'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale is all set to be released on Hulu on September 14, 2022. Having premiered on Hulu in 2017, the show is based on a 1985 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood. The story explores the lives of women who are trapped and controlled by a totalitarian society that limits them to being child-bearing slaves. Margaret Atwood is known for her contributions to feminist literature.
The premise of The Handmaid's Tale follows the fate of the theonomic and totalitarian dystopian world after the Second American Civil War.
Since its premiere, The Handmaid's Tale has been highly acclaimed and received thirteen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, of which it won eight. It was popular among fans of the dystopian genre for the way it dealt with alternative history. The show employs several dystopian tropes while also giving the genre an entirely new perspective. Dystopian themes are dominant in modern television.
The Man in the High Castle, Altered Carbon and 3 more shows like The Handmaid's Tale
1) The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle is extremely similar to The Handmaid's Tale as it deals with the consequences of an alternate history too. However, it includes elements of science-fiction that are not as prominent in the latter. The story revolves around what the world would be like if Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan won the Second World War and grew to rule the world.
The Man in the High Castle ran for four seasons from 2015 to 2019 and features a cast of brilliant performers including Rufus Sewell, Luke Kleintank and Alexa Davalos. The Amazon original show received great critical acclaim and was widely watched. This story is adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1962 book of the same name and is available to watch on Prime Video.
2) Black Mirror
Black Mirror is different from The Handmaid's Tale in terms of its format as well as the time it is set in. What makes the two shows similar, though, is the fact that they are both set in a strange dystopia following unexpected events. Black Mirror is an anthology where each episode comments on contemporary issues using various features of science and technology.
The Handmaid's Tale too, despite being set in the past and claiming to be an outcome of alternate history, is an active commentary on modern problems and is relevant even today. Black Mirror is spread across five series, with no singular plot, making each episode an engaging watch on its own. This one, too, is a highly acclaimed show and is still popular among audiences. Black Mirror is streaming on Netflix.
3) Westworld
The themes, narrative, performances and brilliant music score of Westworld make it one of the finest television series to have ever been made. The show was loved by a wide audience and became the highest-watched HBO original series in no time after its premiere in 2016. The three seasons that followed also stood up to the standard of the first and reached out to a wider audience across the world.
Unlike The Handmaid's Tale, Westworld is based on the 1973 film of the same name by Michael Crichton and revolves around a futuristic amusement park that is controlled by android hosts and indulges guests in their wildest fantasies. The show takes a darker tone in the way it treats dystopia and received 54 Primetime Emmy nominations out of which it won nine. Westworld is streaming on HBO Max.
4) Altered Carbon
Based on Richard K. Morgan's 2002 book of the same name, Altered Carbon is set in a futuristic, dystopian society where consciousness is transferrable. The protagonist sets out to solve a murder in the ten episodes of the first season. The show premiered on Netflix in 2018 and a second season came out in 2020. This show too leans onto a much darker tone.
A prequel to the show was released later in 2020. The show was canceled after two seasons despite positive reviews. The writing of the show is commendable and is complemented by restrained performances and making. Both seasons of Altered Carbon are available on Netflix.
5) The Rain
Danish post-apocalyptic dystopian drama The Rain follows the lives of two siblings who set out in search of their father after a deadly rain wiped out almost all the humans around them. The show later introduces a diverse set of characters who play a central role in the story. Although there are elements of science-fiction in the show, it is also a survival drama for the most part.
The Rain received mixed reviews but stands as one of the better dystopian dramas of recent times. The show is three seasons long and premiered in 2018. The third season came out in 2020. The Rain stars Alba August and Lucas Lynggaard in lead roles. Although the lead actors differ from season to season, the uniformity in theme and vibe is consistent throughout all three seasons. All seasons of the show are streaming on Netflix.
Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is not just one of the finer dystopian stories but stands as one of the finest pieces of literature to have been produced. The Hulu series does a great job in coming as close to the written work as possible. The fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale will release on Hulu on September 14, 2022.
