The Testaments Review (Disney+)
There is no single truth, only one’s perspective, and as a new chapter begins in Gilead, 15 years after The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments arrives to ensure that we see the full picture. Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name, the show is a dramatic coming-of-age story set in Gilead.
Agnes (Chase Infiniti) was brought up in Gilead, a totalitarian patriarchal theocracy that rules over most of the land that was once the United States. As a young girl in Gilead, her whole life is spent preparing for the moment she ‘becomes a woman’ where all girls are married off and expected to have children. Part of this preparation happens in the gilded halls of Aunt Lydia’s (Ann Dowd) preparatory school for future wives, where obedience is served brutally, and always with divine justification. However, during her time at school, Agnes meets Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a new arrival and convert from beyond Gilead’s borders, as Daisy is placed under Agnes’ care, their bond becomes a catalyst that will upend their past, their present, and their future.
Immediately, The Testaments throws you into the discomfort of growing up as a young girl in Gilead, introducing us to Agnes and her family. As the daughter of a high-ranking Commander, her life is already mapped out for her as she’s trained to be the ‘perfect’ wife, before she has a chance to question what that may entail. But Agnes isn’t the only girl being shaped by Gilead, and power lies in numbers. Through her close-knit friendship group of Becka (Mattea Conforti), Shunnamite (Rowan Blanchard), and Huldah (Isolde Ardies), the series begins to explore how these girls navigate a system that is designed to suppress them. The girls build their own support system, offering a sense of comfort within Gilead’s rigid regime, which is vital for survival in a world of control and isolation. It’s within these relationships that the performances begin to shine; Conforti is incredible in portraying Becka’s trajectory throughout the series with subtle reactions that shine through even when you think you didn’t notice it. While Blanchard’s Shunnamite carries a guarded confidence in a society where you don’t quite know who you can trust, paired with Ardies, who portrays Huldah with a sense of childlike innocence that almost feels frustrating. Together, they build a friendship that strengthens the story and deepens our understanding of the different ways these girls exist within Gilead.
It’s the shifting perspectives that become one of the series’ greatest strengths, as they draw us into the wider world beyond a single character’s experience. Through Agnes and Daisy’s intertwining perspectives and blossoming friendship, the series begins to reveal the cracks in Gilead’s regime. Where Agnes initially has a very one-sided perspective of Gilead’s rule, shaped by control, Daisy’s perspective contrasts as a convert, challenging the restraints of the four walls within which the other girls have always existed. Infiniti is an absolute star as Agnes, leading the show with vulnerability and subtle strength that is perfectly offset by Halliday’s more reactive energy as she feels at odds with the world she’s found herself in. Together, they ensure that this is a story that refuses to sit still.
In truth, The Testaments arrives at a time when it feels more necessary than ever. The dystopian genre has always existed as a warning, and this show isn’t subtle about it. But it’s not only the girls who feel on edge in this new world. The tension builds not just from the narrative but from the stylistic editing and cinematography – you might even find yourself watching some scenes through your fingers! Each shot is meticulously timed to heighten the shock factor and to echo the girls’ constant feeling of walking on eggshells. The cinematography reinforces this unease, with gracefully placed symmetry and colours reflecting the ‘perfection’ expected of the characters, whilst the editing reveals the facade may be chipping away. Even the quiet moments feel unsettling with the show’s precision and perfect pacing – not just telling the story, but immersing you in it.
What we’re left with is a stunning show; it can be difficult to follow the success of The Handmaid’s Tale, but The Testaments achieves it. Told largely from the perspective of a generation that has never known life beyond Gilead’s borders, we are treated to the bold coming-of-age story under the guidance of showrunner Bruce Miller, navigating the trials and tribulations of growing up… with the added pressure of being watched at all times. With Infiniti and Halliday leading, audiences are in for a tense and twisted treat.
★★★★★
3 Episodes premiere April 8th on Disney+ / Ann Dowd, Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday, Mabel Li, Amy Seimetz, Brad Alexander, Rowan Blanchard, Mattea Conforti, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Eva Foote, Isolde Ardies, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Birva Pandya, Kira Guloien / Created by Bruce Miller / Disney+
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