Calling the finale twist "transparently manufactured," Sophie Gilbert says: "The biggest problem throughout the two seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale has been that the show can’t quite find a way to unite its world-building ambitions with the constrained environment of (Margaret) Atwood’s book." She adds: "The TV adaptation, being set during a time of smartphones and pussy hats and instant messaging, can’t quite get to grips with how a repressive state like Gilead might coexist with 21st century America, which leads to logical fallacies like the one prompted by Oprah’s cameo in the 11th episode. The more the show offers scenes outside of June’s perspective, the more questions it raises. What’s happening in New York City? What about the West Coast? Are upwards of 300 million Americans really being governed by a theocracy of a dozen commanders in Boston? Where have all the celebrities gone? Which is perhaps why the series so often returns to its comfort zone—as frustrating as it might be for viewers, and as narratively incoherent."
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TOPICS: The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu, Elisabeth Moss