‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Had to Plan Character Deaths Very Strategically

Ann Dowd's Aunt Lydia is a key character in Hulu's upcoming sequel series 'The Testaments,' so her survival was assured. With just one episode to go in The Handmaid’s Tale, the creators, cast, and crew look back in a detailed new oral history that addresses some of the biggest questions viewers have asked about its story over the years. That includes: if Gilead is such a violent police state fond of swiftly executing any and all dissidents, how has Elisabeth Moss’ character, the rebellion-leading June Osborne, managed to survive for six seasons? This week’s “Execution” saw June literally escaping a hangman’s noose—just her latest miracle after dodging bullets, being run over by a truck, and several other very near misses. (A few characters did meet their ends elsewhere in the episode.) Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, The Handmaid’s Tale novel author Margaret Atwood admitted that was a necessary element in a story that may be inspired by reality, but is obviously fictional. “Abou ... Read full article.