The Handmaids Tale Season 3 Episode 6 Review

The Waterford household (past and present!) goes on a trip to Washington, D.C., in this week's The Handmaid's Tale, which gives u.s.a. the answers to these tantalizing queries:

* What, exactly, would the Us' capital expect like if Nazis took over?

* What is an even more horrifying style to enslave women than the methods we've previously seen?

* That new commander totally wants Fred's activeness, doesn't he?

Read on for the highlights of "Household." (And make sure to read our mini oral history with Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski and executive producer Warren Littlefield virtually the episode.)

A Uppercase Idea | June walks by a bunch of marthas, kneeling in the snow and praying for Nichole'southward render, on her way home from whatever listen-numbing task she's been doing. The site comforts June. "If they're praying, then she'south all the same safe," she voiceovers. "I pray that their prayers go unanswered." She likewise prays that Serena will find her manner back and volition get Fred to finish trying to reclaim the baby, "or may they both get hit past a f—king truck. I'1000 honestly downward for either." (Heh.)

At home, Lawrence instructs June to pack, because the Waterfords want to borrow her for a week of public prayer in D.C. Fred has orchestrated a big media shebang to exert pressure on Canada to requite Nichole back, and having his whole household in that location is important for eyes. June perks up slightly upon learning that Serena will exist in attendance, as well, and goes upstairs to get her things together.

June, of course, doesn't ride with her former commander and mistress during the trip. She and Aunt Lydia are relegated to a separate auto; while the older woman is sleeping, June pulls dorsum the red curtains covering her window and is shocked to run into that Gilead's holier-than-thou Powers That Be have transformed the Washington Monument from an obelisk into a cross. Similarly, the new railroad train station is dark and looks like something directly out of Soviet Russia. June muses that the old one, Spousal relationship Station, was so beautiful. "It was designed by a heretic," Lydia chirps, calculation that the building was destroyed for the greater good. (Side note: That seems rather short-sighted for Gilead, no? Why not only powerwash the place with holy water, string upward a agglomeration of crosses and apply what you've got rather than rebuilding such a massive — and pivotal — transportation hub from scratch?)

A giddy Aunt Lydia prattles on that she's "pumped," and asks June if she feels the same way. June, who's decorated noticing that the local handmaids wear ruby scarves effectually their mouths in improver to the regular uniform, absently replies, "Oh yeah. I'grand pumped, Aunt Lydia."

MEET THE WINSLOWS | The Waterfords retrieve June from what amounts to a human baggage claim (keep it classy, Gilead), and Rita and June quietly say they miss each other. Just Rita is a little more than #TeamSerena than she used to be, and June picks up on it when Rita mentions that having a baby is "the only matter she ever wanted" and seems a little irked that June is so confronting a reunion.

They're driven to a chiliad home belonging to High Commander Winslow and his wife, Olivia. Fred has heard the family is "very downwardly to earth" and sees the visit as "an opportunity." Serena gives him the eyebrow. "For whom?" she wonders. "United states. All of us. Nichole," Fred sputters, trying to country on an reply that will de-incense his wife. When they finally meet George Winslow (hi, Christopher Meloni!), things are a niggling awkward — when the high commander reminds Fred that Gilead has to be "judicious about the images nosotros release to the world, it nigh sounds similar Fred has already messed up even though nothing has happened yet — only the weirdness is broken when Winslow's children race in to say goodnight.

In that location are roughly 300 of them (OK, closer to six, but STILL), and Fred and Serena are taken aback past the sheer number of little ones that flood into the study. Olivia Winslow (hello, Elizabeth Reaser!) follows, property the youngest, whom she passes to Serena. Serena, of course, immediately starts salivating over the baby. While all of this is happening, June and Rita slip out, unnoticed. June's surprise over seeing and then many kids in 1 family unit — call back, most commanders are lucky to have one child — is quickly eclipsed past her horror at finding out what's underneath the D.C. handmaids' mouth coverings. When she wonders why the Winslows' handmaid is and so quiet, the woman removes her scarf and reveals that three metal rings are belongings her mouth closed. The visual, like the thinking backside it, is horrifying.

JUNE'S INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT | The adjacent morning, Fred, Serena, June and a few local handmaids are practicing for the giant media moment that'll take identify later. Nick surprises everyone by stopping by; he'south notwithstanding heading out to the front in Chicago soon, only hasn't gotten his orders all the same. "Would yous mind continuing in for me? Simply for this shot?" Fred asks. C'mon, Commander, we know that you know that Nick doesn't mind stepping in for you lot — in pretty much any situation. Nick takes his place adjacent to June and whispers, "Squeamish girl like y'all in a place like this?" She lights up, smile as they surreptitiously touch easily.

Back at the Winslow home, Serena and June lookout man the children play. "Serena, I know you don't want this," June says, seizing the opportunity to endeavour to change her mind about getting Nichole back. Mrs. Waterford replies that seeing the baby "changed everything for me," and they're both crying a petty equally June points out that "seeing her changed you. Information technology didn't change this place. She deserves improve. Our girl deserves ameliorate. And I know you know that." Before anything else tin can be said, Fred arrives to announce that the Swiss have agreed to human activity as a neutral party in Gilead's bid to get Nichole dorsum… and they want to talk to everyone in the household.

That'due south how June winds upwardly talking to some Swiss officials, without the Waterfords or any other observers in the room. "I am the child's mother, and I want Nichole to stay in Canada," she says, calculation that Fred isn't the babe's father — which they know already, having somehow gotten wind of the tape she made for Luke. So if the Waterfords have no biological tie to the kid, easy peasy, correct? Well, no: Gilead has a lot of military strength and weapons, and Canada has no want to tick off its nutty neighbor to the s. And so the Swiss bladder the idea that the more than info they/Canada tin glean well-nigh Gilead — which is a huge question mark to the rest of the world, recall — the more they might be able to practice. June offers up Nick every bit a source: As a commander and former Eye, he'd be an data goldmine. The Swiss are wary that he'll cooperate. "I'll persuade him," June says confidently. So she shakes hands on a bargain to aid protect Nichole and leaves feeling rather skilful (relatively) about the hereafter.

HE Actually PUTS THE 'MAN' IN 'COMMANDER' | Back at the house that evening, Fred and George Winslow play puddle, drink liquor and generally celebrate being male person and in accuse. Is it me, or does Winslow seem to exist putting his tush in Fred's personal infinite as much every bit possible? "Here'due south to your brilliant future, perchance in D.C.," George says, which makes Fred blush like a shy teenager whose crush just asked him to prom. But then George places his manus on Fred'due south shoulder, rubs it a flake and then keeps it there: Oh, he WAS putting his tush in Fred'due south personal space as much equally possible. Gives new pregnant to "2 ball in the corner pocket," no? Fred freezes, but so ane of Winslow's daughters runs into ask them to a tea party, and they go.

In the playroom, Olivia tells Serena, "I know this is a bit taboo, simply I really loved your book." We larn that she and George both were corporate lawyers in their pre-Gilead life, and then Fred comes over with a stuffed lion and does this playful little fleck nearly asking to infringe some sugar. Serena laughs. I scream, "HE CUT OFF YOUR PINKY." When ane of the children reclaims the toy, Fred faux mopes, "I lost my lion." Serena can relate, because SHE LOST HER PERSONHOOD.

Afterward, June is in bed when a martha creeps in to tell her she has a visitor outside. June smiles, like, "Yeah, nevertheless got it." Of class it's Nick, and she runs to him in her nightgown with her hair unbound. They kiss, then she tells him near the deal she fabricated to go on Nichole in Canada. He's… not psyched. "They're politicians. They have their own agenda," he reminds her, but she'southward undeterred. "This is your one risk. This is it," she says. "This is your chance to be a father to our daughter. How many of those do you think you're going to get?" He relents and agrees to become to the meeting.

SAY Information technology AIN'T So, NICK! | Of form, this is Gilead, and so everything's gotta become terribly incorrect at some point. And that signal arrives when a member of the Swiss delegation shows upwardly at the Winslows' to tell Fred that they're recommending the continuation of discussions about getting Nichole dorsum. In a moment lonely, June asks the Swiss woman what the heck happened, and she says that they tin't practise business with Nick. "I don't think you know who Mr. Blaine is, or who he was. He is non to be trusted," the adult female says ominously, mentioning that Nick has shipped out to Chicago.

June gets Serena alone for a moment to enquire what Nick did before he was a driver. "He was a soldier in the cause. We wouldn't exist here without him," the blonde says. And so, because she volition not NOT be a raging jerk, she twists the knife by adding, "All this fourth dimension you spent together, and he never mentioned anything?" Indeed, nosotros cut to Nick on a military transport, and all of the men snap to attention and salute equally he walks down the line. Interesting….

SCARF ON, GLOVES OFF | Equally a wrung-out Aunt Lydia helps an even more wrung-out June get ready for Fred's big media moment. "Do y'all desire us all to be silenced?" June asks, referring to the D.C. handmaids' rings. "No, no I don't," Lydia replies, also crying. They hug, and Aunt Lydia tells her how she tries to focus on "the practiced I can still try to do in God'south world," merely so she'due south gotta get June strapped into her make-new mouth scarf and gear up for the event.

And so we see June at the Lincoln Memorial, except the statue'south been severely damaged. Information technology's missing a head and an arm, and is generally a sad visual representation of the state of the ruined marriage. Serena approaches, and they get into an argument when Serena says she tin't wait until she and Fred are settled in D.C. and can be "complimentary" of June. "You will never be free of me until both my children are safe," June growls at her. In that location'south some dorsum and along — Serena is mad that June didn't accompany Nichole to Canada, June is mad that she can't trust Serena — so June launches into a verbal evisceration of her onetime mistress.

"You can't love! You don't know how!" she yells. "You congenital this whole world just so you could have someone. But it didn't work. You're minor. You lot're cruel. And you're empty. Y'all volition always be empty." Serena quietly cries. "I should've put a ring in your oral fissure the day that we met," she responds. Merely nope, Mrs. W: June'due south gonna become the terminal word this fourth dimension. "I should've let y'all burn when I had the chance."

Afterwards, it's time for Fred's moment. Every bit June walks out to where the Waterfords are standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, we come across a zillion handmaids clustered on the plaza and on both sides of the reflecting pool stretching toward the former Washington Monument. When the pageantry begins, all the 'maids kneel when June does, and Fred begins to pray in front of the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration a public appeal, period, both in person and around the world

Now it'due south your turn. What did you think of the episode? Audio off in the comments!

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Source: https://tvline.com/2019/06/26/the-handmaids-tale-recap-season-3-episode-6-household-washington-dc/

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