The Handmaid’s Tale S04E08 is the eighth instalment of the fourth season of a dystopian alternate reality 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 “Testimony”, The Handmaid’s Tale S04E08 continues to tell June (Elisabeth Moss) Osborn’s journey in the new status quo of Canada, far away from the oppression of Gilead. As we have mentioned before, these new circumstances allows the creators to explore a new direction for June as she comes to terms her current reality. After four years of trauma, it’s natural to expect June to be a completely different person to the loved ones she had left behind before, like her husband Luke.
READ OUR REVIEWS OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE SEASON 4.
There are two avenues for June to channel her righteous anger – the trial of the Waterfords and a Gilead survivors group. In both scenarios, June is in control – refusing to restrain her rage and thirst for vengeance – she is unwilling to compromise for the sake of political correctness or any psychological understanding of ‘healing’ – June is a force of nature and determines (rightly) that after all the suffering she has endure, she is entitled to exact her revenge on her oppressors.
Thus, it is gleefully pleasurable to witness her testify against the Waterfords and to egg Emily on to confront a former Gilead tormentor in the form of an ex-Aunt with a thoroughly unexpected result. Sure, forgiveness is divine but considering what these women endured at the hands of Gilead’s misogynistic authorities, there is a catharsis impossible to ignore.
READ OUR REVIEW OF THE HANDMAID’S TALE SEASON 1.
But of course, there is enough in The Handmaid’s Tale S04E08 to suggest that things may not go totally in June’s favour – what is a story without drama, tension and conflict eh?
Now streaming on Hulu.
… still there’s more …