The Handmaid's Tale Podcast: The Testaments

What a thrill to once again talk to Bruce Miller, showrunner of The Testaments! His enthusiasm for the material is clear and infectious, and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. Among other things, Bruce talked about: Why Gilead is terrified of teenage girls Rowan Blanchard’s performance as Shunammite, and why he thinks viewers eventually came around on the character Lydia’s motivations, including whether she really believed she was protecting the women of Gilead The brutal stadium flashback, and the challenge of adapting such disturbing material without making viewers turn away What Agnes remembers about her mother, and how Gilead may have manipulated the memories of stolen children The cameos from Handmaid’s Tale characters, and whether he thinks more of The Handmaid’s Tale cast would want to return The visual storytelling of the series, from production design and costumes to color and cinematography Why we saw so little red this season What it was like working with the remarkable young cast Some intriguing hints about season two, including character backstories and a possible Gilead road trip And a lot more! Check out our other podcasts: If you like our coverage of The Testaments, we cover many other shows on our network at podcastica.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A moving, satisfying, bittersweet season finale where these girls who’ve spent the season waking up to how oppressed they and the women of Gilead have been decided to take a stand. We loved it, and we have a lot to talk about. A huge thank you to everyone who listened and who wrote or called in. It’s been a fantastic season of podcasting, and we really loved sharing the experience of this great new show with you guys! We’ve got one more episode left to go. We had intended on including all your feedback in this episode, but as we should’ve known, there’s more than enough for a standalone episode, so that should be out sometime next week. Talk to you then. Mentioned: Bruce Miller interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/the-testaments-finale-creator-promises-june-hannah-reunion-1236606878/ Next up: Listener feedback for The Testaments S1E10 “Secateurs”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to testify@podcastica.com. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/thtmayday. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe Check out our other podcasts: If you like our coverage of The Testaments, we cover many other shows on our network at podcastica.com. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We gathered up ALL your feedback from the last few episodes, and we’re responding. Your thoughts, theories, questions, and insights are so varied and well-considered, and absolutely add depth to the discussion about this show, so THANK YOU! Even to those of you writing in in disagreement with our style of podcasting, we appreciate you engaging in the conversation, too. Next up: The Testaments S1E9 “Marat Sade”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to ⁠testify@podcastica.com⁠. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at ⁠facebook.com/groups/thtmayday⁠. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: ⁠https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe⁠ Check out our other podcasts: If you like our coverage of The Testaments, we cover many other shows on our network at ⁠podcastica.com⁠. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002⁠ On Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e⁠ Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: ⁠patreon.com/jasoncabassi⁠ Or go to ⁠buymeacoffee.com/cabassi⁠ for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much conflict and tension is being sown in this show, with Agnes’ crush Garth courting Becka, who loves Agnes; Agnes’ suitor Weston closing in on Daisy as the leader of the Eyes; and Daisy the anti-Gilead-spy getting closer to Agnes, who thinks anti-Gilead spies want to kill her. In honor of all the discord, Daphne, Wendy, and Jason argue fiercely throughout this episode. Enjoy! (PS Just kidding. Maybe.) Next up: The Testaments S1E8 “Broken”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to ⁠testify@podcastica.com⁠. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at ⁠facebook.com/groups/thtmayday⁠. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: ⁠https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe⁠ Check out our other podcasts: If you like our coverage of The Testaments, we cover many other shows on our network at ⁠podcastica.com⁠. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002⁠ On Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e⁠ Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: ⁠patreon.com/jasoncabassi⁠ Or go to ⁠buymeacoffee.com/cabassi⁠ for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re not sure we’ve ever seen a dance turn so creepy so fast. Another fantastic episode, deepening the characters of these girls, and making us hope for the best for all of them (because, you know, optimism bias). Next up: The Testaments S1E6 “Stadium”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to testify@podcastica.com. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/thtmayday. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe Check out our other podcasts: If you like our coverage of The Testaments, we cover many other shows on our network at podcastica.com. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So great to get so much of Daisy’s story in this episode. I don’t even want to say too much about it in case someone reads this first and gets spoiled, but this show is really humming along! Next up: The Testaments S1E4 “Green Tea”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to testify@podcastica.com. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/thtmayday. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Check out other podcasts on our network at podcastica.com. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello! Daphne, Wendy, and Jason are back and ready to dive into the world of The Testaments, this coming-of-age story set in the horrific and unjust world of Gilead. We’re finding the show fascinatingly fresh and new, and at the same time familiar in a lot of ways that drew us to The Handmaid’s Tale, all while being vital to the overall story. All three of us are excited for this series. And we’re especially glad you have all of you watching and listening along with us! Next up: The Testaments S1E2 “Perfect Teeth”. Let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to testify@podcastica.com. Or check out our Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/thtmayday. Or join our Discord where you can leave comments and chat with hosts and other listeners: https://discord.gg/6WUMt3m3qe Show support and get ad-free episodes and a bunch of other cool stuff: patreon.com/jasoncabassi Or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation. Check out other podcasts on our network at podcastica.com. Digging our podcast? A quick, free, and easy way to show support and help bump us up in the charts is to give us a rating or a review: On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-handmaids-tale-podcast-the-testaments/id1610222002 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5MbAApyqlk3gLJUTHNnIH9?si=74013f9e35c64f0e Or just search for “Podcastica Testaments” wherever you get podcasts. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s Daphne, Wendy, and Jason with a check-in about the state of things in the United States, with our unvarnished thoughts and opinions about it all. We walk you through: The state of things in the country since Trump came into office. Some hopeful signs that things may be shifting in our favor. What we do (and maybe you can do, too) to cope and to fight back. Plus, we have some impassioned feedback from you guys, which we’re always grateful for. Please consider attending a No Kings protest this Saturday, Oct 18. You can find one near you at nokings.org. The Human Rights Campaign information on protesting peacefully and safely: https://www.hrc.org/resources/tips-for-preparedness-peaceful-protesting-and-safety If you feel like connecting, come join our Mayday Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thtmayday Podcasts (w/ Apple Podcasts links): Pod Save America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pod-save-america/id1192761536 The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-weekly-show-with-jon-stewart/id1583132133 Main Justice w/ Andrew Weissmann & Mary McCord: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/main-justice/id1679657705 Michelle Wolf’s Thought Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/michelle-wolfs-thought-box/id1772719946 Daphne’s comedy podcast, Buffalo Buffalo: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/buffalo-buffalo-podcast/id1754897232 YouTube channels: Robert Reich: https://www.youtube.com/@RBReich Heather Cox Richardson: https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson Jimmy Kimmel Live (look for his monologues): https://www.youtube.com/@JimmyKimmelLive Sam Reich’s Dropout: https://www.youtube.com/@dropout Amanda’s Mild Takes: https://www.youtube.com/@Amandas-Mild-Takes Late Night with Seth Meyers (look for A Closer Look segments): https://www.youtube.com/@LateNightSeth The Daily Show: https://www.youtube.com/thedailyshow Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: LastWeekTonight Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) We’ll talk to you soon! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Need a little more reflection on The Handmaid’s Tale? Here’s 3 hours for ya! :) Thanks for all the wonderful feedback everyone. It’s been a truly fantastic, meaningful experience for us, and you guys were a huge part of that. Daphne will be leading a book club soon, probably in a couple weeks, starting with either The Handmaid’s Tale or The Testaments. If you’d like to take part, join our “The Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday” Facebook group and look for a poll about it soon: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thtmayday Other than that, we hope to see you back for The Testaments TV series! Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum! Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What an exciting, eventful, and heartbreaking episode this week. Daphne and Jason are happy to be joined by Madeline (aka Red Leader Understudy) to talk it out. Join our group at The Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday, a place to talk about The Handmaid's Tale, and also a safe space to vent about the Trump administration, give each other support, and talk about what we can do to fight back and save our democracy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thtmayday Next up: The Handmaid’s Tale series finale (*gulp*) S6E10 “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Once you’ve seen it, let us know your thoughts. We’ll be doing a feedback-only episode some time after the finale airs. You can email or send a voice message to thehandmaidstale@podcastica.com. Or check out our Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/podcastica. Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another great episode, emotional, with some highly disturbing moments, that sets us up for what we hope is an explosive one next week. Join our group at The Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday, a place to talk about The Handmaid's Tale, and also a safe space to vent about the Trump administration, give each other support, and talk about what we can do to fight back and save our democracy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thtmayday Next up: The Handmaid’s Tale S6E8 “Execution”. Once you’ve seen it, let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to thehandmaidstale@podcastica.com. Or check out our Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/podcastica. Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alright, we’ve had a nice few episodes where people were things were pretty calm, but things are going down now, and we’re here for it. The Emergency Is Here (Ezra Klein getting real about the Abrego Garcia situation): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN1oBfg0fwI Join our group at The Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday, a place to talk about The Handmaid's Tale, and also a safe space to vent about the Trump administration, give each other support, and talk about what we can do to fight back and save our democracy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thtmayday Next up: The Handmaid’s Tale S6E6 “Surprise”. Once you’ve seen them, let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to thehandmaidstale@podcastica.com. Or check out our Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/podcastica. Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back, Handmaid’s Tale fans! In this episode of the podcast, Wendy, Jason, and Daphne break down the first three episodes of the last season of The Handmaid’s Tale on a marathon podcast covering the episodes “Train”, “Exile” and “Devotion”. The season sets a tense, emotionally charged tone as key characters’ grapple with trauma, power, and resistance. The article discussed in the Mayday section of the podcast can be found here: https://www.wired.com/story/natal-conference-matchmaking/ The link to the Handmaid’s Tale: Mayday group discussed in the podcast can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1878842649553408 Next up: The Handmaid’s Tale S6E4 “Promotion”. Once you’ve seen them, let us know your thoughts! You can email or send a voice message to thehandmaidstale@podcastica.com. Or check out our Facebook group, where we put up comment posts for each episode, at facebook.com/groups/podcastica. Show support and get ad-free episodes: patreon.com/jasoncabassi or go to buymeacoffee.com/cabassi for a one-time donation (thank you!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices