In 2019, it was announced that Margaret Atwood’s novel,The Testaments, would get its own television adaptation, yet this dystopian endeavor will struggle with the same problem that its predecessor did. Published 34 years afterThe Handmaid’s Tale,The Testamentsis a sequelto the iconic Atwood novel, and centers on three women:Aunt Lydia of the originalHandmaid’s Talebook, a woman living in Gilead, and a woman living in Canada. While the TV adaptation of the sequel is definitely exciting considering the success of Hulu’sThe Handmaid’s Tale,the series already faces a significant issue.
At this point, Hulu’sThe Handmaid’s Talehas successfully run for five seasons, and a sixth is set to premiere in 2025. With Elisabeth Moss in the leading role, the series has earned praise for its disturbing portrayal ofAtwood’s misogynistic Gilead. The show has a cumulative 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and has won various accolades. Yet, even with so many seasons,The Handmaid’s Talehas always faced one troubling obstacle: Atwood only wrote one book. Ever sinceThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 2, Hulu has been crafting their own storylines to varying degrees of success.
What’s Happening With The Testaments Show?
When To Expect The Testaments' Release
Already,The Testamentsis saddled with a few problems. First and foremost, the new series is not going to be made untilThe Handmaid’s Taleconcludes with season 6. Notably,The Handmaid’s Taleseason 6has already faced numerous delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, which meansThe Testamentswon’t hit screens until after spring 2025. According to Disney executive, Craig Erwhich,The Testamentsis still in development, which is good news. However, audiences should not hold their breath forThe Testaments’release. It is more than likely the show won’t see the light of day until 2026.
The main plot ofThe Testamentswill see Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy teaming up from different locations to take down Gilead from the inside.
Aside from its release window, other news aboutThe Testamentshas been scarce. Apparently,actress Ann Dowd is confirmed to be reprising her role as Aunt Lydia.The roles of Agnes and Daisy are still up for grabs. There is a possibility that other members ofThe Handmaid’s Talecast could return inThe Testamentsalongside Dowd, including Moss’s June, yet their characters will have to be 15 years older. The main plot ofThe Testamentswill see Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy teaming up from different locations to take down Gilead from the inside.
The Testaments Has The Same Book Problem As The Handmaid’s Tale
The Pros & Cons Of Lacking Source Material
Another major issue withThe Testamentsis that, likeThe Handmaid’s Tale,there is only one book. When it comes to the world of Gilead,Atwood has only ever written 1985’sThe Handmaid’s Taleand 2019’sThe Testaments.This means that ifThe Testamentswants to have several seasons, the showrunners will have to createtheir own different storylines afterThe Testamentsseason 1. In some respects, this isn’t a massive issue.The Handmaid’s Talehas been relatively successful beyond season 1. However, there are some deficits to going beyond Atwood’s source material.
It May Already Be Too Late For The Testaments, The Handmaid’s Tale’s Planned Sequel Show
The Testaments may end up suffering from the problems surrounding The Handmaid’s Tale before that show’s final season even begins production
The main issue withThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 2 and beyond is that the series is not grounded in anything. Atwood’s original novel was popular for a reason, and Hulu’s show was able to adapt that and take it into new creative spaces. However, with the remaining seasons, the show had to come up with its own plot. Some ofThe Handmaid’s Tale’schoices ended up being positive, but others hurt the show.The Handmaid’s Talehas never been as lauded as it was during its first season, and the story has something to do with that.
Is Expanding The Testaments Easier Than The Handmaid’s Tale?
Could The Testaments Be A Mini Series?
One bright spot ofThe Testaments’one-book-problem is that this book may be easier toexpand thanThe Handmaid’s Talebook. The 1985 book had a solid focus on Offred/June, therefore the consequent seasons had to remain with June as her story grew more vast and complicated.The Testamentsdoesn’t necessarily have to follow this trend. With three protagonists,The Testamentscan dip into way more worlds and storylines. It will be easier to keep the series exciting since there are more characters to juggle. In this way,The Testamentsmay have a leg-up over The Handmaid’s Tale.
Aside fromThe Handmaid’s TaleandThe Testaments,Margaret Atwood is known for novels such asAlias Grace, Oryx and Crake,andCat’s Eye.
Then again,The Testamentsalso has the chance to quit while they’re ahead. If the new series gains as much traction asThe Handmaid’s Taleseason 1, then it may want to remain a mini series rather than a full-blown, multi-season epic. While audiences would get less time with the characters, the show could pack a bigger punch while protecting its quality. There would be no risk of getting worse season by season. Regardless,The Testamentshas some big shoes to fill, and hopefully, it can compel audiences when it premieres.
The Testaments
Cast
The Testaments explores the lives of young women in Gilead, a dystopian society, as they confront the oppressive conditions they were born into. With little memory of the world outside, they seek alliances to challenge their fate of servitude and fight for freedom and self-determination.
