Since its debut in April 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale has been not just one of the best Hulu shows but one of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed series on TV and streaming. Set in the dystopian Gilead, the sprawling and oftentimes unnerving story of June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) has taken many twists and turns over the course of the show's first few chapters, including The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 ending which set in motion plans for another that will potentially take the show into its endgame.
Below, we have included a list of quick things to know about The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, including when it premiered, when new episodes dropped, information on the show’s cast, and what the future holds for one of the best Hulu original series.
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Premiered September 14th on Hulu
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 made its long-awaited premiere Wednesday, September 14, 2022 on Hulu, and welcomed longtime fans back into the lives of Elisabeth Moss’ June Osborne and Yvonne Strahovski’s Serena Waterford, as each character deals with the fallout from the explosive ending to the previous season. Elisabeth Moss has opened up about how Season 5 is about June versus Serena, but also about how the characters are grappling with their own morality.
How Many Episodes Of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Have Streamed So Far
When The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 premiered on Hulu, the streaming service offered up the first two episodes. This isn’t a new strategy for the series, as previous installments have premiered with anywhere from two to three episodes apiece; The Handmaid’s Tale Season 4 featured a three-episode premiere when it debuted on the streaming service back in April 2021. There were ten episodes in total during the fifth season of the dystopian drama, and we recently were given its fifth and final episode.
When Do New Episodes Of The Handmaid’s Tale Come Out?
And just like in previous years, new episodes of The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 will be available to anyone with a Hulu subscription at 12:01 a.m. ET each Wednesday until the latest installment wraps up at some point later in the year. If the show follows suit with previous seasons, it should run for 10 episodes. As such, the finale titled "Safe" got its wide release on November 10th. You can either watch the episodes as they are released or wait a couple months and watch all in one long binge session.
The Handmaid’s Tale Has Been Renewed For Season 6, Which Will Be The Last Season
As was the case with The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, which was given the green light before the fourth season premiered, the show’s sixth and final season was renewed by Hulu prior to the penultimate season becoming available to viewers. Upon the announcement of Hulu deciding to pick up the show for one more season, The Handmaid’s Tale creator and showrunner Bruce Miller had this to say:
It has been a true honor to tell the story of Margaret Atwood’s groundbreaking novel and chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale. We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point.
But just because The Handmaid’s Tale will be drawing to a close with its sixth season it doesn’t mean this is the last we’ll see of the world created by author Margaret Atwood, as Hulu also announced that Miller is actively in the process of adapting The Testaments, which will be set years after the events of the beloved dystopian drama series. The early development has already started for that spinoff, and it looks like Season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale might already be setting up some of its story.
Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski And Ann Dowd Lead The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 Cast
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5, like others to come before it, is headlined by Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford, and Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia Clements. And even though longtime cast member Alexis Bledel’s Emily Malek is no longer part of the narrative after the former Gilmore Girls star departed the series ahead of its fifth season, several other familiar faces are back for another round of action on Hulu’s smash hit drama.
Other returning members to the cast include Max Minghella as Commander Nick Blaine, Madeline Brewer as Janine Lindo, O. T. Fagbenle as Luke Bankole, Samira Wiley as Moira Strand, Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue, Bradley Whitford as Commander Joseph Lawrence (who also made his directorial debut in Episode 9), McKenna Grace as Esther Keyes, and multiple others. Unfortunately, Alexis Bledel's fan-favorite Emily is noticeably absent, with Season 5's premiere finding a way to wrap up that story. Clea DuVall even returned as Emily's wife Sylvia, in a powerful reunion with her Girl Interrupted co-star Elisabeth Moss. One of the newcomers whose plot is heating up is Genevieve Angelson as Mrs. Wheeler. It looks like she's set to have a major standoff against Serena Joy over baby Noah following the character's horrifying cliffhanger. A big plot line in this new season has been the future of June and Luke's daughter Hannah. And as a result actress Jordana Blake has been back in a meatier role than the last few seasons.
Expect to hear more about The Testaments and The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5 as the show continues its march toward the sixth and final chapter. In the meantime, read about what could possibly be the show’s best new character as well as a rundown of all the new and returning shows on our schedule of all the 2022 TV premiere dates.
