The Handmaid’s Tale S04E04 is the fourth instalment of the fourth season of a dystopian alternate-historical drama TV series based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name. In this alternate history, the USA has been taken over by hardcore fundamental religious fanatics and renamed as Gilead. In Gilead, women have become the property of men once more as the nation is ruled by theocratic patriarchy.
Entitled “Milk”, The Handmaid’s Tale S04E04 establishes a new status quo for the series (finally) as June and Janine make their escape out of Gilead and into a war zone. Elsewhere in Canada, (former Martha and Gilead escapee) Rita appears to be once more caught in the web of servitude with Serena Joy and Commander Fred Waterford.
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE S04E01 – S04E03
We are pleased with this new direction as there should now be more potential for interesting new stories without rehashing the plot lines of the last couple of seasons. There is good development of the continuing relationship between June and Janine, as they try and test each other in yet another stressful circumstance. In the war zone, the pair realise that with this hard earned freedom comes fresh dangers and challenges but ultimately they discover that they can still depend on each other. Simply put, there’s nobody else anymore.
For Rita, there is a potent cathartic moment for her as she confronts her former owners. Best part of all is that Rita – despite all that she has suffered at the hands of the Waterfords – is able to dispense her own brand of justice (and revenge) with dignity and grace. The episode does a great job in masking her true emotions initially making the payoff at the end that much more sweeter. Excellent!
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE SEASON 1
Certainly, The Handmaid’s Tale S04E04 has wiped the slate clean to a certain extent for June and we look forward to a whole new storyline in this post-apocalyptic landscape she finds herself in.
Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
… still there’s more …