History Series / TheHandmaidsTale

* MercyKill: Hanging is referred to as "common mercy" by the court, implying they think it's this (for homosexuals at least) in their view. Given the [[CrapsackWorld terrible conditions]] we see, some might even agree.
* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series (their daughter Hannah is too).

* MercyKill: Hanging is referred to as "common mercy" by the court, implying they think it's this (for homosexuals at least).
* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series (their daughter Hannah is too).

* FalseFlagOperation: The regime slaughtered Congress and blamed it on terrorists, which gave them the pretext to suspend the Constitution.

* HeteronormativeCrusader: The regime is run by these, with homosexuality punishable by death and called "gender treachery".

* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series (their daughter Hannah is too).

* KinderKircheKuche: The Republic of Gilead believes women should not work, nor own property. First they froze all women's credit cards and bank accounts, then had them all fired.

* AsTheGoodBookSays: The fundamentalist regime naturally is very fond of doing this (though as Offred recognizes, they do it [[QuoteMine very selectively]]).

* NamedByTheAdaptation: The Commander's last name is never given in the novel. Here it's Waterford (as one theory in the book's epilogue had it). Offred's name from before is June (also theorized in the book). Also his wife is now Serena Joy Waterford, rather than just Serena Joy.

* TheFundamentalist: The regime which runs the Republic of Gilead.

* AdultFear: Trying to escape an oppressive regime with your family. Then having your husband shot. Your daughter seized. Getting knocked out and hauled away by soldiers...

* SocietyMarchesOn: The series appears to have done away with the blatant white supremacy in Gilead as described in the novel. Not only did they want babies, the goal was ''white'' babies, with blacks being "removed to North Dakota" (quite possibly [[ReleasedToElsewhere being killed there]]). In the novel, [[RaceLift Moira was white]], while African-American actress Samira Wiley plays her in the series. This is probably a reflection of the changing face (quite literally) of religion in America. Today, many largely white churches, and the classic American WASP "Moral Majority" as a whole, have a population growth rate which lies well below replacement levels, even with a culture that "incentivises" breeding in ways that often aren't too far removed from Gilead's. Blacks (and many other dark-skinned peoples), by contrast, have been largely exempt from this phenomenon due to a combination of higher fertility rates and the centrality of religion (and more importantly the church community) to their cultural heritage. American racism as a whole, meanwhile, has grown steadily more secular (at least outwardly) in the decades since the book was published, while far less acceptable to publicly display. Thus it's not surprising to see black people in Gilead, especially Handmaids, they need every fertile woman who exists, period.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The series appears to have done away with the blatant white supremacy in Gilead as described in the novel. Not only did they want babies, the goal was ''white'' babies, with blacks being "removed to North Dakota" (quite possibly [[ReleasedToElsewhere being killed there]]). In the novel, [[RaceLift Moira was white]], while African-American actress Samira Wiley plays her in the series. This is probably a reflection of the changing face (quite literally) of religion in America. Today, many largely white churches, and the classic American WASP "Moral Majority" as a whole, have a population growth rate which lies well below replacement levels, even with a culture that "incentivises" breeding in ways that often aren't too far removed from Gilead's. Blacks (and many other dark-skinned peoples), by contrast, have been largely exempt from this phenomenon due to a combination of higher fertility rates and the centrality of religion (and more importantly the church community) to their cultural heritage. American racism as a whole, meanwhile, has grown steadily more secular (at least outwardly) in the decades since the book was published, while far less acceptable to publicly display. Thus it's not surprising to see black people in Gilead as Marthas and Handmaids, since they need every fertile woman who exists, period.

* AdultFear: Trying to escape an oppressive regime with your family. Then having your husband shot. Your daughter seized. Getting hauled away by soldiers...

* BuryYourGays: {{Enforced}} under the fundamentalist regime. Homosexuality is a capital crime, and we see one man was hanged for this on the Wall. They even brought back the pink triangle symbol of the Nazis to designate it.

A 2017 {{Creator/Hulu}} miniseries based on the novel ''Literature/TheHandmaidsTale'' by ''Creator/MargaretAtwood''. Creator/ElisabethMoss stars as Offred, the titular Handmaid, a sex slave for the Commander, an important member of the regime which runs the Republic of Gilead, a fundamentalist state which replaced the US. Samira Wiley, Creator/JosephFiennes, Creator/YvonneStrahovski and Creator/AlexisBledel.

* SlutShaming: As part of the Handmaids' training, they have the group shame a young woman who was gang-raped, as she supposedly "[[GoodVictimsBadVictims led them on]]". This is particularly poignant since Offred is mentioned as writing against sexual assault before.

* NamedByTheAdaptation: The Commander's last name is never given in the novel. Here it's Waterford (as one theory in the book's epilogue had it). Offred's name from before is June (also theorized in the book).

* AdaptationalSexuality: Ofglen is a lesbian here, and was in a same-sex marriage. Her sexuality is not mentioned in the book.

* IllegalReligion: Being Catholic or Jewish is apparently a capital crime now. We see a priest hanged from the Wall, along with a man wearing a Star of David symbol.
* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series (their daughter Hannah is too).

* PublicExecution: "Salvaging" is this. The Handmaids carry out the death sentence against a rapist by beating and clawing him to death. This is also called "[[{{Particicution}} particicution]]".

* SocietyMarchesOn: The series appears to have done away with the blatant white supremacy in Gilead as described in the novel. Not only did they want babies, the goal was ''white'' babies, with blacks being "removed to North Dakota" (quite possibly [[ReleasedToElsewhere being killed there]]). In the novel, [[RaceLift Moira was white]], while African-American actress Samira Wiley plays her in the series. This is probably a reflection of the changing face (quite literally) of religion in America. Today, many largely white churches, and the classic American WASP "Moral Majority" as a whole, have a population growth rate which lies well below replacement levels, even with a culture that "incentivises" breeding in ways that often aren't too far removed from Gilead's. Blacks (and many other dark-skinned peoples), by contrast, have been largely exempt from this phenomenon due to a combination of higher fertility rates and the centrality of religion (and more importantly the church community) to their cultural heritage. American racism as a whole, meanwhile, has grown steadily more secular (at least outwardly) in the decades since the book was published.
* SecretPolice/StateSec: The Eyes of God.

* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series (their daughter Hannah is too).
* NamedByTheAdaption: The Commander's last name is never given in the novel. Here it's Waterford (as one theory in the book's epilogue had it). Offred's name from before is June (also theorized in the book).

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The series seems to be set not very far off, with the flashbacks set in what appears to be present day.

* AdultFear: Trying to escape an oppressive regime with your family. Then having your husband probably shot. Your daughter seized. Getting hauled away by soldiers...

* RaceLift: Moira, Luke and Offred's daughter are white in the novel (and movie adaptation). The TV series changes Moira to black and makes the others mixed race.
* RapeAsDrama: The Handmaids have no choice about serving the Commander, having to undergo a ritual session regularly.
* RunForTheBorder: Offred and her family tried to flee across the border, but got caught.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The series appears to have done away with the blatant white supremacy in Gilead as described in the novel. Not only did they want babies, the goal was ''white'' babies, with blacks being "removed to North Dakota" (quite possibly [[ReleasedToElsewhere being killed there]]). In the novel, [[RaceLift Moira was white]], while African-American actress Samira Wiley plays her in the series. This is probably a reflection of the changing face (quite literally) of religion in America. Today, many largely white churches, and the classic American WASP "Moral Majority" as a whole, have a population growth rate which lies well below replacement levels, even with a culture that "incentivises" breeding in ways that often aren't too far removed from Gilead's. Blacks (and many other dark-skinned peoples), by contrast, have been largely exempt from this phenomenon due to a combination of higher fertility rates and the centrality of religion (and more importantly the church community) to their cultural heritage. American racism as a whole, meanwhile, has grown steadily more secular (at least outwardly) in the decades since the book was published.

* AgeLift: The Commander is older, probably middle-aged at least in the novel. In the series he's played by Forty six year old Joseph Fiennes.
* MixedAncestry: Offred's husband Luke appears to be mixed race in this series. (their daughter Hannah is too of course).
* RaceLift: Moira, Luke and Offred's daughter are white in the novel (and movie adaptation). The TV series changes their race to black.
* RunForTheBorder: Offred and her family tried to get across the border, but got caught.

* RaceLift: Moira is white in the novel (and movie adaptation). The TV series changes her race to black.

A 2017 {{Creator/Hulu}} miniseries based on the novel ''Literature/TheHandmaidsTale'' by ''Creator/MargaretAtwood''. Creator/ElisabethMoss stars as Offred, the titular Handmaid, a sex slave for the Commander, an important member of the regime which runs the Republic of Gilead, a fundamentalist state which replaced the US.

* SocietyMarchesOn: The series appears to have done away with the blatant white supremacy in Gilead as described in the novel. Not only did they want babies, the goal was ''white'' babies, with blacks being "removed to North Dakota" (quite possibly [[ReleasedToElsewhere being killed there]]). In the novel, [[RaceLift Moira was white]], while African-American actress Samira Wiley plays her in the series. This is probably a reflection of the changing face (quite literally) of religion in America. Today, many predominantly white churches, and the classic American WASP "Moral Majority" as a whole, have a population growth well below replacement levels, even with a culture that "incentivises" breeding in ways that often aren't too far removed from Gilead's. Blacks (and many other dark-skinned peoples), by contrast, have been largely exempt from this phenomenon due to a combination of higher fertility rates and the centrality of religion (and more importantly the church community) to their cultural heritage. American racism as a whole, meanwhile, has grown steadily more secular (at least outwardly) in the decades since the book was published.