re revisiting a favorite wine. Plucked from the archives of “Household” is Two Blondes by Andrew Will Winery.
The perfect wine to sip as we watch June and Serena spar for the first time in “Offred.” This 2010 Bordeaux style blend comes from Yakima Valley AVA. Two Blondes is a blend consisting primarily of merlot, with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and Malbec, with 21 months of barrel aging.
6:40 - Quick roundtable of our first impressions. As an introduction into the world of Gilead, "Offred" serves to lay the groundwork for the tone and direction of the season and the series. The writing and cinematography both set the standard for The Handmaid's Tale series. Right out of the gate, they did a really good job of making us feel what it is like to be a woman in Gilead. There is an immediate vested interest in each of the main characters as they are introduced.
11:09 - How we're going to approach this rewatch: In anticipation of season 4, we're rewatching the earlier seasons to look for clues as to where the next season will take us. So while we will try to focus on the episode at hand, there may be talk of future Gilead events from the series and from The Testaments.
12:38 - Black screen and Sirens - Oh Gilead, it feels good to be home
14:20 - We meet June and see her intense maternal instinct, setting the groundwork for June's main motivation.
18:58 - We're learning from June's mistakes with this PSA: When the United States government goes to complete shit and it's time to start fleeing, stay put and then backtrack. Brought to you by somebody who's never gone through that.
23:33 - First we met June, now we meet Offred. Everything feels like the season three finale, "Mayday."
41:34 - Serena and June meet. Always a power struggle with these two. Fred's enters and we see Gilead's version of a love triangle. It's as tense and awkward as you'd imagine.
54:27 - Reed Morano gets her props
58:04 - Scarlett talks about the origins of the word "Gilead." Want to read more? Check out The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.
1:02:13 - Damn, Rita, what's your deal? June is alone as fuck in this household. June's monologue becomes a welcome reprieve from the hostility and tension.
1:10:50 - We meet Nick and we're still as at odds with each other as we've ever been.