Misadventures in Blissville

Previously on As Gilead Turns … when we last left June, she was trapped in an enormous, vacant house after a tearful reunion with her daughter, Hannah, and Nick was arrested and taken into custody. Will Luke admit that Nick loves June? Like sands in the hourglass … these are the Handmaids of our Lives … There was some speculation going around that the producers of The Handmaid’s Tale received a commitment for ten episodes (same as the previous year), but then Hulu asked for an additional three, which puts us now at episode eleven in this series. The problem is that when the Network asks for more episodes, they’re required to put up the money to produce those episodes. “Holly” is obviously (somewhat painfully) a “filler” episode, shot very quickly, utilizing the location from “The Last Ceremony,” with three speaking parts and a celebrity cameo. Because the producers didn’t have a plan for the additional episode order, “Holly” becomes a tedious, minimalist exercise in “survival.” This is also when I notice that fans are becoming impatient with the show’s structure; to such a degree that they begin to question everything that had happened up to this point. We need a firm, bedrock foundation for a beginning, a balanced middle with action and conflict, and a satisfying resolution, and we have yet to see that. This can be maddening when we take into account the fact that the producers want this show to go on for ten years, and I don’t know if I can keep looking at Elisabeth Moss’ anguished face for ten freaking years.

The problem in “Holly” is June’s contractions. It’s obvious the baby is ready to be born, but with June trapped at this beautiful mansion, she can’t leave. She has a golden opportunity to flee, but the writer(s) won’t let her. Worse yet, she spots a wolf emerging from the woods giving her the “stink eye.” All we need are a wake of buzzards circling high overhead to complete the effect. She goes back into the house and starts looking around for anything she can use. This is an incredible house. I’d love to live here, but it’s gotta be a bitch to heat! She can’t find anything, but then again, she’s not looking under the white sheets that cover all of the furniture. She makes it to Hannah’s bedroom and stops to ponder her stolen child’s existence in this house. Like I said, it’s a nice house and this must be a step-up from the cramped apartment she shared with June and Luke. She flashes on what I presume is Hannah’s first day at school. Hannah doesn’t want to go to school, and June doesn’t want to let go of her. I felt the same way when my daughter started going to school. As a parent, it’s like you don’t want your kids to grow up. You want them to stay frozen in innocence for the rest of their lives, but still learn discipline and responsibility. June finds the keys to the garage. The car, a 1975 Camaro (with awesome racing stripes) is hidden under a white sheet. June gets in, turns on the radio, and hears a disc jockey (Oprah Winfrey) give the skinny on the growing conflict between Gilead and the rest of the world. She says, “stars and stripes forever, baby,” which makes June smile, before launching into Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.”

It seems June has a means of escape, so she looks for supplies. She finds a coat, looks at herself in a mirror and, for some reason, flashes on getting ready for a social function with Luke. I’m starting to hate these flashbacks. As with Lost, they become a crutch when the writer can’t think of anything else to offer. June hears a vehicle approaching the house. She hides. Fred and Serena charge into the house and call for Offred, Nick, or Commander and Mrs. Mackenzie (Hannah’s adopted parents). Serena is livid, probably because she has to know Offred is hiding somewhere. Fred wants to get the hell out of there. June finds a shotgun with shells and squirrels herself away. Serena moves from room-to-room. She sees Offred’s handmaid uniform. This is so stupid. Are you really going to be this loud and announce your presence considering how sneaky Offred/June can be. Why didn’t they coast quietly up to the outlying edge of the property and sneak stealthily into the house so that they could catch her? They argue about the rape, and Fred tells Serena the rape was “her idea!” This is amazing to me. “I gave up everything for you,” Serena tells Fred, “and I only ever wanted one thing in return — a baby.” These people are psychotic, and yet, they run the show, don’t they? They argue at the bottom of a stairway landing as June watches them. She trains the gun on them, BUT SHE DOESN’T FIRE! Fred and Serena leave the house and drive off! Are you kidding me? I’ll tell you what I would’ve done in a minute.* For now, June is about to have her baby.

Flashback time! June’s mother, Holly (Cherry Jones) takes her and Moira on a tour of a “birthing facility.” She doesn’t want her granddaughter to be born in a hospital citing disease and infection rates. This woman’s a doctor? June wants to have the baby in a hospital. And now for the most frustrating scene in the entire series. June enters the garage, tries to get the door open, but it’s frozen shut. She gets into the car, revs up the engine and tries to force the door. It’s frozen shut. We know she has the capacity to make fire, and there is water. Barring setting fire to the garage door, she could pour boiling water to melt the ice. Or look for salt. Instead, she grabs a shovel and tries to dig her way out, but nothing doing. She slips on the ice and falls. The wolf shows up again to say “howdy.” He looks hungry. June feels the baby coming as she stares down the wolf. The wolf howls. This would be brilliant in any other television show. Here, it’s only a faint reminder of neglected premises and forgotten possibilities. She stumbles outside with her gun and fires into the air to get attention. None is forthcoming, so she goes back inside. Of course, she flashes on having Hannah as she is self-delivering this new baby by a roaring fire. This is some serious next-level natural child-birthing. I can only guess this is how vegans would want to have their babies. It’s an excruciating scene and Moss makes it look real, but it goes on way too long. She screams by the fire-light and the baby comes out. June is a blood-covered mess by episode’s end as a car’s headlights are seen coming up the driveway. June names the baby Holly.

*Remember the wolf? Okay. Fred and Serena enter the house, of course shouting at each other like idiots. June tucks herself away in the attic. She makes as much noise as she can so Fred and Serena will hear her. They come up to the attic one after the other. Serena enters first. June shoots her in the stomach. Fred rushes in. June shoots him in the head or neck as he rushes to Serena’s aid. June gets up, drags Serena’s body down to the first floor creating a trail of fresh blood for Mr. Wolf. She opens the front door and moves Serena’s body outside, positioned between the woods and the open front door and the hungry wolf. She grabs Fred’s keys and drives off in the vehicle. Cut to black and needle-drop Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart.” That’s what I would’ve done.