‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Returns for a Final Season That Never Loses Urgency 

Alci Rengifo

Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” has survived the typical cancelling purges common in streaming thanks to its relevance. The writing may have highs and lows, though Elisabeth Moss’ performance remains strong and consistent, but its themes are always loaded with unnerving familiarity. Consider that the first season, which adapted the classic novel by Margaret Atwood, premiered in the first year of the first Trump administration. Now its final season drops as the right-wing demagogue has returned to power, Roe vs. Wade has been overturned, theocrats hold major posts, and parts of the border look like scenes from Gilead. In such a climate, a series like this can thrive on imagery alone. 

The sixth and final season opens with our hero, former handmaid turned rebel June (Moss) having escaped the fascist theocracy of Gilead on a train full of refugees with her infant daughter. Her older child, Hannah, remains trapped behind the border. Yet, it is hard to truly escape and on the train she finds Serena Joy Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski), wife of the late Commander Fred Waterford, with her own newborn. There is inevitable tension considering the history between both women, and soon enough the refugees discover who Serena truly is before she melts down, belting pro-Gilead slogans. Lucky for her, June still has much humanity left in her and saves Serena by pushing her from the train, saving both Serena and her child. In a more welcome surprise, the train ends up in Alaska. Here, June reunites with her mother, Holly (Cherry Jones), in a heartfelt scene set to Sigur Rós’ “Ara Bátur.” As for other players in this dystopian saga, June’s husband, Luke (O-T Fagbenle) remains imprisoned for killing the man who tried to kill June. June’s friend Moira (Samira Wiley) and U.S. government operative Mark (Sam Jaeger) try to help him escape.

For fans who have been following the series for almost eight years, season six will be a rewarding experience. “The Handmaid’s Tale” took risks by expanding on a classic piece of modern literature, but it succeeded by staying true to the essence of Atwood’s narrative. It never shied away from its upfront themes of misogyny, gender repression and the religious fundamentalism at the base of American culture. It helped establish Elisabeth Moss as an actor of fierce ranges after she first became famous as the reserved secretary who ascended the ranks of the 1960s advertising world in “Mad Men.” She directs much of this season with grit and stark tension. Both are essential when the series feels like it’s going to rely on very basic tropes.

As the story begins to wind down, a lot of power struggles begin to grow, especially between commander Nick (Max Minghella) and commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford), the key villain of the show. They’ve been trying to establish New Bethlehem as the kinder version of Gilead, meaning there’s less violent repression while still adhering to a misogynist, theocratic value system. Again, the ideas are what come across more strongly in exploring the hypocrisy of power. Even as these men shout slogans about “God’s will,” the only real religion they serve is their greed for more control. One of the more impactful and tragic storylines this season belongs to Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), who began the series so menacingly as the woman training the handmaids. After having taught the handmaids that as long as they birthed children they would find comfort and peace, Lydia’s world is shaken when she finds her beloved pupil Janine (Madeline Brewer) forced to be a sex worker at Jezebel’s, a brothel.

Deeper storylines like Lydia’s almost overshadow June’s journey, since much of it consists of reuniting with past faces or struggling to choose between Nick and Luke. Some story beats also needlessly repeat themselves, like Serena somehow re-ascending to a position of power and June finding herself serving her again. These moments are balanced with the unnerving moments where Serena gives big speeches to convince other states that New Bethlehem is a convincing alternative to the old Gilead, written with the genuine verve of how populist fascists sell their product to the masses. At least we do get a new villain, Commander Wharton (Josh Charles), played with a cold stare that makes him look cast out of the Death Star. This is one of those characters often mentioned but never seen, now that he’s arrived, Charles gives the persona quiet menace, needing to utter only one or two lines to get a chilling point across. 

Moss’ June still towers as an overall great character, involved in a needed resistance while battling with wanting to be just and fair when facing brutally unjust opponents. “The Handmaid’s Tale” may be winding down but as a franchise is far from over. A potential source of hampering the drive of this season is that an adaptation has been announced of the original novel’s actual sequel, “The Testaments,” which Atwood published in 2019. It is the flip side of the situation over at HBO, where “Game of Thrones” ended on a notoriously weak note while fans are still waiting for George R.R. Martin to publish the final book in the original fantasy novel series. Still, there is much to reflect on here with the visceral images and strong performances. Can Gilead ever really be overthrown? Look around, we’re already being ruled by these dark forces that seek to control bodies and create terrifying new worlds.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” season six begins streaming April 8 with new episodes premiering Tuesdays on Hulu.