Eyes On Gilead: A Handmaid's Tale Podcast

We're all on our best behaviour when Aunt Lydia joins us the show this week! 2017 Emmy winner and 2018 Emmy nominee Ann Dowd reflects on THAT finale, and gives us some exclusive insights into what makes Lydia tick. We're not going to say we get backstory, but we're not NOT going to say that, either. It's our final Eyes on Gilead for a little while, so we look back at our favourite moments of this season of The Handmaid's Tale, and speculate about what to expect when it returns next year.

We have just watched episode 13, which is unlucky for some but mostly for us, because it’s the finale of The Handmaid's Tale! Oh, and it's also not that great for Serena... The death of Eden sheds new light on her character and causes the women of Gilead to consider the legacy they’re leaving for the next generation of Gilead girls. Emily learns more about her new Commander - and Aunt Lydia gets much more than she bargained for when she pays a house call...

In a special Eyes on Gilead podcast, Fiona, Haidee, and Natalie interview the showrunner of The Handmaid's Tale, Bruce Miller. He offers some great insights into the thinking that goes into making the show and the challenges they face in making it. Miller is a warm, gracious guest and it is a thrill to present this special conversation.

We have just watched episode 12, which is called "Postpartum". June becomes Offred once more, and negotiates access to Holly. Nick (yes, he's back!) is rocked by Gilead’s brutal response to a crime. Emily is assigned to a mysterious new house. We meet a new character, and we say goodbye to another one in very dramatic circumstances, and yes, those circumstances bring with them another Gilead ritual. We also have some very big news about an upcoming guest on our show.

We have just watched episode 11, which is called Holly. As Serena and Fred deal with the fallout of their actions towards ‘Offred’ and we get a glimpse at the cracks in their facade, June faces a series of grueling challenges, alone, as she recalls her experiences as a mother. The episode culminates in an incredible scene and please just give Elisabeth Moss her Emmy right now.

We have just watched episode 10, which is called The Last Ceremony and you can probably take to have multiple meanings. A false alarm in the baby stakes humiliates Serena, and causes her to punish June and stage a revenge ceremony as a means to bring on the birth. The Commander - belatedly - tries to make amends with 'Offred'. Eden, the sneaky devil, pours her heart out to Nick but gets pushed further away. June is faced with an unexpected reunion...

We have just watched episode 9, 'Smart Power’, and there is so much to unpack. The Waterfords embark on a diplomatic trip abroad. Serena is tempted by the prospect of a life outside Gilead. Luke and Moira grapple with survivor’s guilt. June, nearing her due date, seeks protection for her baby. Nick makes a gesture of love that reignites the fight in our girl June. Talk it out with Fiona, Sana and Natalie.

We have just watched episode 8, which is called “Women’s Work’. This week we with see the pros and cons of the women of Gilead banding together, for a little rule breaking. That has negative consequences for Serena and June when the Commander arrives home recuperated and wants his office back. But it has a positive effect elsewhere in the episode when the women of Gilead, from all social classes, decide the ends justify the means when the life of a baby is at stake.

We discuss episode 7 of The Handmaid's Tale, 'After', which takes place in the immediate aftermath of the violent uprising by a fed-up Handmaid. We make sense of the power struggle, welcome back old friends, and weigh up what a surprise arrangement between June and Serena might mean for June's long-term prospects.

We discuss episode six of The Handmaid's Tale 'First Blood' and the events that lead up to the spectacular finale. It's an episode that has our panellists incredibly conflicted by how she feels about Serena, a woman who has gone through hardship with a genuine humanity, but also the show's villain. Eyes On Gilead is here to help you process how you're feeling... especially after the closing moments of this episode.