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Handmaid's tale - ep 4 ***spoilers***


Greenbean

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Greenbean

The thread for those who have watched episode 4.


I just finished too [mention]Kiwi Bicycle[/mention]



Can I just say something I felt pure joy when Rita was eating her sushi with her can of soft drink in the sun.


Why was there water in the train?? I was so confused


And I loved the Janine backstory, although I was quite sad too

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Winterbabies

Just finished too.. it was milk in the train!

Sushi scene was great. Loved that she spilled the beans on Serena.

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Winter frost

Ha. I thought their cloaks looked awfully tidy given they’d been dipped in milk. I am not sure what to think yet. I feel the capture and release was v rushed and just a bit unlikely. (Noting Its all relative)


I think the rebel story line may have something to it though.

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Kiwi Bicycle

The Episode was called Milk.

The SBS subtitles kept on saying it was water in the rail tanker, but I thought it was too white and opaque.

Why would the lid be open?

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Greenbean

The Episode was called Milk.

The SBS subtitles kept on saying it was water in the rail tanker, but I thought it was too white and opaque.

Why would the lid be open?

 

I think this added to my confusion. I was watching in bed on my phone with headphones with a sleeping toddler next to me. And I was like what is that?

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Came across this analysis on reddit and its too good not to share. From


 

ChippedHamSammich

This episode really felt like a dance regarding the construct of motherhood, sustenance, caregiving, obligation, and choice, and detachment.


As we look at each supporting actresses‘ arc, 3 of the 4 are actually mothers with the irony of false perception of what motherhood is with Serena.


Obviously being dropped into milk was a literal nod, but what was interesting is that they are processing their own maternal instincts (June choosing her child over her “children”, Janine calling her out for aborting them when having faced a parallel choice: save herself and her living child) additionally seeing them nearly drown and drain in a cold womb essentially: they have literally and figuratively drowned in motherhood and are both acknowledging their abortions.


On the flip in America‘s hat, we see Serena have no idea about the true weight of sacrifice in motherhood with the juxtaposition of Rita‘s newly minted choice, which arguably leaves her, alone and barren- the true comeuppance of motherhood: safely detaching from required codependecy. Rita’s loss is also her gain in this aspect.


Serena’s delusions bring this full circle to the nature of what women have actually done to each other- reflected in the roles of the doctor vs. crisis center woman. For the two steps forward we see more double back in support of the men in this construct flanked by women who have undermined societal roles as caregivers.


Back in Canada’s underpants we are returned to a transactional narcissism that was the always the going rate of our fair nation. Steven, Fred, Nick, Tuello are all housed in transactional roles: their power is contingent on capital: whether it is social, monetary, political, or sexual we are left with soured milk tastes and smells in our mouths as this is the byproduct of undermining caregivers and also ignoring self care and boundaries.


Janine choosing the transaction as a mode to feed as a caregiver.


Sometimes kids don’t latch and you’re still pumping until you’re finally dry. Like, damn.

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LunaFreya

What did people think of the “pregnancy crisis centre”? Those things are real, they pretend to be an abortion clinic and coerce women into not having one.

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Rainbowbear

I like the episode getting to see more than the centre of Gilead. I though it was nuts jumping into the tank it could have been filled with anything my first thought was pesticide when I saw the colour for some reason.


as the for the the clinic I have seen that on other shows, Law and Order SVU comes to mind. Its awful that those places exist to trick people or make them feel guilt at such a vulnerable time.

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I liked this episode. Such a relief to get out of Gilead. Having seen June shed her Handmaid’s outfit several times before I sincerely hope this is the final time. There is no way the writers can repeat the “gets caught, punished, turned back into Handmaid” storyline yet again after this without well and truly jumping the shark. I assume having only June and Janine left means we have really left behind the world of Handmaid’s etc behind. Although Aunt Lydia is too popular a character to be written out so they will have to come up with a storyline for her - which is fine by me as long as it doesn’t involve June.

I loved getting some Janine background here. Love Janine and it was good to see her confront June and show her own mettle.

Also really loved the Rita storyline. Was worried for a while that she was getting sucked back in by Serena so seeing her take back her power and finally enjoy her newfound freedom was beautiful to behold. I want to see more time dedicated to characters like Rita, Moira etc and less time spent on June. Elizabeth Moss is an excellent actress but I have seen the full range of pained expressions she can make and I need a break from them.

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Oh yeah, and dropping into a tanker like that - could have been full to the brim with anything. Could have been fuel. I get that it’s very dramatic but could they not have hidden inside one of the vehicles??? And the fact that the top of the milk tanker was open was just ridiculous - they could have at least had it shut, and June opened it to get in.

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I thought it was petrol in the tank.

 

It was milk. The episode title was Milk.

(I may have just read all the available episode reviews...)

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Kiwi Bicycle

Rita has an association with food. She did most of the cooking at the Waterfords..

When she escapes to Canada she cooks Gilead food for the young boy. She then bakes bread for Moira.

But at the end she buys sushi.

It's like she's made her choice against Gilead by not making their food anymore.

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Kiwi Bicycle

Oh and an intersting tidbit.

The milk was actually soft serve icecream, diluted in water. The scenes in the tanker took 12 hours to film.

In the end the actress who plays Janine ended up with a rash from the "milk".

Sooo why didn't they just redress Elizabeth Moss in the dried out, unwashed Handmaid costumes to film the next scenes? Or at least dipped them in milk and let them dry?

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Greenbean

[mention]Kiwi Bicycle[/mention] those outfits must be made of Teflon or something. And their bonnets stayed on perfectly. That would be like the first thing I'd lose. I understand keeping the tunic on because it's cold, but that bonnet?

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Kiwi Bicycle

Yes, I don't really like Luke either. But I did like the part where he planted a green persimon with Nichole in the garden.

Even though Nichole isn't his and he knows the baby was conceived in lkve, he really cares for the little girl.

But he's a weak guy who doesn't do much.

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Ghost Girl

I think sadly it should have stopped at 3 seasons or get back to its roots. It's too much torture for torture sake now. Too much running through the woods. I'll keep watching in the hopes it get better.

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Greenbean

I'm enjoying it but worried if they drag out another season that it will be too much


I have used the skip forward 15 sec button a few times this season when I feel they will just run through woods etc. It helps!


And I can definitely imagine this happening, unfortunately

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Dadwasathome

I’m feeling a little challenged with the ongoing unremitting bleakness and what seems to be a search for meaning. I agree about Nick, but June is becoming a stereotype as well, and one who is out for herself rather than others.


And having read The Testaments, I’d prefer a little more hope in the TV series.

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