The Testaments Faces The Exact Same Problem That The Handmaid’s Tale Did 6 Years Ago

In 2019, it was announced that Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Testaments, would get its own television adaptation, yet this dystopian endeavor will struggle with the same problem that its predecessor did. Published 34 years after The Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments is a sequel to the iconic Atwood novel, and centers on three women: Aunt Lydia of the original Handmaid’s Tale book, a woman living in Gilead, and a woman living in Canada. While the TV adaptation of the sequel is definitely exciting considering the success of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the series already faces a significant issue.

At this point, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale has successfully run for five seasons, and a sixth is set to premiere in 2025. With Elisabeth Moss in the leading role, the series has earned praise for its disturbing portrayal of Atwood’s misogynistic Gilead. The show has a cumulative 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and has won various accolades. Yet, even with so many seasons, The Handmaid’s Tale has always faced one troubling obstacle: Atwood only wrote one book. Ever since The Handmaid’s Tale season 2, Hulu has been crafting their own storylines to varying degrees of success.

What’s Happening With The Testaments Show?

Already, The Testaments is saddled with a few problems. First and foremost, the new series is not going to be made until The Handmaid’s Tale concludes with season 6. Notably, The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 has already faced numerous delays due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, which means The Testaments won’t hit screens until after spring 2025. According to Disney executive, Craig Erwhich, The Testaments is still in development, which is good news. However, audiences should not hold their breath for The Testaments’ release. It is more than likely the show won’t see the light of day until 2026.

The main plot of The Testaments will see Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy teaming up from different locations to take down Gilead from the inside.

Aside from its release window, other news about The Testaments has been scarce. Apparently, actress Ann Dowd is confirmed to be reprising her role as Aunt Lydia. The roles of Agnes and Daisy are still up for grabs. There is a possibility that other members of The Handmaid’s Tale cast could return in The Testaments alongside Dowd, including Moss’s June, yet their characters will have to be 15 years older. The main plot of The Testaments will see Lydia, Agnes, and Daisy teaming up from different locations to take down Gilead from the inside.

The Testaments Has The Same Book Problem As The Handmaid’s Tale

Another major issue with The Testaments is that, like The Handmaid’s Tale, there is only one book. When it comes to the world of Gilead, Atwood has only ever written 1985’s The Handmaid’s Tale and 2019’s The Testaments. This means that if The Testaments wants to have several seasons, the showrunners will have to create their own different storylines after The Testaments season 1. In some respects, this isn’t a massive issue. The Handmaid’s Tale has been relatively successful beyond season 1. However, there are some deficits to going beyond Atwood’s source material.

The main issue with The Handmaid’s Tale season 2 and beyond is that the series is not grounded in anything. Atwood’s original novel was popular for a reason, and Hulu’s show was able to adapt that and take it into new creative spaces. However, with the remaining seasons, the show had to come up with its own plot. Some of The Handmaid’s Tale’s choices ended up being positive, but others hurt the show. The Handmaid’s Tale has never been as lauded as it was during its first season, and the story has something to do with that.

Is Expanding The Testaments Easier Than The Handmaid’s Tale?

One bright spot of The Testaments’ one-book-problem is that this book may be easier to expand than The Handmaid’s Tale book. The 1985 book had a solid focus on Offred/June, therefore the consequent seasons had to remain with June as her story grew more vast and complicated. The Testaments doesn’t necessarily have to follow this trend. With three protagonists, The Testaments can dip into way more worlds and storylines. It will be easier to keep the series exciting since there are more characters to juggle. In this way, The Testaments may have a leg-up over The Handmaid’s Tale.

Then again, The Testaments also has the chance to quit while they’re ahead. If the new series gains as much traction as The Handmaid’s Tale season 1, then it may want to remain a mini series rather than a full-blown, multi-season epic. While audiences would get less time with the characters, the show could pack a bigger punch while protecting its quality. There would be no risk of getting worse season by season. Regardless, The Testaments has some big shoes to fill, and hopefully, it can compel audiences when it premieres.