The first three episodes of The Handmaid ’s Tale are now uncommitted on Hulu ; we ’ve already givenour thoughtson theseries , which rest mostly close to Margaret Atwood ’s 1985 dystopian novel of the same name , but there are some changes , some big , some small , that separate the two — and we ’ve broken them down for you here .
Note : These let in the major place setting difference between the two versions , as well as the events which take stead in the show ’s first three episodes , and the like events of the book . Thus …
The setting is more modern, complete with Tinder references
The book was issue in 1985 and appears to take place around that time , maybe a few years in advance . Most of the cultural consultation in the book are related to the 1970s or 1980s , and the book feel of that time .
The television receiver series takes place in a New world , so essentially 2017 ( as Jezebel noted in their review , it experience allterrifyingly within reach ) , and despite it being an alternating universe of discourse , that universe still feels unmistakably like the one we ’re living in right now . There are reference to Tinder , Craigslist , and Uber , that help cement that the time on the show is our time .
And it ’s not just newer cultural references . In the series , servant have red tag affixed to their auricle . The reason for the tags is n’t hash out , but it certainly feels like these are RFID tags used to tail the handmaids ’ whereabouts .
The focus of the TV series is gender, not race
The beau monde in the book is both sexist and racist . Black denizen are have sex as “ Children of Ham ” ( a reference to the BiblicalCurse of Hamthat some religions have used as an explanation for black skin and as a justification for slavery ) were “ resettle ” to a place sleep with as “ National Homeland One . ”
In the television serial publication , race is treated much differently . A major role , Moira ( Samira Wiley ) , is now opprobrious . Offred ’s husband Luke is also disgraceful . In an interview withTV Line , executive manufacturer Bruce Miller say , “ It ’s light to say ‘ they sent off all the people of colour , ’ but experience it all the time on a telly show is harder . ” Miller goes on to say , of the determination to not make racial discrimination a focal stage of the series , “ “ I made the conclusion that prolificacy trump everything . ”
We learn Offred’s name
At the end of the first episode of the serial , we learn that Offred ’s ( Elizabeth Moss ) real name is June . This is a divergence from the volume , where Offred ’s material name is never revealed . Nevertheless , since thebook ’s release , many readers have assumed that is the narrator ’s name .
Serena Joy is not young and attractive
In the book , Serena Joy ( The Commander ’s wife ) is described as being older . She uses a cane , has arthritis , and is a former televangelist . take the record book , you would n’t be wrong to take for granted that Serena Joy looks like ‘ fourscore evangelistic famous person Tammy Faye Baker .
In the series , Serena Joy is played by Chuck ’s Yvonne Strahovski and the televangelism part of her personality is go away . or else , she is infertile , and thus in motivation of a handmaid . Like Serena Joy , the part of The Commander ( Joseph Fiennes ) , is also now much vernal ( and much more attractive ) , than he was depict in the book .
The Salvaging
The Salvaging scene , where the handmaids attack a man who is charge of assault a pregnant handmaid , is very different in the book and in the TV show .
In the book , it is Ofglen who attacks the man ( she later on explain that she have intercourse he was innocent and wanted to spare him of longer anguish ) , while Offred watch , horrified . In the TV show , Offred strikes the first blow , gear up off the chain of events that result to his death .
Cora’s not in the TV show
In the book of account , the Commander has two infertile housekeeper types ( they are known as Marthas ) , Cora and Rita . Rita is kind of a bitch to Offred , but Cora is much more tolerant .
In the boob tube show , Cora does n’t exist . Instead , some of her characteristics were morph into the function of Rita ( Amanda Brugel ) .
Ofglen has a much more interesting backstory
In the script , Ofglen ’s history is never revealed . Offred seems unsure of what to make of her , until she find out that Olglen is part of the resistance . Ofglen eventually disappears in the book , and later it is expose that she commit suicide .
In the TV show , Ofglen ( Alexis Bledel ) has a much more interesting ( and horrible ) backstory . Before Gilread , she was married to a fair sex and had a child . She was cop for being a gay woman and charged with “ grammatical gender treachery . ” It ’s only because of her fecundity that she is pardon . Still , to penalise her itch , she becomes the victim of distaff genital mutilation .
Janine’s eye
In the book , Janine never rebels at the Red Center . She ’s actually kind of an ass - kiss .
In the TV show , Janine ( Madeline Brewer ) is rebellious and her activity against the Aunts at the Red Center leave them to remove one of her eyes as punishment .
Huluthe handmaid ’s narration
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