The Handmaid's Tale

A closer look at the story

Set in a dystopian future, The Handmaid's Tale portrays life in Gilead, a repressive society. Suffering a severe population decline from natural causes, the country is ruled by a fundamentalist, theocratic dictatorship. Under this regime women are regarded as state property and have been stripped of all their rights. So that society can repopulate, some women are forced to live in the homes of powerful families and serve as child-bearers. One of them, Offred, tries to survive these brutal conditions, torn away from her former life and her loved ones. In a world populated by figures such as Serena Joy Waterford, Aunt Lydia and Nick, every day is a test. Created by Bruce Miller, the drama ran on Hulu from 2017 for six seasons and 66 episodes, with Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, known as Offred.