Under his eye and blessed be the fruit! That's right, "The Handmaid's Tale" is back! The series revolves around the experiences of the Handmaid, Offred, formerly known as June (Elisabeth Moss), in the dystopian country of Gilead. In this world, environmental disaster has caused major fertility issues. The political pressures caused by these health and environmental issues allow for a patriarchal fundamentalist regime's rise to power.

Women are now viewed as property and fertility is now an economic resource. Cue the handmaiden's, the last of Gilead’s fertile women who are forced into sexual servitude and serve as surrogates incubators for their assigned Commander’s household in an attempt to repopulate the world.

What's worse is that the Bible is used to justify their systemic r*pe of women in this hellish, totalitarian, male-dominated world! “Rachel, unable to have children, says to her husband Jacob: 'Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.”

Too tough to stomach

As you can already tell this show is dark, intense, and horrific. While "The Handmaid’s Tale" is science fiction it doesn’t feel like it at all. The Hulu series based on the Margaret Atwood novel, of the same name, is an interesting thought experiment as any good science fiction piece should be, however, it all feels very real. The show’s display of sexual slavery and oppression are all real-world nightmares that some people have had the displeasure of experiencing.

With the series trending on social media I decided to see what fans and casual viewers alike are saying about the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series' second season. Chrissy Teigen is one of many fans who were excited to about the release of the shows second season. Although many are excited to revisit the hell that is Gilead, not everyone shares that opinion.

Many viewers have taken to Twitter comparing the series to “torture p*rn” and can’t understand why some people watch it for enjoyment. Many sexual assault survivors felt that watching the series was like reliving their own trauma and aren’t behind the project. There is a none surprising trend of female viewers expressing a strong distaste for the dark and gritty series.

Maybe it's not for everybody

Any human being with a soul will be disturbed by the topics explored in "The Handmaid's Tale." Gilead is the real "American Horror Story," and it's a nightmare for women in particular. The magic of television allows us to see the world through the eyes of June and empathize with her, but for female viewers and for victims of sexual assault this thought experiment is all too real for them.

Yes, the show is graphic and terrifying in a very real way but that doesn't mean it isn't worth watching. Other than the grotesque display of r*pe and sexual servitude, the show also explores the rise of totalitarian regimes. While this may not be WWII Germany, the threat of oppressive governments is always a relevant concern and it's up to us individuals to make sure that Gilead continues to exist only as a nightmare and never a reality.

It's up to you whether or not you'd like to watch the show but just make sure you're mentally prepared for it. Consider this your Trigger Warning. New episodes of "The Handmaid's Tale" are now available only on Hulu.
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