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You don’t have to wait much longer for The Handmaid’s Tale to come back. The Hulu series returns with season 5 on Sept. 14, 2022. Discover the episode titles and the streaming platform’s release schedule, plus a recap of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4. We also have insight into Commander Waterford’s (Joseph Fiennes) involvement in new episodes and details about future seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale. 

June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) in an image from season 5 of Hulu's 'The Handmaid's Tale'
Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5 | Hulu

Hulu’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 5 episode titles and release schedule 

The first two episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, “Morning” and “Ballet,” will drop on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The remaining episodes will release weekly on the following dates: 

  • “Border” — Sept. 21
  • “Dear Offred” — Sept. 28 
  • “Fairytale” — Oct. 5
  • “Together” — Oct. 12
  • “No Man’s Land” — Oct. 19
  • “Motherland” — Oct. 26

The titles of the final two episodes of season 5 have not yet been released. Those episodes will air on Nov. 2 and Nov. 9. 

Season 4 finale recap: where ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ left off 

Before diving into two new episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale, there are a few plot points you should keep top of mind. In the season 4 finale, June (Elisabeth Moss) finally got revenge on her former abuser, Commander Fred Waterford. After learning of the government’s plan to move him to Geneva for his immunity hearing, June orchestrated a deal between Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) and United States representative Mark Tuello (Sam Jaeger).

Fred was to be exchanged for 22 prisoners, but instead, June and several other former handmaids attacked him in No Man’s Land and beat him to death. He was then strung up on The Wall in Gilead (missing a ring finger) next to the phrase: “Nolite te bastardes carburondorum.”

Other notable highlights from the end of season 4 include: 

  • Nick (Max Minghella) put on a wedding ring after he told June he wished he ran away with her
  • June, Luke (O-T Fagbenle), and Moira (Samira Wiley) are still trying to get Hannah (Jordana Blake) back
  • Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd) have an alliance
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Joseph Fiennes appears in new episodes of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ 

Fiennes’ character may be dead, but he’s still very much a part of June Osborne and the Hulu series. “[Fred] dying doesn’t mean Joe stops coming and being part of the cast,” creator and showrunner Bruce Miller told The Hollywood Reporter in June 2021. “We do have quite a heavy flashback show.”

He added: “It’s terribly sad. But it would be much worse if we thought we were never going to see Joe again on set. There’s two different aspects to it: the heartbreak of the story and the heartbreak of real life. And at least the heart break of real life is neutered a little bit by knowing we’re going to be seeing him again.” 

‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6 will be the last 

On Sept. 8 ahead of the season 5 release, Miller announced season 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale will be the final season of the Hulu series (via Deadline). “It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world,” Miller said in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season …”

Watch new episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale exclusively on Hulu.  

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