TV Show review
Review basis: 6 seasons · through May 27, 2025
April 26, 2017 · TV-MA · Ended
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian TV drama about June Osborne's fight for freedom after being forced into reproductive servitude in the authoritarian theocracy of Gilead. The series, which concluded after six seasons in 2025, adapts and expands Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel with ongoing stories of resistance, loss, and survival. It prominently displays identity-driven themes of gender oppression, with extensive political dialogue critiquing patriarchal religious rule and traditional social norms as tools of control, often drawing explicit connections to modern debates on women's rights.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Handmaid's Tale.
Woke representation / casting
Features strong female ensemble in premise-appropriate roles with some diverse and LGBTQ+ supporting characters in the resistance; modern updates add visibility but align with story logic rather than overt signaling.
Woke political dialogue
Heavy use of dialogue and voiceover that directly challenges the regime's ideology of gender hierarchy and religious control, frequently mirroring current events on reproductive rights and authoritarianism.
Identity-driven story themes
Story centers on female identity, fertility, and collective resistance to male-dominated theocratic oppression, with visible queer elements in characters opposing the regime.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Frames religious institutions and traditional gender roles as inherently abusive systems that strip rights and enforce submission, presenting them as cautionary models for unchecked conservatism.
Woke character or canon changes
Expands the novel significantly with new seasons, character developments, and diversity adjustments for TV relevance while preserving the core dystopian warning.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Numerous conservative reviews and social media posts decry it as anti-Christian and anti-conservative propaganda that exaggerates threats from traditional values and religious faith to push progressive fears.
Creator track record context
Involves feminist literary icon Margaret Atwood plus several writers and directors with documented progressive engagements on gender, voting rights, and social commentary.
Production
