Hulu’s The Handmaid Tale season 5 dropped episode 4 on the streaming service today, September 28th. The third episode left us with a bit of a cliffhanger, with Serena returning to Gilead, and as she did, June appeared at her car window and threatened her to never touch her daughter again. We have Episode 4 today, and we have the entire recap and review. Check out The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 episode 4 recap and review.
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The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Episode 4 Recap & Review
Disclaimer: The following consists of many spoilers from The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 episode 4. If you only wish to read the review, please skip this recap and scroll to the next section.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 episode 4 begins with June pushing Nichole on a swing at the park when a stranger approaches her and says she doesn’t deserve to have the child. She fights back, physically pinning the woman against the wall. While attending therapy together, Luke defends June’s actions.
Before Mark releases Serena from the custody of the US government, he offers her a safe haven one last time. She’ll have her own driver, Mr. Shaw, and a new home. Mark warns her to be careful. He then shows up to see June to give her the official word that Serena has been released from custody and that she’ll be part of Gilead, with an embassy to represent Gilead in Canada. Luke is livid and determined to get the whole city involved. June is more relaxed, but warns Mark warns that Serena is a dangerous woman and always gets her way. That night, June drives to the Information Center, sees a small gathering of followers, and notices Serena watching her out of her window. Serena is visibly afraid of June and asks her security about their defenses.
Back in Gilead, Lydia tries to help Janine, but she is not having it and points out how the girls are corrupted by Lydia and not helped. Lydia then visits Commander Lawrence and suggests a reform for the girls. Lydia wants to be in charge of all the girls herself and not stay with the commanders and their wives. Commander Lawerence dismisses this and says the commanders would never have it and that they are “pious men” who “need a little kink.” Lydia heads back to help out Janine. In the car, Lydia apologizes and asks for help with the girls and wants Janine to watch over them.
June receives a letter from Serena, addressed to “Offred,” inviting her to the opening of the Gilead center. This fires up June, and she exclaims that Gilead needs to be “put in the ground.” Moira pleads with June and tells her she isn’t worth losing her family over. Luke shows up at the Gilead Center to see Serena. Luke brings up the 15 violations against her building that could get them shut down and warns Serena that June wants her dead. He says she will either be shut down or killed, or a third option, she will help them get Hannah back. She provokes Luke and states that “Agnes” is happy and then questions why he didn’t come save June while she was in Gilead and then mentioned Nick’s name. Luke demands that she stay away from his family and threatens to kill her himself.
In front of the Gilead Center, two groups end up coming to blows, and a man punches Moira. In response, June pulls out a gun on him. Luke shows up and stops June from shooting him and gets her to leave, but as they round a corner, they run into Serena. June hesitates to grab her gun, deciding not to shoot her “for now.”
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Episode 4 Review
While much of the focus was on June and Serena in The Handmaid’s Tale season 5 episode 4, it is Lydia’s new perspective that is the most shocking. She appears to be turning over a new leaf and standing behind the girls and their well-being over Gilead’s rule. Much of Margaret Atwood’s sequel called The Testaments has much of the focus on Lydia’s story, and this season seems to be heading the storyline that way.
This episode makes it clear that Serena is focused on taunting June rather than any sort of ambassador duties. Her note inviting June to the opening of the center is clearly a tactic to push June over-the-edge, but surprisingly, we now see Luke standing behind June and her revenge on Serena. While the season comes to its halfway point, viewers are on baited breath to see where it all escalates from here, because we know it is coming!