Based on Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name, the dramatic TV adaptation The Handmaid’s Tale is reaching its climax with its sixth and final season.
The show is set in a dystopian future America, where a regime known as Gilead has seized control of the country.
Minorities across the spectrum are persecuted, including women, many of whom are forced to become handmaids.
In a world where fertility is rare, these fertile women are made to bear children for the ruling elite of commanders and their wives.
The story centres around Elisabeth Moss’s June Osborne, her former abuser, her family, and the friends she’s made throughout the show’s five seasons.
Season 5 premiered in the UK on October 23, 2022, on Channel 4.
In the season finale, June and her daughter Nichole attempted to flee Canada due to escalating threats. At a crowded train station, June's husband, Luke, was arrested after killing a man who attacked June.
As June boarded the train with Nichole, she unexpectedly encountered Serena Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski), also escaping with her newborn. The episode concluded with the two women acknowledging each other's presence, hinting at a complex alliance.
Here’s a closer look at what to expect in season six.
The Handmaid’s Tale season six cast
Many of the same cast members will return for season six, including the leading women, Moss and Yvonne Strahovski.
Here’s a rundown of the biggest names set to star in season six:
When will The Handmaid’s Tale season six come out in the UK?
Season six of The Handmaid’s Tale is already underway in the US, with the first three episodes airing on April 8.
However, British fans will have to wait a little longer to sink their teeth into the show, with Amazon’s Prime Video set to air it on this side of the pond from Saturday, May 3.
Channel 4 will also share the streaming rights, as with previous seasons — presumably on the same date —although that’s yet to be confirmed.
What to expect from season six
While details about season six remain under wraps, fans can expect the final instalment to deliver the ultimate showdown between the rebels, led by June, and Gilead.
With characters such as Janine still trapped under Gilead’s thumb, the final episodes promise to be a tense watch.
The official synopsis reads: “In the final season of The Handmaid's Tale, June's unyielding spirit and determination pull her back into the fight to take down Gilead. Luke and Moira join the resistance. Serena tries to reform Gilead while Commander Lawrence and Aunt Lydia reckon with what they have wrought, and Nick faces challenging tests of character.
“This final chapter of June's journey highlights the importance of hope, courage, solidarity, and resilience in the pursuit of justice and freedom.”
Aside from a chilling voiceover from Moss, the trailer offers little more: “For years we've been afraid of them. Now, it's time for them to be afraid of us.
“This is the beginning of the end.”
