The first season of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale adapted the classic, haunting Margaret Atwood novel in its entirety – leaving the slate clean for the show to move beyond the novel into a deeper look at the story’s dystopian world. That will include something only barely referenced in the original novel: The lands beyond Gilead still occupied by society’s remnants.
All Images: Hulu
A series of new images from the second season were released today, including looks at a bloodied Offred (née June), and a Handmaid’s funeral. But most intriguingly is our first look at the Colonies, above, the contaminated lands left beyond the “safety” of Gilead, where exiled citizens and escapees have fled to.
The Colonies were only discussed in hushed tones in the original novel, through the filter of Offred’s perspective, and that secrecy carried into the small-screen adaptation – so they have never really been seen before. Getting a chance to see them this way, and even ponder a few theories viewers have had about Offred’s pre-Handmaid past since season one ended, will be one of the most intriguing aspects of the show’s return. The Handmaid’s Tale returns to Hulu this April. Season one is available in Australia on SBS On Demand.
[via EW]