The Depraved Stepmother of ‘The Testaments’ Is So A lot Enjoyable to Hate

One of many standout characters in The Handmaid’s Story was Serena Joy Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski). At first, viewers had been inspired to detest her. We noticed her cruelty and complicity in Gilead’s system of sexual slavery by means of the eyes of June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), the Handmaid compelled to serve Serena and her husband, Fred (Joseph Fiennes), a robust Commander.

However as The Handmaid’s Story unwound its six seasons, we learned there was a surprising depth behind Serena’s masks of icy perfection. Whereas her prepared participation in Gilead’s misogynistic nightmare was by no means excusable, we noticed how her real despair over not with the ability to conceive her personal youngster helped blind her to the horrors she was serving to facilitate, at the least at first.

We additionally received a glimpse at her background. As soon as a robust writer and political determine, she agreed to curb her ambitions to help her husband and the Gilead motion, finally submitting to a tradition that wouldn’t even let girls learn, a lot much less have opinions or careers. Although she ostensibly knew what she was signing up for, Serena realized shortly simply how oppressed she actually was, regardless of being married to one in every of Gilead’s prime leaders.

Whereas she had each motive to resign Gilead—dropping a finger for studying the Bible, as she did in season two, would’ve performed it for most individuals—The Handmaid’s Story took its time exhibiting how Serena’s religion within the nation she’d helped create started to crumble. Strahovski’s searing efficiency helped make what might’ve been a completely hateable character sympathetic, whilst she continued to waver as to what path she ought to comply with.

And he or she went by means of quite a bit. Although she misplaced custody of the child June was supposed handy over to her, Serena did finally have a baby with Fred, a near-miracle amid the fertility disaster that propelled The Handmaid’s Story. Then, she was compelled to confront Fred’s premature dying, her standing as a world battle felony, and her wrestle to suit into Gilead’s inflexible society as a widow.

She even tried to reform Gilead in The Handmaid’s Story’s closing season. Whereas that was in the end a bust, we additionally noticed Serena and June—who was working to “reform” Gilead in a extra violent manner—forge nearly a friendship. Their values would by no means be totally aligned, however they realized they’d frequent floor, not simply as moms however as girls who had been actually fed up with horrible males being in cost.

On the finish of The Handmaid’s Story, Serena handed on some key intel to June and her Mayday rebels. She additionally apologized to June for, properly… every part, a choice that helped nudge her towards the religious therapeutic she so desperately craved. The final we noticed, she and her son had been in a UN refugee camp. It couldn’t be farther from her former life in one in every of Gilead’s most luxurious mansions, but it surely additionally couldn’t really feel extra like a step in the precise path.

Talking of luxurious mansions, within the sequel collection The Testaments, one of many first characters we meet is Paula MacKenzie (Amy Seimetz). She’s horseback driving across the large property the place she lives along with her husband and his daughter—the present’s teenage heroine, Agnes (Chase Infiniti).

There’s a wholly completely different dynamic at play right here than what we noticed between Serena and June, although the degrees of hostility are comparable.

Within the few years since Serena’s escape, the function of a Gilead spouse has shifted considerably. Handmaids are far much less ceaselessly used; we nonetheless haven’t seen one in The Testaments. The blue clothes are nonetheless a part of the customized, as are the stainless properties and intense paranoia. However Paula is Agnes’ stepmother in a tradition the place, more and more, very younger girls are married off as quickly as they develop into fertile. Their complete “schooling” revolves round studying the right way to be obedient wives.

Paula is Commander MacKenzie’s second spouse, snagging that fascinating place after the a lot kinder, gentler lady who’d raised Agnes died of an unspecified sickness. Paula is haughty and controlling. She is a grasp of the sly insult, the calculated energy transfer, the thinly veiled warning, and the withering put-down. “Slouching women get fats husbands” is her concept of constructive recommendation.

“I’m an irritant to Paula,” Agnes tells us in one in every of her voice-overs. “She desires me married and gone.”

When Agnes will get her interval in episode two—a phenomenon that speaks to Gilead’s work to reverse the fertility disaster—meaning Paula is one step nearer to getting what she desires. There’s nearly a second of tenderness as she reveals Agnes the right way to use a sanitary serviette. “I used to be scared my first time too,” she confesses. “It’s a lady’s responsibility to cross on this sort of knowledge.”

She will’t resist making it about herself, although. “In fact, nobody bothered to do it for me.”

We’d wish to know extra about Paula’s previous, however that doesn’t come right here. As a substitute, Paula nearly smiles as she fingers over a pad cowl made by Tabitha, Agnes’ first adoptive mom. However the second ends shortly as Paula springs into motion, itemizing off all of the appointments Agnes will want now that she’s “eligible.” In any case, “We have to make her as interesting as attainable.”

A type of appointments entails a go to to Gilead’s creepiest dentist, whose wandering fingers are Agnes’ first lesson in being blatantly victimized and unable to say something about it. Later, Paula forces Agnes to parade by means of a room crammed with Commander MacKenzie’s colleagues because the older males slide their beady eyes over her approvingly. It’s repulsive and solely underlines the truth that Agnes received’t be capable to flip to her stepmother for any emotional help sooner or later.

This week’s episode, “Inexperienced Tea,” plunged us immediately into the intricate course of Gilead makes use of to decide on husbands for its newly ripe choices. Surprisingly, this step entails only a few males. As a substitute, it’s Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) and her minions, who assemble for a tea get together to establish whether or not the women have what it takes to be a Commander’s spouse.

The Aunts additionally prepare the marriages, so their opinions are of utmost significance. “One stumble, and you possibly can be eternally fucked,” Daisy (Lucy Halliday) explains to us in voiceover. Because the home servants often called “Marthas” do all of the cooking, flower arranging, and cookie frosting, all of the daughters must do is look flawless and ensure they don’t spill any tea.

The get together is held on the MacKenzies’ mansion, the place Paula, the hostess, is the alpha among the many wives. As Daisy explains to us, that’s as a result of she’s married to crucial Commander. “She has energy—mirrored, however nonetheless. That’s what all these women desperately need. Energy is survival in Gilead.” It’s all Paula has, and she or he clings to it.

The occasion is tense. The women march round with their tea pots utilizing exact actions, and everybody’s on level.

Then, Paula catches sight of one in every of Agnes’ classmates: the prim, nervously smiling Miriam (Birva Bandya). For causes recognized solely to Paula, Miriam triggers her mean-girl instincts. (A lot reward to Seimetz for making us really feel Paula’s sudden anger utilizing simply her flicking eyes and clenched jawline.)

Paula makes her transfer proper as Miriam is gliding previous her. No one sees Paula rumpling the rug along with her foot. They solely see Miriam stumbling—gasp!—and spilling her tea. Catastrophe! It’s an unforgivable infraction, dooming Miriam to the least fascinating husband within the pool, if she’s even deigned worthy of a match in any respect.

Why does Paula go after Miriam? There’s no context for any relationship between Paula and Miriam or Miriam’s household. This isn’t even a personality that The Testaments has highlighted in any specific manner. Paula is outwardly simply that impulsive and horrible. Maybe she thought it will assist Agnes’ probabilities, and perhaps get her out of the nest that a lot quicker?

Or perhaps it’s simply that Paula thrives on inflicting chaotic evil.

We get a deeper clue about why Paula treats Agnes with such disdain on the finish of the episode. After Agnes unintentionally breaks her tooth on the tea get together, she returns to the dreaded dentist for a fast restore.

Paula checks out his handiwork when Agnes returns and provides her approval. Then, she will get a bizarre dig in: “I blame your mom for this. She gave you weak enamel.”

Not Tabitha, after all. Paula’s referring to Agnes’ mysterious beginning mom.

“It’s not your fault you come from weak genes,” Paula provides. “It’s the place that rebellious streak comes from.” If Testaments viewers hadn’t already guessed, that’s an enormous trace for anybody who doesn’t know who Agnes’ actual mom is.

Both manner, Paula undoubtedly is aware of the reality, and she or he’s been holding it towards Agnes this complete time. It’s simply the form of petty factor Paula would do. Now we’ve to marvel: what is going to she do subsequent? We’ve a sense Serena-style evolution, development, and private reckonings are not on the desk right here.

New episodes of The Testaments arrive Wednesdays on Hulu and Disney+.

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