The Handmaid's Tale: Mary and Martha (3x02)

Yep. Still amazing.

Cons:

I really can't think of anything to complain about. I guess I oddly missed checking in with the Waterfords this week, but I'm sure we'll see them again soon enough.

Pros:

Commander Lawrence is even more fascinating than he was previously, and now Mrs. Lawrence is intriguing me as well. I knew that Lawrence wasn't going to be a 100% nice guy. I could tell that he was twisted. I did think maybe he'd be a more active resistance member, but now I see that the dynamic is even more complicated than that. He's furious with June, and with his Marthas Cora and Beth, for drawing him in to this messy situation. But at the same time, there's really no fear here from the audience that he's suddenly going to turn June and the others over. He won't help, and yet by covering for them, he's doing so much more than any other Commander would dream of.

And Mrs. Lawrence - she's shaky and sickly and something seems to be wrong with her, but at the same time, she has her own moments of resistance. For one thing, she's part of the bald-faced lie that June and the Lawrences are undergoing the ceremony. She clearly doesn't want to do it, and neither does Commander Lawrence, and neither does June, but just the fact that they're not trying to get June knocked up is a bonding force between the three of them, a secret that they must keep to protect themselves, and consequently, each other. Then there's the moment when the house is being searched, and questions are being asked about the rebellious Martha who is currently bleeding out in the Lawrence's basement, and Mrs. Lawrence, surprisingly, is the one to step in and distract the men to help out in concealing the truth. This is obviously in her own best interest, because it would be hard to explain why the dying woman was there... but at the same time, she could have turned on June and the Marthas, and she didn't. I'll be keeping an eye on her.

I love this version of June, with no more shits to give. As she told Nick in episode one, she's perfectly aware that she's going to die in Gilead. She really doesn't have hope of escape anymore. She doesn't know how to escape with Hannah, and she refuses to leave without her, so... honestly, what more could she lose at this point? I noted before that this season seems to be focusing more on resistance, and we're seeing that even more now. June joins in with the network of Marthas. She disguises herself as one and helps a woman to escape. But not to Canada, as June believes - this woman is supposed to be going deeper in to the resistance to help make bombs. That's some heavy stuff. In this episode, June watches a woman die and then drags her corpse out to the garden to bury. She has been through a lot, and it has hardened her. You're never sure what you're capable of until you have to do it.

I loved the comedy mixed with world-building that came from June's exchanges with her new walking companion. This woman is totally indoctrinated, it appears. She's 100% on Gilead's side. This is obviously disgusting to June. I loved the moment at the end where they discuss another Handmaid who died in a traffic accident. June remarks that one day her walking companion snapped and pushed her in front of a bus. So funny. As is often the case with this show, though, there's always a bit more going on than first meets the eye. I think it's so important that we as an audience remember that this woman, who is supporting her oppressors, is still oppressed. Falling into line with Gilead could be a survival tactic. Maybe she doesn't really believe what she's saying. Or maybe she's been brainwashed. Either way, she's still a victim of this system.

Aunt Lydia. Oh boy. I was excited to see her, in a sick way. I loved the way her interaction went with June. June seems to be on this kick of offering genuine sympathy to everyone around her, including Serena and Aunt Lydia, but it's important to note that while she's kind to Aunt Lydia, she doesn't really bother with being overly subservient. Aunt Lydia is clearly a proud woman, who doesn't like June to see her weakness. When June tries to help her up the stairs, she gets a cattle prod for her trouble. Prior to that moment, Aunt Lydia was being polite. I was actually surprised by how nice she was being to June. And then - bam. It's good to be reminded how quickly people flip the switch. We see it here with Lydia, but there are also moments with Commander Lawrence that show the same tendency.

Meanwhile in Canada, it appears that Luke isn't bonding with baby Nichole. It's understandable, really. That's his wife's child with another man, and his wife is stuck in a situation where she's being tortured, and his daughter is still lost to him. Bless Moira for picking up the slack and helping out. I really like the dynamic here, because we've seen from the flashbacks in earlier seasons that Moira and Luke were never the best of friends. They were connected only through June. And now, they're family. And family don't always like each other, but they do love each other. I loved the moment when Luke finally held Nichole and told the baby that she looked like her mother. That was enormously sweet.

Emily is understandably having some issues adjusting to her new freedom in Canada. This show has a great knack for making ordinary things feel uncanny and off-putting. Emily being told she has high cholesterol at her doctor's appointment was just so mundane. It's a concerning yet pretty common health concern. It's such a great contrast to everything Emily has been through up to this point. The dinner scene with Luke and Moira was great - I like how Moira understands the complexities of what both Luke and Emily are feeling, and is able to make allowances for it, all while putting Emily's comfort and safety first. And then Emily calls her wife. God, that scene was so touching. Sylvia stops her car in the middle of the road to talk to her on the phone. Again, mixing the mundane in with the extraordinary. Emily just... had Sylvia's number. Was it the same number she'd had years ago? Why wouldn't it be? I love that.

Onward to the third episode! This show is just as intense and enjoyable as ever before.

9/10