‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Ann Dowd Teases the First Episode of Season 5 Is ‘Fantastic’
So far, little is known about season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale. The fourth season of the Hulu show concluded in June 2021. In a new interview with ET Canda, Ann Dowd, who plays Aunt Lydia on the show, teased that the first episode of season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale is “fantastic.”
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for season 4 episode 10 of The Handmaid’s Tale.]
Ann Dowd has read the script for the first episode of season 5 of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’
Season 4 of The Handmaid’s Tale ended with June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) choosing to kill Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes) with the help of Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford), Nick Blaine (Max Minghella), Emily (Alexis Bledel), and other former Handmaids.
After returning home, June appears to seemingly say goodbye to her husband Luke (O-T Fagbenle) and her and Nick’s young daughter Nichole.
Speaking with ET Canada, Dowd shared her thoughts on what to expect from the beginning of the new season.
“I can only say this… I just read the first episode. It’s fantastic,” Dowd said. “And I didn’t see where it was going. I didn’t see where last season was going because we don’t get a lot in advance.”
She continued, “I’m just saying I think those who watch The Handmaid’s Tale are going to be quite happy with what’s happening and it’s pretty thrilling.”
How many more seasons of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ will there be?
The Handmaid’s Tale is based on a novel of the same name that was written by Margaret Atwood. In 2019, Atwood published a sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale called The Testaments. Whenever the series concludes, Hulu is expected to begin production on an adaptation of The Testaments.
Because Aunt Lydia plays a key role in The Testaments, Dowd hinted how much longer The Handmaid’s Tale could go.
“Yes, I hope to be,” Dowd told ET Canada. “We have two seasons of Handmaid’s and then the plan I believe is to go into The Testaments.”
While Dowd admitted she knows The Testaments will happen with Hulu at some point, she did not have specific details to give.
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has not yet been renewed for a sixth season
While the Hulu series was renewed for a fifth season before the fourth season even premiered, there is no word yet on if The Handmaid’s Tale will definitely receive a sixth season.
In 2021, Deadline published an interview with The Handmaid’s Tale showrunner Bruce Miller from Deadline’s Contenders TV event. In the interview, Miller shared that he does not want to “rush” the ending of the show.
“So, honestly, yes, I know what the end is and I’m not going to overstay my welcome but I’m also not going to rush off if I don’t have to because as long as I am writing for Elisabeth Moss, you know, it really doesn’t get much better,” Miller said.
