Since its premiere on April 26, 2017, the Hulu original series The Handmaid’s Tale has established itself as a seminal work of dystopian science fiction. Based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, the series explores a hauntingly plausible near-future where environmental disaster and plunging birthrates have led to the rise of Gilead—a fundamentalist, theocratic regime that has overthrown the United States government. Narrative and Thematic Core

: The narrative frequently uses flashbacks to "the time before," contrasting June’s former life as a modern woman with her current claustrophobic reality.

“The Handmaid's Tale” dark themes keeps viewers entranced