Return to Gilead: 10 shows to check out if you miss The Handmaid’s Tale

THE HANDMAID’S TALE — “The Word” — Episode 213 — Serena and the other Wives strive to make change. Emily learns more about her new Commander. Offred faces a difficult decision. (Photo by: George Kraychyk/Hulu)

It will be quite a while before we catch up with June and the rest of Gilead, so here are 10 series to tide you over until The Handmaid’s Tale season 3.

The Handmaid’s Tale’s season 2 finale was a jaw-dropper.

June inexplicably decided to stay in Gilead, even though she had a clear path to freedom with her baby and Emily. Serena Joy pushed for the Council to consider allowing girls to read, lost a pinkie finger in the process and realized it would be better to be childless than to raise a daughter in Gilead. Emily took her long-building (and totally justified) rage out on Aunt Lydia with the help of a kitchen knife and a staircase — and her Commander actually turned out to be semi-decent. Rita and her fellow Marthas mobilized to get baby Holly/Nicole out of Gilead.

As I mentioned, June was supposed to accompany the baby out, but what are you gonna do? I suppose the prospect of leaving Hannah alone in Gilead was just too much for her to handle. Or perhaps she’s simply a masochist.

We won’t know for sure until season 3 debuts next year. We at Culturess know that feels like forever, so we’ve drawn up some suggested series that will make the wait a little more bearable.

These series also delve into violence against women, the need to dismantle the patriarchy and why it’s essential for women to run their own lives. Some of the shows we’ve selected have other elements in common with The Handmaid’s Tale, too, such as the feeling of existential dread or dystopian plot lines. It’s an eclectic list, but each pick makes for a worthy companion to THT.

So, if you’re looking for something to binge during The Handmaid’s Tale’s hiatus, here are Culturess’ top recommendations for your watchlist.