In part one of our discussion with The Handmaid's Tale showrunner Bruce Miller, we processed the Season 4 finale and the delicious irony of the system turning against itself. Here in part two, Miller and I discuss what's next, because we need to know what will happen in The Handmaid's Tale Season 5.
Season 5 was confirmed and announced in December of 2020, and while there's no official release date yet, it's likely we can expect it to air in the spring of 2022. As for who will return... don't count out a return (of sorts) from the dead. (Season 4 spoiler ahead!) Even though Fred is dead, flashbacks are definitely a possibility.
Below, Miller and I discuss the Season 5 scope and what he'd like to see for Nick.
The Dipp: Come Season 5, are you thinking about broadening the scope? Will we get to see more of the larger geopolitical landscape? We’ve seen some glimpses, with the Mexican ambassador, the Swiss delegation, the Canadian reaction. But why do the Waterfords have supporters in Canada? What kind of propaganda are they responding to? How is the world divided on Gilead?
Bruce Miller: Absolutely. I think we will address that, as much as it is The Handmaid’s Tale and from June’s point of view. The more she sees that, the more that becomes of interest to her, the more we get into that. And the same thing with Moira, Emily, and the other characters who are our inroads into that. I try to make it as much of a political show as it is a political life for June.
This may be something she wants to back away from, for a while. She might feel she put herself out there, and maybe she’s done all that she needs to do. Does she feel like this is the end? Or is that her job? Her responsibility? Hasn’t she been through enough? Doesn’t she deserve some time off? Everybody expects her to go out and fight and fight and fight. But maybe she deserves to go to Hawaii and sit on the beach for the rest of her life? With Nick on one side and Luke on the other? I mean, good God! If anybody does, she does! [Laughs]
As much as the idea of seeing the three of them co-existing and co-parenting in Hawaii together – as a thruple – is appealing, I’m not sure both Nick and Luke would sign on for that. Although who knows? Ever since the finale, there is much fan love for Nick, yet there are still questions about his motivations, his involvement with Gilead, his new marriage…
Absolutely. For all the characters, Nick, included, we have tons more backstory that we would love to tell, but it’s a real estate issue. It ends up being the number of hours you have in the season, the number of hours you have in the shooting day, all those kinds of things. Luckily this year, even in a COVID year, we were able to tell a Janine backstory, more June backstory, and do our flashbacks. We would have done more with Nick, because we have much more story to tell with him. He’s fascinating to me, at least, because he puts such a price on just that fact that June is out there alive.
It’s very interesting that he doesn’t want her to not exist in the world, even if she’s not with him. It’s a very interesting way of being a romantic. His backstory, how he got where he is, the decisions he’s made, how he feels bound to Gilead and doesn’t feel he can exist anywhere else, as much as he doesn’t like Gilead. How does it feel like you’ve helped make this change in the world, and it was a mistake?
As the showrunner, perhaps you need that break in Hawaii more than June does…
Uh, I think a lot of people deserve it more than me. I had it easier in a lot of ways this past year. I feel very lucky. Why don’t I send you to Hawaii instead? You can get away.
I seriously could use that. [Laughs]
No worries. You pick the hotel. [Laughs]
The Handmaid's Tale is now streaming on Hulu.
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