The Handmaid’s Tale returns: How to watch the new season in Ireland before it airs in Britain
Elisabeth Moss as June in The Handmaid's Tale. Picture: Jasper Savage/Hulu
Blessed be the fruit, the fourth season of The Handmaid’s Tale is coming to our screens very soon.
Today, RTÉ confirmed it will air the newest season next month. It will be available on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from Thursday, May 6 at 10.30pm, ahead of its broadcast in the UK. It will be released in the US next week on Hulu.
“We're so pleased to be able to bring this new run in a highly-acclaimed and thrilling series to our viewers on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player as a 'see it first' this May, ahead of UK broadcast,” says Dermot Horan, RTÉ’s director of acquisitions and co-productions.
Production began on the 10 episodes of the new season in March 2020. However, work was halted after a few weeks due to the pandemic and the fourth season's premiere was moved to 2021. Production resumed in September 2020.
Elisabeth Moss filmed her directorial debut this season, having directed three episodes.
In case you need a recap (2019 seems like a lifetime ago), last season we saw Fred and Serena’s marriage implode and cracks begin to appear in Gilead, especially when it came to the regime’s obsession with children. Baby Nichole and Emily were spirited over the Canadian border and Gilead lost 86 children and infants, who were put on a plane to Canada by June, who is played by Moss, and her collaborators.
In the upcoming series, June strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.
In the opening episode, an injured June and the fugitive Handmaids find refuge at a farm, where a 14-year-old Wife nurses June back to health. June restores her role as the women's leader. In Gilead, an imprisoned Lawrence tries to avoid a death sentence, and Aunt Lydia reels from the loss of 86 children on Angel's Flight. The combative Waterfords, in custody in Toronto, learn of June's feat.
June's story arc has seen her go from survivor to freedom fighter to killer, so it will be interesting to see where her path next leads.
The series also stars Joseph Fiennes, Samira Wiley and Alexis Bledel. In December 2020, Hulu renewed the series for a fifth season.
