Although Fred was a POS, I think he was more flexible to value his wife's opinion than other commanders. He wasn't always like "you're a woman shut up", he was acting like they were a team and letting her to contribute some ideas. Before, we even saw that Serena played a big role at the beginning as she was giving talks at colleges etc.. Now that Fred is gone, nobody values Serena and she faces the monster she created in full force for the first time. She tries to come forward, get her credit, gain a leadership. In a world where women must obey men. Which she created and supports. Then she gets upset when men don't allow her. Then she goes to make evil plans to trap women further. Wonder if writers will turn Serena against Gilead at one point (losing a finger didn't help), or she will eventually make her end. As ironic as it is, the worst part is that many Serenas are exist in today's world as well.
Also, poor sweet Jaeden. It was clear that was coming. All his scenes were very childish, pure and hopeful. A bit cheap writing, but the end was pretty good.
It felt a little slow.
Serena this episode: "Is THIS why the caged bird sings??"
This is without a doubt the weakest episode of Handmaid's Tale so far - boring, boring, boring, stupid (because, of course, Luke now feels hurt in his masculinity or whatever and has to show his courage and strength and risk being caught by Gilead... and June's so stupid to follow him, knowing what she has to expect if she gets caught).
There's pretty much nothing redeeming about this episode, except for the first inkling of Lawrence's further plans of a New Bethlehem, whatever that is. And Jaden who gets Luke and June to realize that there's a whole generation out there (including their daughter) who know nothing other than Gilead... and who, in Jaden's case, still yearn for something different.
Serena discovers what a sheltered and cherished position she was in as Fred's wife. Now she gets some inklings into the life of "ordinary" women who are told to shut up and that their ideas don't matter. Well, she's got it coming.
I just love the contrast between Serena and Joseph. This show would be so much better if the focus was more on these two instead of June.
Oh shiiiet. Here we go again.
Shout by help I'm in love with a fictional characterBlockedParentSpoilers2022-10-11T23:21:42Z
One of my favorite things in this series is when Serena, smart and ambitious as she is, has to reckon with the fact that she’s just a woman in a world run by men who make a living stepping on the necks of women. Subduing them, shaming them, controlling them, gaslighting them. She can’t have it both ways. And she has to live with the knowledge that she helped BUILD Gilead. And as long as she’s a woman, she’ll never be free. I love seeing her suffer with that increasing knowledge, because I hate her everliving guts.