The TV series I want to review today is very high on my list of recommendability, especially for those who enjoy the kind of dystopian fiction that is realistically conceivable. The other types of watchers who would like this show are those interested in human rights, and how easily they can be stripped away. Narrowing it down, it is particularly female reproductive rights that are in the foreground in this show, but the same concept can easily be applied to other basic human rights, which in a way are also part of the societal make-up of the story. By now you have probably guessed that the series I'm talking about is The Handmaid's Tale.
A Bizarre Setting From An Impactful Book
In the world portrayed by this fascinating series, the United States have been overthrown by a totalitarian theocratic regime, forcing fertile women into positions of reproductive slavery to undergo ritualized rape, forced impregnation, and eventual surrender of their child to the couple she is assigned to. Most other women, who suffer from widespread infertility, and are thus spared this treatment, are either placed in domestic slavery, or clandestine prostitution. Even the few exeptions who are fortunate enough to be wives, are forbidden from owning property, speaking in public, or even reading.
This societal makeup was described by Margaret Atwood in her impactful book by the same title, published in 1985. Her inspiration to it was the Islamic Revolution in Iran, severely curtailing many rights of women, in a country where their standing had been closer to that of men. Taking the idea that "this could happen anywhere", she applied it to a North American
setting. The series it inspired premiered on Hulu in 2017, and so far four seasons have been released, with a fifth one on the way. Usually, most movies never make it out from the shadow of the book they were based on. In the case of this series, quite the opposite is true: I believe the TV show took the original idea to a higher level.
Realistic Dystopia?
One of the reasons why I really like this particular type of dystopia, is that it really doesn't seem too be far from the likely and the possible. When reading 1984 or Brave New World, one will ultimately have to conceptualize a complete reorganization of the world, from the extensive (the system is everywhere), to the intensive (profound acceptance after generations of indoctrination). While many of these traits may be visible in our current culture, The Handmaid's Tale shows perfectly well what a recently introduced regime like this would look like: Everyone knows it's wrong, but they all accept it because they believe they have no choice, and no way of changing it.
Another aspect that makes this setting deeply frightening, is that almost all the prerequisites are in place for something like this to emerge. There was no great cataclysm that led up to it, except for a steep increase in infertility. (Even this last bit is not entirely removed from the realm of the possible, as there has been a rise in infertility world wide.) Coupled with sociopolitical instability, and the opportunity for a power grab, you have all you need to make something like this happen for real.
An Excellent Portrayal of Refugee and Migratory Issues
I've been watching this show with my wife, who is a human rights defender specialized on migration. She became a huge fan of The Handmaid's Tale, but not even so much for the feminist issues in it. Ironically, those things affected me much more than her. Instead, it was the way the series portrayed how refugees from that regime to Canada were portrayed, how their asylum cases were handled, and especially in the fourth season, the limits that were reached, involving humanitarian aid and international treaties. In her opinion the makers of the series paid tremendous attention to these details, so much so that she even used certain clips from the show in her class she taught about asylum seekers. It did have the desired effect, though some of her students, who had become curious to see more of this series, were deeply shocked by the rest of the dystopia portrayed.
Our Bodies and the Law
Most people that I've shared my enthusiasm for The Handmaid's Tale with, like it for a different reason: it has to do with the right of a person to decide what happens to their bodies. And yes, this includes having or not having babies, as is the center of the Life - Choice debate. Though for me, it pertains to other things as well, such as food safety, recreational drugs, "alternative" medicine, and most of all, the hottest topic of the day: Covid-19 vaccinations!
Seeing how there is a huge movement in the United States to reverse the famous Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case legalizing abortions, and even countries like Germany limiting the information made available on reproductive rights, I think The Handmaid's Tale highlights a very important topic in our current social context.
I think all of us should be aware of the possible consequences if we start giving up the autonomy over our bodies. While it is bad enough trying to "persuade" people with reasons and arguments into doing or not doing something to their bodies, when it comes to economic or societal coercion, a slippery slope can lead us very quickly down into some very unpleasant areas. For this reason, I urge every single one I can, to at least take a peak at this captivating series. Here's a trailer to start out with:
Take a Look at the Previous Posts in my Binge On This Series:
Twin Peaks: The Return - The Series Closing After 25 Years
Silicon Valley: Humor from the World of Tech and Money
Dark: Intense Time-Travel for Germanophiles
Twin Peaks: The Show That Changed Everything
The Man In the High Castle: What if the Nazis Had Won?
Lost: Mystery With Addictive Potential
Babylon Berlin: Sociopolitical Tremmors in the Weimar Republic
Rome: A Realistic Sandal Series
Carnivàle: A Throw-back to the Thirties
Weeds: The Hillarious Alternative to Breaking Bad
Mr. Robot: Hackers, Freedom, and Mental Issues
Das Boot: A Real German WWII Series
Black Sails: Pirate Lore Galore
Twelve Monkeys: Time Travel and Pandemic
The DocsMX 2020 Film Festival