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‘Disturbing’ new dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale branded ‘chilling’ by viewers

The show has added some parts that the book didn't originally have

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The Handmaid’s Tale on Channel 4 has certainly had viewers talking recently as it depicts an all-too scary future.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel set in a dystopian USA, last night’s episode veered from the original text by including a scene of FGM.

Ofglen, played by Alexis Bledel, who is one of the handmaid’s whose purpose is to provide children, has been seen secretly plotting with the Mayday resistance.

When she was carted away in a black van, it was believed her rebellious activities had been discovered.

But in fact, it was an affair she’d had with the female housekeeper that had Ofglen in trouble.

While the housekeeper was hanged in front of her, Ofglen – or Emily as she was in a previous life – was considered too valuable to be killed due to her child bearing abilities.

Instead, she was sentenced to “redemption” and forced to undergo the mutilation.

As she woke up stunned and in pain, she looked down at what had happened to her, just as Aunt Lydia came in and told her: “You can still have children, of course, but things will be so much easier for you now. You cannot want what you cannot have.”

Read more: Richard Hammond apologises to his wife from his hospital bed

Fans of the show were left in shock at the scenes and expressed themselves on Twitter.

Read more: Viewers horrified by scenes in The Handmaid’s Tale

It’s not the first time viewers have been surprised by the adaptation’s scenes. The first episode, which saw main character Offred subjected to an unpleasant sex ritual, left them saying the show was “harrowing” and “unpleasant”.


Carena Crawford
Associate Editor (Soaps)