Season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale will go beyond the book

Elisabeth Moss plays a still-fertile woman separated from her family and forced to become a breeder in the show
Elisabeth Moss plays lead in 'The Handmaid's Tale' (Getty Images)
Elisabeth Moss plays lead in 'The Handmaid's Tale' (Getty Images)

Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale, which is set to return to your TV screens on Wednesday, may be moving past the narrative of the book on which it is based, especially since the show has technically reached the end of its source material, Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name.

The second season of the dystopian show premiered last Thursday, April 19, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Hulu's critically acclaimed series — the first show produced by a streaming site to take home best drama Emmy — tells the story of a woman enslaved under a patriarchal, theocratic dictatorship called Gilead that has replaced the United States of America.

Elisabeth Moss plays the the lead role of Offred in 'The Handmaid's Tale' (Getty Images)

The show, which stars Elisabeth Moss in the lead, has been in the limelight for how much relevant the story is in Donald Trump’s America than it was when first published in 1985.

A still from 'The Handmaid’s Tale' (Hulu)

The 35-year-old actress plays Offred, a former book editor who is one of the few fertile women left. She is forced into becoming a handmaid — a sex slave — for The Commander, played by Joseph Fiennes, and his wife Serena Joy, played by Yvonne Strahovski. The story follows Offred’s struggle for survival and her quest to find her lost daughter.

Cast and crew of 'The Handmaid's Tale', winners of Outstanding Drama Series, pose in the press room during the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Alberto E Rodriguez/Getty Images)

The show won the Golden Globe this year for Best Drama television series and Moss herself bagged the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Drama Series. Last year, The Handmaid’s Tale swept the Primetime Emmys with eight awards and four other nominations.

The series is an Original production by Hulu, the premium streaming service that is home to such hits as Future Man, Marvel’s Runaways, The Path and 11.22.63.

Check out the teaser of Season 2 here:

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Moore portrayed the character of SSA Derek Morgan on the original 'Criminal Minds' for 11 seasons before leaving the show in 2016.
2 hours ago
Sophia Bush's 'One Tree Hill' co-star has completely ruled out playing a doctor in ABC's medical drama for a hilarious reason.
2 hours ago
‘The Running Man’ and ‘The Long Walk’ are among the latest Stephen King adaptations, but these five films remain the very best.
3 hours ago
'The Gilded Age' Season 4 gets a regal first look in the new HBO Max promo, but fans are left hanging without vital information.
4 hours ago
The adult sci-fi animated series is being removed from the streamer despite critical praise and a cult following, for a disappointing reason.
6 hours ago
‘Law & Order: SVU’ has already been renewed for Season 28, expected to premiere in the fall, but fans have been asking for this character's return.
6 hours ago
Darin Brooks returns to the long-running show after nearly three years, as he was last seen as Wyatt Spencer in January 2024.
10 hours ago
Rue is heading into dangerous territory in the finale, and viewers have put in their predictions about her ultimate fate.
11 hours ago
Maddy and Alamo become allies and business partners in Season 3, as both are highly ambitious and are driven to succeed at any cost.
12 hours ago
'Hacks' creator, Paul W. Downs, found his past and present coming together beautifully during the last day of filming
14 hours ago