The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

94% Tomatometer 260 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings

Based on the best-selling novel by Margaret Atwood, this series is set in Gilead, a totalitarian society in what used to be part of the United States. Gilead is ruled by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as property of the state, and is faced with environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate. In a desperate attempt to repopulate a devastated world, the few remaining fertile women are forced into sexual servitude. One of these women, Offred, is determined to survive the terrifying world she lives in, and find the daughter that was taken from her.

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The Handmaid's Tale — Season 1

The Handmaid's Tale — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Haunting and vivid, The Handmaid's Tale is an endlessly engrossing adaptation of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel that's anchored by a terrific central performance from Elisabeth Moss.

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Critics Reviews

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The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Riese Bernard Autostraddle It was so close, too real, impossible, familiar, not enough, and everything, all at once. Oct 5, 2021 Full Review The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Dorothy Snarker Autostraddle What makes The Handmaid's Tale so striking isn't just this world where all the pretense of female equality has been stripped away, but the ordinariness of such oppression even today. Oct 5, 2021 Full Review The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Lauren Carroll Harris Guardian For many, the anguish of watching won't be worth it. But the vision of a totalitarian society is realised so fully that the story remains gripping and its message vital. Jul 26, 2019 Full Review The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Brian T. Carney Washington Blade Start with season one to savor all of the details in this great series. Binge-watching is not recommended. The emotional and intellectual impact of each episode can be overwhelming... Dec 7, 2022 Full Review The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Mirelle Tinker Mediaversity Reviews A well-crafted dystopia, women are multi-faceted and far from helpless despite an oppressive regime. Unfortunately, the show does not grasp the language of racial inclusion. Rated: B- Sep 19, 2020 Full Review The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (6) John Tones Espinof 'The Handmaid's Tale' has understood the tone and message of the original novel, perfectly replacing pure reflection for emotion. [Full review in Spanish] Aug 15, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (308) audience reviews

Victor T Surreal, envolvente...Vai te prender do início ao fim. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/27/24 Full Review Jerrid S Wasn't crazy about the actress who played June, but she's grown on me over the seasons. This show is better than the book by Atwood. However, the first few seasons were really great and the last season was just okay. They shouldn't have killed Waterford. He was a really good antagonist. If they killed him, they should have at least replaced him with another strong antagonist, but they didn't. The reasons the last seasons weren't as good is because there's less tension. Overall though it's a highly absorbing show where the actors are very talented. The chemistry feels right and the show is never boring. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/06/24 Full Review lawrenceb56 This had so much to recommend to start off with. Slowly--sloooooowly--a great story gets cast aside for lazy and overlong kissing and petting scenes and cutesy flashbacks that are acted out in sort of an improv manner. The lead Offred is not anything special in this, but she could be fully serviceable in this role (if they allow her to act and she doesn't take twenty seconds to voice a response to a line) and some of the supporting cast are near brilliant (Serena Joy, OfWarren and Luke). I'm going to stay with it and hope they move the plot along because it's obviously taken from terrific writing. But the bizarre coupling scenes and near sex scenes are seeming kind of boring about 8 episodes in. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/10/23 Full Review Meaghan O Do they want you to hate June… because she sucks. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/06/23 Full Review Lucresia S Season 1 and 2 are the only standards of television. The latter seasons are dull. Anyways, everything here plus social commentary is amazing. Elizabeth Moss is definitely a best actress in her generation. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/04/23 Full Review Lee N slow, boring and unrealistic Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/15/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Handmaid's Tale — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

Bruce Miller Creator Elisabeth Moss Offred Joseph Fiennes Commander Waterford Yvonne Strahovski Serena Joy Alexis Bledel Ofglen Madeline Brewer Janine
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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 26, 2017 Offred Offred struggles to survive as a reproductive surrogate for a powerful figure and his resentful wife. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 26, 2017 Birth Day When Offred and her fellow handmaids assist with the delivery of Janine's baby, Offred remembers her own daughter's birth; Offred and Ofglen grow closer. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 26, 2017 Late Offred visits Janine's baby and recalls the early days of the revolution before Gilead; Ofglen is faced with a challenge. Details Episode 4 Aired May 3, 2017 Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum During her punishment, Offred starts to unravel, and remembers her time with Moira at the Red Center; a complication threatens Offred's future with the Commander and Serena Joy. Details Episode 5 Aired May 10, 2017 Faithful Offred receives a surprising proposition from Serena Joy; Offred recalls the start of her relationship with her husband. Details Episode 6 Aired May 17, 2017 A Woman's Place Offred is questioned about her life as a handmaid; Serena Joy reflects on her marriage and her role in Gilead's inception. Details Episode 7 Aired May 24, 2017 The Other Side Offred remembers her family's escape attempt, revealing details about life before Gilead. Details Episode 8 Aired May 31, 2017 Jezebels The Commander surprises Offred with an adventure in Gilead; trouble in Nick's past leads to his recruitment by the Sons of Jacob. Details Episode 9 Aired Jun 7, 2017 The Bridge Offred goes on a dangerous mission for the resistance; Janine receives a new posting; Serena Joy has suspicions about the Commander's fidelity. Details Episode 10 Aired Jun 14, 2017 Night Serena Joy confronts Offred, who struggles with a life-altering revelation; the handmaids are faced with a brutal decision. Details

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The Handmaid's Tale — Season 1

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Director
Reed Morano, Kate Dennis, Mike Barker

Creator
Bruce Miller

Executive Producer
Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Ilene Chaiken

Screenwriter
Bruce Miller

Network
Hulu

Rating
TV-MA

Genre
Drama, Sci-Fi

Original Language
English

Release Date
Apr 26, 2017
The Handmaid's Tale: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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