The Handmaid’s Tale “Baggage” is directed by Kari Skogland with the teleplay by Dorothy Fortenberry. The episode introduces us to June’s (Elisabeth Moss) mother played by Cherry Jones – who doesn’t have many scenes but is terrific in all of them.
Two months have passed, and June has created a project for herself. The episode also catches us up on what Moira (Samira Wiley) has been doing. Moira and June have something in common. Moira, Luke (O-T Fagbenle), and Erin (Erin Way) have formed a unit. Moira spends her days helping other refugees – not all of whom are women.
We get flashbacks to June’s mother. They were clearly different people. June finds out about what happened to her mother in a surprising place. The title will reverberate in several surprising ways.
The episode touches on motherhood. We have some flashbacks to the Red Centre too. June is forced to make some hard decisions and is on the move.
As always the camera work and direction are fantastic in this episode. We get more beautiful shots that really resonate with the story, underscoring and enhancing the story without being distracting.
And more than that, I will not say! Here are some dialogue teasers!
Don’t stay in bed all day!
1775 all over again.
She said we were going to feed the ducks.
Straws can be helpful. One of the little pigs built a whole house of them.
It gets easier.
Raise your daughter to be a feminist. She spends all her time waiting to be rescued by men.
You know she’ll fight like Hell.
Blessed by the Fruit Loops.
Are you a good witch or a bad witch?
Someone brave or stupid. Or both. There’s a lotta both.
Yeah. I used to think that too.
I told her it wasn’t safe.