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The Handmaid's Tale
S3.E9
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Heroic

  • Episode aired Jul 17, 2019
  • TV-MA
  • 48m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
5.5K
YOUR RATING
Gil Bellows and Elisabeth Moss in The Handmaid's Tale (2017)
DramaSci-FiThriller

Confined in a hospital, June's sanity begins to fray, but an encounter with Serena forces June to reassess her recent actions.Confined in a hospital, June's sanity begins to fray, but an encounter with Serena forces June to reassess her recent actions.Confined in a hospital, June's sanity begins to fray, but an encounter with Serena forces June to reassess her recent actions.

  • Director
    • Daina Reid
  • Writers
    • Lynn Renee Maxcy
    • Margaret Atwood
    • Bruce Miller
  • Stars
    • Elisabeth Moss
    • Yvonne Strahovski
    • Madeline Brewer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    5.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Daina Reid
    • Writers
      • Lynn Renee Maxcy
      • Margaret Atwood
      • Bruce Miller
    • Stars
      • Elisabeth Moss
      • Yvonne Strahovski
      • Madeline Brewer
    • 138User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Top cast22

    Edit
    Elisabeth Moss
    Elisabeth Moss
    • June Osborne
    Yvonne Strahovski
    Yvonne Strahovski
    • Serena Joy Waterford
    Madeline Brewer
    Madeline Brewer
    • Janine Lindo
    Ann Dowd
    Ann Dowd
    • Aunt Lydia Clements
    Gil Bellows
    Gil Bellows
    • Doctor
    Ashleigh LaThrop
    Ashleigh LaThrop
    • Natalie
    Nina Kiri
    Nina Kiri
    • Alma
    Bahia Watson
    Bahia Watson
    • Brianna
    Jonathan Watton
    Jonathan Watton
    • Matthew Calhoun
    Sadie Munroe
    Sadie Munroe
    • Rose
    Vanessa Burns
    Vanessa Burns
    • Mrs. Calhoun
    Jake Mossop
    • Nurse
    Ian MacPherson
    • Med Student
    Catherine Tait
    Catherine Tait
    • Rose's Mother
    Brianne Tucker
    • Handmaid #1
    Samantha Parkinson
    Samantha Parkinson
    • Hospital Handmaid #2
    Michelle Chiu
    • Hospital Handmaid #3
    Laura Hendrickson
    • Handmaid #4
    • Director
      • Daina Reid
    • Writers
      • Lynn Renee Maxcy
      • Margaret Atwood
      • Bruce Miller
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews138

    6.45.5K
    1
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    10

    Featured reviews

    8ly-589-252273

    here the change happened

    After watching the final episode , i can now tell how this episode was so important.
    9tsanat

    Riveting. don't listen to the negativity

    I thought this episodes reviews were overly critical. It was important to set the rest of the series up, by showing June's sanity tested. Very well done. With clean, IKEA like settings. No distractions
    8quasi1111

    If you thought this episode was boring, maybe this isn't the show for you

    Don't listen to those saying this episode dragged. For a true fan of this show it's a fantastic insight into how the Gilead dystopia has took its toll mentally June, conveyed via some very well-written and well-acted scenes and some delightful symbolism.

    If you're watching this show for the "action", then skip this episode, as you might be disappointed at the lack of loud noises or hangings. But for a true fan, take your time, allow that white box room to evelop you, and enjoy this welcome change of pace.
    8fstallone-89727

    They should never have given us uniforms if they didn't want us to be an army

    I dont think that the people who are criticizing the show saw the others seasons. I agree that the pace is slow, but that is part of The Handmaids Tale, both book and tv show. So don't start to complain about that now! It's impossible to have a revolution the way people want it, Gilead will never fall with June using bombs, guns. That way she will end up in the wall, as the doctor said to her in this episode: " how long have you had suicidal thoughts?" I do believe that this episode was great to develop Junes character, who has lost herself in the past episodes. She needed to be reminded that Handmaids are not the enemies, Gilead is. Her revenge on Ofmathew means nothing to the revolution and get her nowhere near Hannah.
    10alexandra-sesovici

    One of those shows you will never forget

    My first review ever on IMDB but I just couldn't let all these negative reviews steal the show's depth and power. This episode was one of the best of this season. The repeating song, June's thoughts, the excruciating light and slowness in that hospital room, they all made me understand and live every second of this painful world of Gilead. If you think this episode was terrible, please, just stop and listen to what's happening around you. I guarantee all you hear are your thoughts and your life's repeating song.

    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The exterior of the hospital around the 39:30 mark is actually Humber College, the Lakeshore campus in west end Toronto, South Etobicoke. The campus used to be the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and operated from 1889 until its closure in 1979. Humber College bought the property in the early 1990s.
    • Goofs
      When the C-section is performed, a low transverse incision is used. This is the most common incision used in modern cesarean surgeries because of the increased safety for future pregnancies. But since the handmaid is already brain dead and there will be no future pregnancies, the quicker and easier vertical incision would have been used.
    • Quotes

      Rose: I'm here because they said i can have babies. Later, not right now. After i get married

      June Osborne: Is that what you want?

      Rose: Of course. So much.

    • Soundtracks
      Heaven is a Place on Earth
      (uncredited)

      Written by Rick Nowels, Ellen Shipley

      Performed by Belinda Carlisle

    Top picks

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 17, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Instagram
    • Languages
      • German
      • Greek
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Daniel Wilson Productions
      • The Littlefield Company
      • White Oak Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 48m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.00 : 1

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