The Handmaid’s Tale – S3E7 – Under His Eye

Previously on The Handmaid’s Tale, “Household”

Nope.

That was my response to the last 10 minutes of this episode. Actually, my response was: “Absolutely fucking not.”

This entire season so far feels like a series of filler episodes with some shocking moments peppered in.

1. Fred Waterford is a shithead. The end. No, not enough. Instead of leaving well enough alone he is trying to wheel and deal with the Canadian government to create an extradition agreement. He isn’t entirely forthcoming with his wife about his plans because she still isn’t his equal.
2. Emily remains the odd person out in all ways. Imagine being transported to the past, but it is actually the future and then placed back into your own timeline but 3 years later. This is where Emily is. Hardened and confused about who she has become and where she belongs. Luckily, she has someone like Moira to help her transition to her new normal.

• Hannah is in the wind. Her new family packed up and moved to another city after OfMatthew dimed out June and the Mackenzie’s Martha for conspiring in the grocery store.
• They hanged a black woman in the town square and less than five minutes later June choked-out a pregnant black woman, and that’s when I noped all the way the fuck out.
• The episode ended with another closeup of June, angry with eyes full of tears.

This season has felt more laborious than usual. I expect to be emotionally spent after most episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, but there is usually a pay-off with performances, storytelling, and visuals. Season 3’s theme seems to be: let’s beat the audience about the head with June and Serena Joy’s tears. Remember 4 episodes ago when I thought they were going to address race? Instead they sidelined the Asian Martha, OfMatthew is a snitch, and they hanged the only other Black Martha (besides Rita) on the show. With 6 episodes remaining in season 3, even a small triumph for the rebellion in Gilead feels like a pipe dream. Unless they reveal an underground network of Commanders who are working to dismantle Gilead with obtuse laws and garden parties, I am not sure the Handmaids are unified enough to overthrow the current government. June is presented as this leader but her choices are fragmented. She has no endgame except to get Hannah out of Gilead, but how would she do that? Are we trusting she had an escape plan?