The Handmaid’s Tale (2017–2025) is a dystopian television series based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood. The series was created by Bruce Miller and premiered on Hulu in April 2017. Set in a theocratic and totalitarian society known as Gilead, the show follows Offred, a woman forced into the role of a “Handmaid,” whose primary purpose is to bear children for the elite rulers. The series explores themes of oppression, gender inequality, surveillance, and resistance, while also providing a powerful commentary on political and social issues.

The story is set in the near future, in a dystopian society where the United States has been overthrown and replaced by a fundamentalist regime called Gilead, which enforces strict control over women’s lives. The ruling class, known as the Commanders, use women for reproductive purposes due to a widespread fertility crisis. The women are categorized into strict roles: Wives (married to the Commanders), Marthas (household helpers), and Handmaids (women forced to bear children for the Commanders).

The series is told through the perspective of June Osborne (played by Elisabeth Moss), who is renamed Offred (meaning “Of Fred,” referring to the Commander she serves). Offred’s life is defined by servitude, fear, and loss, as she navigates a world where she has been stripped of her identity, freedom, and basic human rights. The story follows her internal and external struggle to survive, maintain her humanity, and resist the oppressive regime.

As the series progresses, Offred becomes increasingly involved in a rebellion against the oppressive regime, seeking to reunite with her daughter (who was taken from her), and ultimately trying to bring down the tyrannical rulers of Gilead. She is forced to confront not only the external dangers of Gilead but also her own internal conflicts, particularly her capacity for violence, vengeance, and hope.

The series delves deeply into the lives of several other characters, including Serina Joy (Yvonne Strahovski), the Commander’s wife who has a complicated and evolving relationship with Offred; Nick (Max Minghella), the Commander’s driver and a key figure in Offred’s personal life; and Luke (O-T Fagbenle), Offred’s husband, who plays a key role in the resistance movement.