The Handmaid's Tale creator Bruce Miller has addressed fan concerns about its protagonist's arc.
Inspired by the novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, the series is set in a bleak near future where "fallen women" are enslaved and repeatedly assaulted to boost fertility rates. Elisabeth Moss plays protagonist June, the handmaid assigned to Joseph Fiennes' Commander Fred Waterford.
Now in its fifth season, the show has seen June go to great lengths to reunite with her husband and daughter, evolving into a darker version of herself. For Miller, however, she isn't a villain.
Related: Handmaid's Tale creator Bruce Miller hints at the end of June's story
"I don't think that way, because I don't think people get a stamp – in real life, I don't know who's a villain and a hero. Who gets a stamp on their head that says 'villain' or 'redeemed'? I don't believe in any of that stuff," he told Digital Spy.
He explained that the show's "good" episodes are the ones in which June does things she knows she's not supposed to do.
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"I look at it very much more in terms of point of view, and what June wants to happen. There's oftentimes when what June really wants to do is what she knows she shouldn't do, and those are the good episodes. Because that's kind of a lot of how we spend our time, wanting to do 'X' and trying to convince ourselves not to.
"So that, in the small way of 'eat this chocolate bar', translates to the big way of 'kill Fred'. When June thinks: 'I've got to kill Fred' – you want it so much. You know it's not good for you, but you want it. And then when you're done, for a while you feel great. And then she starts to realise: it's another chocolate bar."
Related: Handmaid’s Tale star Yvonne Strahovski on *that* twist and Serena’s "ultimate FU to June"
June's actions lead to an even more direct face-off with Fred's wife, Serena (Yvonne Strahovski).
"When you realise it's another chocolate bar, not only is that dangerous for [June], she's not in control of when this fight ends anymore. Both of them very much like to be in control, Serena and June. And so what you've got is, all of a sudden, she's facing an active enemy."
Touching upon fan reactions, Miller says this isn't a moral fable, but the story of a woman who has endured unspeakable things and doesn't need to be validated.
"It's not a hero's journey [...] And it's also not June Osborne's moral tale. It's The Handmaid's Tale," he said.
"I follow June, and if June does things that you think are bad, but she thinks are good – screw you. It's June's show. It's not my show, it's not your show. And she's not asking for your approval."
The Handmaid's Tale streams on Hulu in the US and both Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
