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American dystopian television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Handmaid's Tale is an American dystopian television series created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. The series was ordered by the streaming service Hulu as a straight-to-series order of ten episodes, for which production began in late 2016. The plot features a dystopia following a Second American Civil War wherein a theonomic, totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called "Handmaids", to child-bearing slavery.[3][4]
| The Handmaid's Tale | |
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| Created by | Bruce Miller |
| Based on | The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Adam Taylor |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 56 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
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| Running time | 41–65 minutes |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Hulu |
| Release | April 26, 2017 – present |
The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released every Wednesday. In July 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season,[5] which premiered on April 27, 2021.[6] In September 2019, it was announced that Hulu and MGM were developing a sequel series, to be based on Atwood's 2019 novel The Testaments.[7] In December 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, the series was renewed for a fifth season,[8] which premiered on September 14, 2022.[9] In September 2022, ahead of the fifth-season premiere, the series was renewed for a sixth and final season, which is set to air in 2025.[10]
The Handmaid's Tale's first season won eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 13 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. It is the first show produced by Hulu to win a major award and the first series on a streaming service to win an Emmy for Outstanding Series. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama. Elisabeth Moss was also awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series.
In a world where fertility rates have collapsed as a result of sexually transmitted diseases and environmental pollution,[11] the totalitarian, theonomic government of Gilead has established its rule in the former United States in the aftermath of a civil war.[12][13][14][3] Society is organized by power-hungry leaders along with a new, militarized, hierarchical régime of religious fanaticism and newly created social classes, in which women are brutally subjugated. By law, women in Gilead are forced to work in very limited roles, including some as natal slaves, and they are not allowed to own property, have careers, handle money, or even read and write.[14]
Worldwide infertility has led to the enslavement of fertile women in Gilead determined by the new régime to be fallen women, citing an extremist interpretation of the Biblical account of Bilhah. These women often include those who have entered marriages following divorce (termed "adulteresses", as divorce is not recognized under Gileadian law), single or unmarried mothers, lesbians (homosexuals being termed "gender traitors"), non-Christians, adherents of Christian denominations other than the "Sons of Jacob", political dissidents, and academics.[14]
These women, called Handmaids, are assigned to the homes of the ruling elite, where they must submit to ritualized rape (referred to as "the ceremony") by their male masters ("Commanders") in the presence of their wives with the intent of being impregnated and bearing children for them.[14] Handmaids are given names created by the addition of the prefix Of- to the first name of the man who has them. When they are transferred, their names are changed.
Along with the Handmaids, much of society is now grouped into classes that dictate their freedoms and duties. Women are divided into a small range of social categories, each one signified by a plain dress in a specific color. A Handmaid’s outfit consists of a long red dress, a red cloak, heavy brown boots, and a white coif, with a larger white bonnet (known as "wings") to be worn outside, which conceals her from the public view and restricts her vision.
June Osborne, renamed Offred, is the Handmaid assigned to the home of the Gileadan Commander Fred Waterford and his wife Serena Joy, key players in the formation and rise of Gilead, who struggle with the realities of the society they helped create. During "the time before", June was married to Luke and had a daughter, Hannah.
At the beginning of the story, while attempting to flee Gilead with her husband and daughter, June was captured and forced to become a Handmaid because of the adultery she and her husband committed. June's daughter was taken and given to an upper-class family to raise, and her husband escaped into Canada. Much of the plot revolves around June's desire to be reunited with her husband and daughter and the internal evolution of her strength to its somewhat darker version.
In the second season, Oprah Winfrey has an uncredited appearance as a newsreader on a car radio.[31]
Development of The Handmaid's Tale began with Ilene Chaiken at Showtime, but the network passed on the pilot, and Chaiken was hired as showrunner for Empire. MGM's Steve Stark was determined to find a female writer, but after difficulty he hired Bruce Miller for his enthusiasm. The strength of the script attracted star Elisabeth Moss and executive producer Warren Littlefield, which together created a straight-to-series order from Hulu,[32] which was announced in April 2016.[33] Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, the series was created by Bruce Miller, who is also an executive producer with Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Warren Littlefield.[33] Atwood serves as consulting producer, giving feedback on some of the areas where the series expands upon or modernizes the book.[33][34] She also played a small cameo role in the first episode.[35] Moss is also a producer.[36]
In June 2016, Reed Morano was announced as director of the series.[37] Samira Wiley, Max Minghella, and Ann Dowd joined the cast in July 2016.[38][39][40] Joseph Fiennes, Madeline Brewer, and Yvonne Strahovski were cast in August 2016,[41][42][43] followed by O-T Fagbenle and Amanda Brugel in September 2016.[44][45] In October 2016, Ever Carradine joined the cast,[46] and Alexis Bledel was added in January 2017.[47] Filming on the series took place in Toronto, Mississauga, Brantford, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, and Cambridge, Ontario, from September 2016 to February 2017.[48][49] Hulu released the first full trailer of the TV series on YouTube, on March 23, 2017.[50] The series premiered on April 26, 2017.[51]
On May 3, 2017, The Handmaid's Tale was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 25, 2018.[52][53] Moss told the news media that the subsequent episodes would cover further developments in the story, filling in some of the unanswered questions and continuing the narrative already "finished" in the book.[54] The second season consists of 13 episodes and began filming in the fall of 2017. Alexis Bledel returned as a series regular.[55] Showrunner Bruce Miller stated that he envisioned 10 seasons of the show, stating, "Well, you know, honestly, when I started, I tried to game out in my head what would ten seasons be like? If you hit a home run, you want energy to go around the bases, you want enough story to keep going, if you can hook the audience to care about these people enough that they're actually crying at the finale."[56] Season 2 was filmed in Ontario, primarily in Toronto, but some scenes were shot in Hamilton and Cambridge.[57]
On May 2, 2018, Hulu renewed the series for a third season,[58] which premiered on June 5, 2019.[59] Season 3 started production in Toronto in October 2018.[60][61] Scenes for season 3 were also filmed in Cambridge and Hamilton, Ontario as well as in Washington, D.C.[62][63][64] Season 3 saw the show's long-serving Director of Photography, Colin Watkinson, make his directorial debut with the episode "Unknown Caller". Cambridge, Ontario was nominated by the Location Managers Guild International for "Outstanding Film Office" for their work on this season. This was the first time that a Canadian Film Office was nominated for this honor.[65]
On July 26, 2019, the series was renewed for a fourth season.[5] Season 4, consisting of 10 episodes, began production in March 2020, with Elisabeth Moss filming her directorial debut, but work had to be halted after only a few weeks, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[66][67] In June 2020, Hulu announced that the fourth season would premiere in 2021.[68] Production on season 4 resumed in September 2020[18] and wrapped on February 25, 2021, with Moss having directed three episodes.[69]
On December 10, 2020, ahead of the fourth season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a fifth season.[8] Season 5 started production in Toronto in February 2022 and continued through July 2022.[70] In May 2022, Alexis Bledel departed the series ahead of the fifth season, and stated, "After much thought, I felt I had to step away from The Handmaid's Tale".[71]
On September 8, 2022, ahead of the fifth-season premiere, Hulu renewed the series for a sixth and final season.[72] In March 2023, it was reported that Miller had stepped down as showrunner of The Handmaid's Tale, in order to focus on adapting The Testaments for television. Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang were named co-showrunners for the sixth and final season, though it was also announced that Miller would remain involved and would write two episodes for the season.[73] Production was originally set to begin in 2023, but was delayed due to the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Filming of the final season began in September 2024.[10]
The first three episodes of the series premiered on April 26, 2017; the subsequent seven episodes were released on a weekly basis.[51][74] In Canada, the series is broadcast weekly by CTV Drama Channel and the streaming service Crave; the first two episodes premiered on April 30, 2017.[75] In Scandinavia, the series is available on HBO Nordic.[76] In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on May 28, 2017, on Channel 4.[77]
In New Zealand, the series was released on the subscription video on demand service Lightbox on June 8, 2017.[78] After satellite service provider Sky acquired Lightbox and merged it into its streaming service Neon on July 7, 2020, Neon acquired the distribution rights to the series in New Zealand.[79]
In Australia, the series premiered on the TV channel SBS's video streaming service SBS on Demand, on July 6, 2017.[80] The series also released on the subscription video on demand service Stan on December 12, 2018.[81]
In Ireland, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on RTÉ2, with a showing of the first two episodes.[82] RTÉ also became the first broadcaster in Europe to debut Season 2, Season 3 and Season 4 following its broadcast in the US and Canada.[83] In Brazil and Latin America, the series premiered on March 7, 2018, on Paramount Channel.[84]
In India, the series premiered on February 5, 2018, on AXN and ran for the first two seasons before moving to Amazon Prime Video for Season 3, which made all three seasons available for viewing on January 31, 2020.[85][86]
In Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the series premiered on September 15, 2018, on HBO Asia through HBO Go.[87]
The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 13, 2018, the second season on December 4, 2018, and the third season on November 19, 2019, by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.[88][89][90] The fourth season was released on DVD only (no Blu-ray) on April 5, 2022, by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.[91]
The Handmaid's Tale was ranked as the 25th and 38th best TV series of the 21st century by The Guardian and BBC, respectively.[92][93] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the overall series has an approval rating of 83%.[94] While on Metacritic, another aggregator website, it has an average score of 81 out of 100.[95]
On Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 259 reviews are positive for the first season, with an average rating of 8.65/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Haunting and vivid, The Handmaid's Tale is an endlessly engrossing adaptation of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel that's anchored by a terrific central performance from Elisabeth Moss."[96] On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 92 out of 100 based on 41 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[97]
Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter called it "probably the spring's best new show".[106] Jen Chaney of Vulture gave it a highly positive review, and wrote that it is "A faithful adaptation of the book that also brings new layers to Atwood's totalitarian, sexist world of forced surrogate motherhood" and that "this series is meticulously paced, brutal, visually stunning, and so suspenseful from moment to moment that only at the end of each hour will you feel fully at liberty to exhale".[107]
On Rotten Tomatoes, 89% of 340 critics have given the season a positive review, and an average rating of 8.35/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Beautifully shot but dishearteningly relevant, The Handmaid's Tale centers its sophomore season tightly around its compelling cast of characters, making room for broader social commentary through more intimate lenses."[98] Metacritic assigned the season a weighted average score of 86 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[99]
Some critics perceived the second season's depictions of violence as excessive. The Atlantic's Sophie Gilbert wrote: "There came a point during the first episode where, for me, it became too much."[108] Lisa Miller of The Cut wrote: "I have pressed mute and fast forward so often this season, I am forced to wonder: 'Why am I watching this'? It all feels so gratuitous, like a beating that never ends."[109] The Daily Telegraph's Rebecca Reid admitted she had an anxiety attack watching an episode of the show.[110]
For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reports that 82% of 301 reviews are positive, and the average rating is 6.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Handmaid's Tale's third season reins in its horrors and inspires hope that revolution really is possible – if only the story would stop spinning its wheels and get to it already."[100] Metacritic compiled 14 critic reviews and an average score of 68 out of 100, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[101]
Kelly Lawler of USA Today gave it a positive review, scoring it three out of four stars. She claimed it is an improvement over the second season, "that rights many – though definitely not all – of Season 2's wrongs." Overall, she wrote, "The new season is more propulsive and watchable, although it doesn't quite reach the heights of that first moving season. But Handmaid's regains its footing by setting off on a new path".[111]
Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter wrote a generally positive review, praising Elisabeth Moss's performance and the cinematography, but criticized the plot "that has become frustratingly repetitive". Overall, he wrote, "Still occasionally powerful, but rarely as provocative".[112]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season earned positive reviews from 70% of 46 critics, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Elisabeth Moss is better than ever, but scattershot plotting and an overbearing sense of doom may prove too grim for some viewers to really enjoy The Handmaid's Tale's fourth season."[102] According to Metacritic, which collected 18 reviews and calculated an average score of 62, the season received "generally positive reviews".[103]
Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave it a "C+" grade and wrote that the series "delivers on some long-delayed promises, but ultimately it's too little, too late."[113] Matthew Gilbert of The Boston Globe wrote, "the dystopian drama has exceeded the natural lifespan of its story, as it plows forward with nothing new to say, tinkling cymbals and sounding brass."[114] In a more positive review from Jen Chaney of Vulture, she wrote, "Thankfully, season four finally regains some momentum and forward motion. Based on the eight out of ten total episodes made available to critics, this is the best The Handmaid's Tale has been since its first season."[115]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fifth season earned positive reviews from 80% of 31 critics, with an average rating of 7.55/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Handmaid's Tale has lost its urgency after spreading its once-arresting premise thin in a season focused on vengeance's consequences, but the women of Gilead are still played with compelling exactitude."[104] On Metacritic, it received an average score of 63 out of 100, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally positive reviews".[105]
Critics were given the first eight episodes of the season to review. Writing for IGN, Tara Bennett gave it a "good" score of 7 out of 10 and wrote in her verdict: "The Handmaid's Tale remains the canary in the coalmine of TV shows [...]. Elisabeth Moss continues to give a livewire performance as former handmaid/now Canadian refugee June Osborne. [...] But overall, the series continues to suffer with very measured storylines that can't seem to recapture the kinetic energy of the first two seasons."[116] Abby Cavenaugh of Collider graded it with a "B-" and said, "Season 5 is full of scarce highs and really low lows, lots of heavy-hitting drama, and emotional scenes. Some of the biggest events of this season lead to some pretty uncomfortable viewing, but viewers who stick with it will be rewarded with some huge moments that will have repercussions for the final season."[117]
There was much debate on whether parallels could be drawn between the series (and by extension, the book it is based on) and American society during the Presidency of Donald Trump.[118][119] Comparisons were also made to the practices implemented by the Islamic State, such as throwing homosexuals from rooftops, as well as the policies of the Christian reconstructionist movement of the 1970s and 1980s that sought to expel women from the workforce.[120][121][122]
Several protests around the world, especially related to women's rights, have made use of the red handmaid uniforms from the TV series.[123][124][125]
In 2018, online retailer Yandy.com sparked controversy by marketing a sexualized version of the handmaid costume for Halloween. The retailer subsequently pulled the costume in response to widespread criticism.[126]
In 2017, The Handmaid's Tale made history as the first streaming series to win the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy.[127] However, in 2021, despite receiving 21 nominations, it did not secure any wins, setting a record for Emmy losses.[128]
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Cinema Editors Awards | 2018 | Best Edited Drama Series for Non-Commercial Television | Julian Clarke and Wendy Hallam Martin (for "Offred") | Won | [129] |
| American Film Institute Awards | 2017 | Top 10 TV Programs of the Year | The Handmaid's Tale | Won[a] | [130] |
| American Society of Cinematographers Awards | 2019 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series for Non-Commercial Television | Colin Watkinson (for "The Word") | Nominated | [131] |
| Zoe White (for "Holly") | Nominated | ||||
| 2020 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series for Non-Commercial Television | Colin Watkinson (for "Night") | Won | [132] | |
| 2022 | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series for Non-Commercial Television | Stuart Biddlecombe (for "The Wilderness") | Nominated | [133] | |
| Art Directors Guild Awards | 2018 | One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series | Julie Berghoff (for "Offred", "Birth Day", "Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum") | Won | [134] |
| Andrew Stearn (for "The Bridge") | Nominated | ||||
| 2019 | One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series | Mark White and Elisabeth Williams (for "June" and "Unwomen") | Won | [135] | |
| 2020 | One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series | Elisabeth Williams (for "Mayday") | Nominated | [136] | |
| 2022 | One-Hour Contemporary Single-Camera Series | Elisabeth Williams (for "Chicago") | Nominated | [137] | |
| British Academy Television Awards | 2018 | Best International Programme | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [138] |
| 2019 | Best International Programme | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [139] | |
| Casting Society of America | 2018 | Television Pilot and First Season – Drama | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Robin D. Cook, and Jonathan Oliveira | Won | [140] |
| 2019 | Television Series – Drama | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Robin D. Cook, and Jonathan Oliveira | Nominated | [141] | |
| 2020 | Television Series – Drama | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Robin D. Cook, Stacia Kimler, and Jonathan Oliveira | Nominated | [142] | |
| 2021 | Television Series – Drama | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Robin D. Cook, Stacia Kimler, and Jonathan Oliveira | Nominated | [143] | |
| 2022 | Television Series – Drama | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, Robin D. Cook, Stacia Kimler, and Jonathan Oliveira | Nominated | [144] | |
| Cinema Audio Society Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One Hour | John J. Thomson, Lou Solakofski, Joe Morrow, and Don White (for "Offred") | Nominated | [145] |
| 2019 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One Hour | Sylvain Arseneault, Lou Solakofski, Joe Morrow, Scott Michael Smith, Adam Taylor, Mark DeSimone, and Jack Heeren (for "Holly") | Nominated | [146] | |
| 2020 | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One Hour | Sylvain Arseneault, Lou Solakofski, Joe Morrow, Scott Michael Smith, Adam Taylor, Andrea Rusch, and Kevin Schultz (for "Heroic") | Nominated | [147] | |
| Costume Designers Guild Awards | 2018 | Excellence in Contemporary Television Series | Ane Crabtree | Won | [148] |
| 2019 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television | Ane Crabtree | Nominated | [149] | |
| 2020 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television | Natalie Bronfman (for "Household") | Nominated | [150] | |
| 2022 | Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television | Debra Hanson (for "Nightshade") | Nominated | [151] | |
| Critics' Choice Television Awards | 2018 | Best Drama Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [152] |
| Best Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Ann Dowd | Won | |||
| 2019 | Best Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | [153] | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement for a Drama Series | Reed Morano (for "Offred") | Won | [154] |
| 2019 | Outstanding Directorial Achievement for a Drama Series | Daina Reid (for "Holly") | Nominated | [155] | |
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2019 | Outstanding Drama Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [156] |
| Golden Globe Awards | 2018 | Best Television Series – Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [157] |
| Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Ann Dowd | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | [158] | |
| Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Yvonne Strahovski | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | [159] | |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | 2021 | Best Streaming Series, Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [160] |
| Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama | Bradley Whitford | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Alexis Bledel | Nominated | |||
| Ann Dowd | Nominated | ||||
| Yvonne Strahovski | Nominated | ||||
| Samira Wiley | Nominated | ||||
| Location Managers Guild Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Locations in Contemporary Television | John Musikka and Geoffrey Smither | Nominated | [161] |
| Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards | 2018 | Best Television Series, Mini-Series or New Media Series – Best Contemporary Make-Up | Burton LeBlanc, Talia Reinhold, Erika Caceres | Nominated | [162] |
| 2019 | Best Television Series, Mini-Series or New Media Series – Best Contemporary Make-Up | Burton LeBlanc, Talia Reingold, Erika Caceres | Nominated | [163] | |
| Best Television Series, Mini-Series or New Media Series – Contemporary Hair Styling | Karola Dirnberger and Ewa Cynk | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Best Television Series, Mini-Series or New Media Series – Best Contemporary Make-Up | Burton LeBlanc, Alastair Muir, and Faye Crasto | Nominated | [164] | |
| Best Television Series, Mini-Series or New Media Series – Contemporary Hair Styling | Paul Elliot and Ewa Latak-Cynk | Nominated | |||
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | 2019 | Best Performance in a Show | Elisabeth Moss | Won | [165] |
| Best Villain | Joseph Fiennes | Nominated | |||
| NAACP Image Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Samira Wiley | Nominated | [166] |
| Peabody Awards | 2018 | Entertainment, children's and youth honoree | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [167] |
| People's Choice Awards | 2018 | The Drama Show of 2018 | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [168] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 2017 | Outstanding Drama Series | Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Ilene Chaiken, Sheila Hockin, Eric Tuchman, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Kira Snyder, Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Boccia, and Leila Gerstein | Won | [169] |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss (for "Night") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Ann Dowd (for "Offred") | Won | |||
| Samira Wiley (for "Night") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Reed Morano (for "Offred") | Won | |||
| Kate Dennis (for "The Bridge") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Bruce Miller (for "Offred") | Won | |||
| 2018 | Outstanding Drama Series | Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Elisabeth Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Mike Barker, Sheila Hockin, Eric Tuchman, Kira Snyder, Yahlin Chang, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Dorothy Fortenberry, and Joseph Boccia | Nominated | [170] | |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss (for "The Last Ceremony") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Joseph Fiennes (for "First Blood") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel (for "Unwomen") | Nominated | |||
| Ann Dowd (for "June") | Nominated | ||||
| Yvonne Strahovski (for "Women's Work") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Kari Skogland (for "After") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Bruce Miller (for "June") | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Daina Reid (for "Holly") | Nominated | [171] | |
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder (for "Holly") | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Outstanding Drama Series | Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Elisabeth Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Mike Barker, Eric Tuchman, Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Frank Siracusa, Kira Snyder, Yahlin Chang, Margaret Atwood, Dorothy Fortenberry, Marissa Jo Cerar, Nina Fiore, John Herrera, and Kim Todd | Nominated | [172] | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Bradley Whitford (for "Sacrifice") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Samira Wiley (for "Sacrifice") | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Outstanding Drama Series | Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Elisabeth Moss, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, Eric Tuchman, Sheila Hockin, John Weber, Frank Siracusa, Kira Snyder, Yahlin Chang, Dorothy Fortenberry, Margaret Atwood, Kim Todd, Matt Hastings, Nina Fiore, and John Herrera | Nominated | [173] | |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss (for "Home") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | O-T Fagbenle (for "Home") | Nominated | |||
| Max Minghella (for "The Crossing") | Nominated | ||||
| Bradley Whitford (for "Testimony") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Madeline Brewer (for "Testimony") | Nominated | |||
| Ann Dowd (for "Progress") | Nominated | ||||
| Yvonne Strahovski (for "Home") | Nominated | ||||
| Samira Wiley (for "Vows") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Liz Garbus (for "The Wilderness") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Yahlin Chang (for "Home") | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | [174] | |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | 2017 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel (for "Late") | Won | [169] |
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Russell Scott, Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, and Robin D. Cook | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) | Colin Watkinson (for "Offred") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Period/Fantasy Costumes for a Series, Limited Series, or Movie | Ane Crabtree and Sheena Wichary (for "Offred") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) | Julie Berghoff, Evan Webber, and Sophie Neudorfer (for "Offred") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role | Brendan Taylor, Stephen Lebed, Leo Bovell, Martin O'Brien, Winston Lee, Kelly Knauff, Zach Dembinski, Mike Suta, and Cameron Kerr (for "Birth Day") | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Kelly Jenrette (for "Other Women") | Nominated | [170] | |
| Cherry Jones (for "Baggage") | Nominated | ||||
| Samira Wiley (for "After") | Won | ||||
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, and Robin D. Cook | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) | Colin Watkinson (for "June") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes | Ane Crabtree and Natalie Bronfman (for "Seeds") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) | Burton LeBlanc, Talia Reingold, and Erika Caceres (for "Unwomen") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Mark White, Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow, and Caroline Gee (for "June") | Won | |||
| Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow, and Rob Hepburn (for "Seeds", "First Blood", "After") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Wendy Hallam Martin (for "June") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) | Joe Morrow, Lou Solakofski, and Sylvain Arseneault (for "June") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role | Stephen Lebed, Brendan Taylor, Kelly Knauff, Kelly Weisz, Kevin McGeagh, Anderson Leo Bovell, Winston Lee, Xi Luo, and Cameron Kerr (for "June") | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Bradley Whitford (for "Postpartum") | Won | [175] | |
| Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Cherry Jones (for "Holly") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) | Colin Watkinson for ("The Word") | Nominated | |||
| Zoë White (for "Holly") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes | Ane Crabtree and Natalie Bronfman (for "The Word") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Adam Taylor (for "The Word") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Wendy Hallam Martin (for "The Word") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow, and Robert Hepburn (for "Holly") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) | Joe Morrow, Lou Solakofski, and Sylvain Arseneault (for "Holly") | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel (for "God Bless the Child") | Nominated | [172] | |
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, and Robin D. Cook | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes | Natalie Bronfman, Helena Davis Perry, and Christina Cattle (for "Household") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling | Paul Elliot and Ewa Latak-Cynk (for "Liars") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Burton LeBlanc and Alastair Muir (for "Mayday") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow, and Robert Hepburn (for "Household") | Won | |||
| Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role | Stephen Lebed, Brendan Taylor, Leo Bovell, Rob Greb, Gwen Zhang, Marlis Coto, Stephen Wagner, Josh Clark, and James Minett (for "Household") | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel (for "Testimony") | Nominated | [173] | |
| Mckenna Grace (for "Pigs") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Russell Scott, and Robin D. Cook | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) | Elisabeth Williams, Martha Sparrow, Larry Spittle, and Rob Hepburn (for "Chicago") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes | Debra Hanson, Jane Flanders, and Darci Cheyne (for "Nightshade") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling | Paul Elliot and Franchi Pir (for "Vows") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) | Burton LeBlanc and Alastair Muir (for "Pigs") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) | Adam Taylor (for "The Crossing") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Wendy Hallam Martin (for "The Crossing") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) | Lou Solakofski, Joe Morrow, and Sylvain Arseneault (for "Chicago") | Nominated | |||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [176] |
| 2019 | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [177] | |
| 2022 | Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [178] | |
| Satellite Awards | 2018 | Best Drama Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [179] |
| Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series | Elisabeth Moss | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film | Ann Dowd | Won | |||
| 2019 | Best Drama Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [180][181] | |
| Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | [182] | |
| 2023 | Best Actress in a Drama / Genre Series | Elisabeth Moss | Won | [183] | |
| Saturn Awards | 2018 | Best New Media Television Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [184] |
| 2019 | Best Streaming Horror & Thriller Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [185] | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2018 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Tattiawna Jones, Max Minghella, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, and Samira Wiley | Nominated | [186] |
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Nina Kiri, Max Minghella, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Sydney Sweeney, and Bahia Watson | Nominated | [187] | |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | Joseph Fiennes | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Kristen Gutoskie, Nina Kiri, Ashleigh LaThrop, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Bahia Watson, Bradley Whitford, and Samira Wiley | Nominated | [188] | |
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Amanda Brugel, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Joseph Fiennes, Sam Jaeger, Max Minghella, Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Bradley Whitford, and Samira Wiley | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| Set Decorators Society of America Awards | 2022 | Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a One Hour Fantasy or Science Fiction Series | Rob Hepburn and Elisabeth Williams | Nominated | [190] |
| Television Critics Association Awards | 2017 | Program of the Year | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [191] |
| Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | |||
| Outstanding New Program | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | |||
| Individual Achievement in Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | Program of the Year | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [192] | |
| Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | |||
| Individual Achievement in Drama | Elisabeth Moss | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Outstanding Achievement in Drama | The Handmaid's Tale | Nominated | [193] | |
| USC Scripter Awards | 2018 | Best Adapted TV Screenplay | Bruce Miller and Margaret Atwood (for "Offred") | Won | [194] |
| Visual Effects Society Awards | 2019 | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Brendan Taylor, Stephen Lebed, Winston Lee, and Leo Bovell (for "June") | Nominated | [195] |
| Outstanding Created Environment in an Episode, Commercial, or Real-Time Project | Patrick Zentis, Kevin McGeagh, Leo Bovell, and Zachary Dembinski (for "June") – Fenway Park | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Episode | Winston Lee, Gwen Zhang, Xi Luo, and Kevin Quatman (for "June") | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Brendan Taylor, Stephen Lebed, Kayla Cabral, and Brannek Gaudet (for "Chicago") | Nominated | [196] | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 2018 | Dramatic Series | Ilene Chaiken, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Leila Gerstein, John Herrera, Lynn Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Wendy Straker Hauser, and Eric Tuchman | Won | [197] |
| New Series | Won | ||||
| 2019 | Dramatic Series | Yahlin Chang, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, and Eric Tuchman | Nominated | [198] | |
| Episodic Drama | Eric Tuchman (for "First Blood") | Nominated | |||
| 2020 | Dramatic Series | Marissa Jo Cerar, Yahlin Chang, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Jacy Heldrich, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, and Eric Tuchman | Nominated | [199] | |
| 2022 | Dramatic Series | Yahlin Chang, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Jacey Heldrich, John Herrera, Bruce Miller, Aly Monroe, Kira Snyder, and Eric Tuchman | Nominated | [200] | |
| Episodic Drama | Kira Snyder for "Testimony" | Nominated | |||
| Women Film Critics Circle | 2021 | Outstanding Series | The Handmaid's Tale | Won | [201] |
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