The Putnam's child is confirmed to be ill and is in the hospital. Despite the efforts of the medical staff there, they fear that she will not survive. Serena decides to forge an order from Fred to have the area's best pediatrician before the takeover, now a Martha, look at her. However, despite the child's survival, Serena's actions have brutal consequences.
This episode provies examples of:
- Arc Symbol: Boxes, both physical and metaphorical.
- For physical, we have Nick's Trunk, the music box given back to Offred, the incubator that Charlotte is in, and Janine is framed in one when she is sitting on the windowsill playing with her daughter.
- For metaphorical, we have thinking outside of the box, which is what Serena tries to do only to be shut down by Fred. In any case, all of the actions performed in this episode are an existential Pandora's Box, with a result being Fred physically punishing his own wife.
- As the Good Book Says...: Fred quotes the Bible to justify beating on Serena.
- Call-Back: The title of this episode is in reference to the Kate Bush song "This Woman's Work", which was hauntingly featured in the background of the mock hanging in the first episode of the season. It also references this episode's theme of women's work: Serena and her past career as a writer, June and hers as an editor, and the Martha who was a neonatal doctor.
- Don't Make Me Take My Belt Off!: The Commander whips Serena Joy with his belt.
- Domestic Abuse: Commander Waterford whips his wife Serena Joy for going over his head to have Charlotte/Angela treated by Dr. Hodgeson, a woman.
- Enemy Mine: The episode opens with the former writer Serena Joy and former editor June taking over for the injured Commanded Waterford.
- Fanboy: Dr. Epstein is absolutely fawning over Dr. Hodgeson while the latter is changing out of her Martha outfit and into scrubs.
- Oh, Crap!: Nick, when Eden finds the pile of letters.
- Pet the Dog:
- Serena Joy is at her most sympathetic in this episode. She risks Fred's ire to get the best (female) neonatal doctor to look after baby Charlotte and she convinces Naomi Putnam to allow Janine to see her sick child.
- Aunt Lydia once again shows her concern for Janine, whom she even calls by her true name, and tells June that if the situation breaks Janine she'll hold her personally responsible. She's genuinely overjoyed when Charlotte recovers.
- Naomi and Warren Putnam are both throughly unpleasant, but they allow Janine to say goodbye to Charlotte.
- Screen Shake: A variation, the camera is "jolted" every time Fred beats Serena with a belt to show the impact that this is having on June.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Serena Joy does this in response to Fred turning down her suggestion to have a qualified former doctor forced to become a Martha due to being a woman to look at Charlotte.
- Shout-Out:June: Blessed be the fruit.Janine: May the force be with you.
- Status Quo Is God: Maybe or maybe not. In response to Offred's desire for help, Serena Joy reverts to her coldness and tells Offred to go to her room, suggesting that she's trying to will back normalcy and return back to her resentment. Still, Serena Joy is tearfully remorseful of this and Offred's view of Serena Joy is changed.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Both Serena and June find out the hard way that going over your husband's head in a repressive nation where women's rights are stripped away comes with a harsh punishment.
- Sympathy for the Devil: June is horrified when Commander Waterford beats Serena Joy.
- Truth in Television: Charlotte's recovery actually is due to the use of Kangaroo Care, a technique mostly used to assist premature babies as well as newborns in distress where the child is placed skin-to-skin against a parent. By the time the next morning arrives, Janine has shed her Handmaid clothing and is playing with her now healthy daughter in her underwear.
- Would Hit a Girl: Fred has no qualms punishing his wife for going over his head to have Charlotte treated. This is averted for Offred only due to her pregnancy.
