THE STORY – A new generation of young women in Gilead grapples with the bleak future that awaits them.
THE CAST – Chase Infiniti, Rowan Blanchard, Lucy Halliday, Ann Dowd, Mattea Conforti, Isolde Ardies, Mabel Li & Birva Pandya
THE TEAM – Bruce Miller (creator)
Blessed be the fruit, may the Lord open a new chapter of America’s dystopia with “The Testaments,” the long-awaited adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.” The source novel arrived in 2019, 34 years after the original was published. Yet, show creator Bruce Miller moved quickly, bringing this continuation to the screen less than a year after the original series concluded. Set 15 years after the events of the first story, the series may carry a new title, but it plays very much as an extension of the world established across six seasons. Those unfamiliar with the source material may approach it with a mix of optimism and unease, particularly given how often its themes echo real-world anxieties.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” premiered in April 2017, just months into Donald Trump’s first presidential term, to widespread critical and commercial acclaim. Over six seasons, it amassed 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2017, alongside acting wins for Elisabeth Moss, Ann Dowd, Samira Wiley, Cherry Jones, and Bradley Whitford. While critics largely remained supportive throughout its run, audience reception declined sharply in later seasons, bottoming out at 24% on Rotten Tomatoes for season five. Though the show’s storytelling showed signs of fatigue after surpassing its source material—citing repetition, uneven writing, and character inconsistencies—it’s difficult to ignore how shifting real-world conditions may have also contributed to that exhaustion. The series wore down, and perhaps so did its audience.
With that context, “The Testaments” returns viewers to Gilead 15 years after June’s story, a passage of time that feels just as long off-screen. For newcomers, the series may prove difficult to fully grasp without at least a basic understanding of Gilead, June, Aunt Lydia, and the concept of the Plums—young girls awaiting womanhood. While exposition attempts to bridge the gap, the weight of six prior seasons still looms large. As with any serialized story, beginning with the second chapter is less effective without revisiting the first.
The narrative centers on two teenage girls: Agnes, played by “One Battle After Another” breakout Chase Infiniti, and Daisy, portrayed by Lucy Halliday. Agnes, born into Gilead, has known nothing but a life of submission. As a Plum, she anxiously awaits the next stage of her life—marriage to a commander and the expectation of bearing children. This transitional phase is quietly revered among young women, existing just before the full burden of obligation takes hold. As the daughter of a commander, Agnes is destined for a high-status union. Outwardly, she embraces this indoctrinated future, but internally, fear simmers beneath the surface. Without knowledge of her birth mother, she lacks the emotional grounding needed at such a pivotal moment. Infiniti navigates this duality effectively, balancing a composed exterior with subtle glimpses of internal distress. However, the role often leans heavily on exposition rather than offering a full showcase of her range.
In contrast, Halliday’s Daisy is given more narrative dimension, particularly through flashbacks. A Pearl—a newcomer to Gilead—Daisy arrives from Canada and is placed under Agnes’s care. Their relationship develops quickly, forming a bond that challenges the rigidity of Gilead’s structure. While their early dynamic feels somewhat distant, Halliday gradually settles into the role, bringing greater warmth and confidence as the story progresses. Completing the central trio is Ann Dowd’s Aunt Lydia, whose Emmy-winning performance remains one of the franchise’s most consistent strengths. Dowd once again delivers a commanding presence, though the material offers her fewer opportunities to expand upon the character.
The writing struggles with the same repetitiveness that plagued its predecessor’s later seasons, often favoring exposition over visual storytelling. With only one book as a foundation, the series mirrors “The Handmaid’s Tale” in its trajectory, becoming uneven in pacing and at times narratively stagnant. Rather than reinvigorating the world with a fresh perspective, the show carries an air of familiarity that borders on staleness. The direction, while competent, rarely distinguishes itself, and though the production design maintains Gilead’s bleak aesthetic, its muted palette lacks the visual dynamism to leave a lasting impression—perhaps intentionally reflecting the oppressive nature of the regime.
Published in 2019 during Trump’s first term, “The Testaments” now arrives in a world where the line between fiction and reality feels increasingly blurred. What once seemed like a distant, speculative dystopia now resonates with unsettling immediacy. The series depicts a society where education for girls is restricted and scientific understanding suppressed—ideas that no longer feel entirely implausible. While the craftsmanship of the show can be appreciated, it leaves behind a lingering discomfort, as though it reflects not just a fictional world, but a possible future. For some viewers, that may be too close for comfort, especially at a time when dystopian narratives may feel less like escapism and more like reflection. Whether audiences are willing to engage with that discomfort remains to be seen. For now, it stands as a stark, uneasy piece of storytelling—one that invites admiration, even as it unsettles. Praise be.
THE GOOD – The three main performances are engaging and nuanced enough to overcome the exhausting exposition. If you’re a fan of the book or “The Handmaid’s Tale” the consistent tone and continuation of the story will leave you satisfied.
THE BAD – The actors aren’t given enough meaty material to show their chops, and the subject matter hits too close to home for the state of the world today. The world-building is painstaking and long.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
THE FINAL SCORE – 6/10
