When Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale came to an end, the fight against Gilead — the hyper-dystopian, near-future United States — still felt like it was only just beginning. That might have been very annoying for those who suffered through six bleak seasons and were desperate for an end to the torture. But its sequel series, The Testaments, took on the baton with aplomb. The follow-up is a breath of fresh air in the most miraculous of ways, softening the nihilism of its mother series with a YA twist.
The Testaments follows the sparks of a feminist revolution at the Aunt Lydia School, an elite academy that prepares the daughters of Gilead for their destiny — i.e., marriage to a decorated general. The legacyquel reunites us with Agnes (Chase Infiniti), the daughter of Handmaid’s Tale heroine June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), but she’s just one of many highlights in the series. Its first season has moved from strength to strength with each episode, introducing a tight-knit band of prospects whose coming of age reframes the stakes of this world. Though one episode remains in the season, The Testaments is shaping up to be one of the best shows of the year. Fortunately, Hulu seems happy with its success, as the story will continue beyond Season 1.
