Praise be, it's over (for now): The Handmaid's Tale Season 3

Buckle up, because there are SPOILERS AHEAD…

My biggest accomplishment this summer? Watching Hulu’s “The Handmaids Tale” all the way through. Alone and in the wee hours of the morning, I trudged through TV’s darkest moments, the glow of my laptop my one comfort as I looked on in horror. The 10-second fast-forward button may have become my best friend, but I did it. When the season finale aired last night, I was inclined to think “Mission accomplished,” but I am now itching to know what happens next.

A lot has been said about the show’s repetitive nature. The first season remains, for me, the unequivocal best. The storylines of season two and three left me feeling pretty hopeless, a quality I know to be intentional but one that gets to be a little too much at times. I mean, can Offred have a moment of triumph here and there? They are few and far between. The entire time I watched the season finale I was thinking to myself that if the Mayday gang doesn’t pull this airplane kidnapping off, I would have to have to stop watching this show. Even for Margaret Atwood, there is only so far I am willing to go.

I definitely think that season three’s finale was the high point in terms of hope. Seeing the girl (Rebecca?) reunite with her father was amazing and the tears were, of course, rolling. I had at least a flicker of “maybe this will all work out???” Sure, I wish Nick had been there (I thought it would have been so cool if when the guardians were at the airport gate it had turned out to be Nick, helping them) but I can wait for that story. And when Rita met Emily/Ofglen?? I was so happy.

Regardless of plot and pace, the best parts of this series for me will forever and always be two things: Elizabeth Moss’s performance and the cinematography. Elizabeth Moss, man. Talk about an expressive face. She kills it 100% of the time. And the cinematography is so unique. Truly like no other show on television, it is haunting, off-putting…insane. It seems to me that a lot of creative freedom is given to the cinematographers (which maybe has been built off of Reed Morano’s direction of the show’s first three episodes).

Loose ends, loose ends – I can’t wrap my head around how Offred and the rest of Mayday will be allowed back into Gileadean society without serious repercussions, but it is TV and stranger things have happened. Hope you’re okay, Offred. I would love to see Serena Joy and Commander Fred get what they deserve, but I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t their last stand? And Nick, where art thou?

I’ll miss you, Handmaid’s Tale. But also, I need a break from your desolate grey and red color scheme. See you in 2020. 

Oh, and read the book first. Duh.