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Although I would never dare speak for her, I suspect that Margaret Atwood would be perfectly happy being a little less hot right now, if only it would mean that her fictional creations, always visionary, weren’t so worryingly present. Written in 1985, maid story feels closer than ever, and its 2019 sequel, TestamentNow it has its own much-awaited adaptation. Whereas maid Having seen a generation of women consolidate their power with an oppressive Christian nationalist regime, The Testaments finds a subsequent generation of young women who have never known anyone different; For whom all this is absolutely normal. Which seems quite real. Stream maid story And Testament on huluAnd then check out these other fascist dystopias.
Nickname Grace (2017)
This is Margaret Atwood’s second major novel adaptation (existing well in the shadow of the larger, livelier one). maid story), but this miniseries is every bit as biting and well-crafted. It is based on the true story of a poor Irish immigrant who was found guilty of a double murder under some mysterious circumstances in 1843 and lived a life of trauma. Years later, a psychiatrist comes to examine her and discovers her past and the circumstances that could (perhaps) have driven a deprived and powerless girl to commit murder. Stream Nickname Grace on netflix.
Pluribus (2025- )
In some ways, it’s a bit antitheticalmaid storywith Pluribus There’s a lean toward dark comedy, but we remain in a fascist dystopia in this show. breaking badVince Gilligan, however, is a different breed. Rhea Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, a fantasy romance author and General Grouch who becomes one of only 13 people on the planet who is immune to “The Joining”, an alien virus that transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful, perky, and eternally content mind-set. Carol refuses to abandon her wretchedness at the risk of losing her identity, instead struggling to restore humanity from its despicable ways. Thrilling, heartbreaking, and oddly funny, the show manages to address big questions about what it means to be human, but also, more specifically, suggest that even women who don’t have their act together deserve freedom of thought and physical autonomy. Stream Pluribus on apple tv.
3% (2016 – 2020)
It would be tempting to see this as an allegory of the American dream, but of course, this is a Brazilian show, and it’s not like inequality was invented in the United States — we’re particularly good at it. In 3%Poor young internees have only one chance for success: completing “The Process”, a series of interviews, puzzles and escape rooms designed to test their eligibility to join a future offshore utopia. Most fail, and many do not survive, leaving a success rate of…3%. this is a lot hunger games area in terms of its themes, but the show has a darker, more adult aspect. Stream 3% But Netflix.
watchman (2019)
A standalone sequel to the phenomenal Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins graphic novel from the ’80s (which point-blank ignores the Zack Snyder film), this series plays in the sandbox of that book (arguably the source of all modern superhero deconstruction) while further expanding its themes. Set in an alternate Tulsa, Oklahoma, in a world where super-powered vigilantes exist but have been outlawed, the series begins dramatically, with a depiction of the real-life massacre and destruction of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street by white residents in 1921. Regina King plays Angela Aber, a modern-day policewoman whose grandparents were killed during those attacks, an event that is echoed throughout the series – it’s a dystopia that doesn’t look too different from our own, with masked police operating within the confines of the law, and openly racist organizations that are exerting political influence. Generational trauma is at issue here, and, as maid storyThis is a show that looks more depressingly prescient with each passing year. Stream watchman on hbo max.
The Man in the High Castle (2015 – 2019)
Philip K. From a novel by Dick (whose work has been the basis for blade Runner, total Recall, minority Report, A scanner darkly, among many others), The Man in the High Castle Takes place in an alternate history in which the Axis powers won World War II, and in which the United States was divided down the middle; Japan is ruling the West and Germany is ruling the East. However, the title The Man in the High Castle presents an alternative view in which the Allies actually won, having the ability to rally opposition to the Axis rulers. As the show progresses through its four seasons, the parallels with our increasingly Nazi-friendly world increase. Stream The Man in the High Castle on prime video And Netflix.
mrs america (2020)
Although imaginary, mrs america It is a dramatization of the ’70s fight over the Equal Rights Amendment, which is simultaneously a high and low point in the hope for equality and autonomy. Cate Blanchett plays activist Phyllis Schlafly, who leads the fight against a (once) widely popular proposed amendment that would weaponize the ERA by linking it to radical and pro-choice feminists, lesbians, segregationists, and other malicious groups. Atwood was at the forefront of a broader conservative cultural shift that was in full swing when she was writing. maidAnd it’s not a bad time to take a closer look at those who have radicalized basic equality – a reminder that misogyny is not just the province of white people. It stars a supporting cast that includes Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba and Elizabeth Banks. Stream mrs america on hulu.
masked girl (2023)
Kim Mo-mi (initially Lee Han-byeol), the masked girl of the title, is a uniquely complex woman in this twisty-turny K-drama, which borders on experimental in its changing-perspective format. Mo-mi always wanted to be a K-pop idol, but it was always made clear to her that she was not beautiful enough for that kind of stardom. So, to fill that void, she’s got an extra job: In addition to her boring office job, she dons a blonde wig and a mask to perform as a cam girl for anonymous men. It’s a means of expressing herself creatively and sexually with a level of control – until one mistake causes her to lose that control, a co-worker discovers her secret life, and frustration leads to murder. It’s an intriguing thriller with a dark sense of humor throughout, but it never forgets that Mo-Mee’s increasingly disturbing actions are driven by a culture that sees her as plain and therefore merely casual. Stream masked girl on netflix.
What do you think so far?
intimate (2022)
Adapted from the seminal 1979 novel by Atwood’s contemporary Octavia Butler, intimate Dana James (Mallory Johnson) was seen traveling back in time to an antebellum plantation in Maryland. After moving to Los Angeles in 2016 (with no accidents that year), Dana finds herself moving frequently while her white neighbors worry about the new black woman on the block. Granted, it’s not as effective as the book (which should be required reading), but, like the book, it makes clear that the corrupting influence of American slavery has infected everything it touched, then and now, and black women bear an even greater share of that burden. Stream intimate on hulu.
Leela (2019)
Much here will sound familiar: adapted from the novel Prayag Akbar, Leela Shalini (Huma Qureshi) finds herself living in a different India of the 2040s, in which water and clean air have increasingly become luxuries. Despite all this, Shalini and her family are doing better than most, until they are attacked for their interfaith marriage – husband Rizwan is murdered, their daughter is kidnapped, and Shalini is sent to a re-education center with other women who are considered sinful or otherwise impure. There is a possibility of taking what is called a purity test, but not for “mixed blood” women like Leila. It is a future where women are held to strict but changing moral standards, dissent is brutally suppressed, teaching that is not religious is rejected, and the environment is becoming increasingly uncertain. Of course, this could not happen here. Stream Leela on netflix.
shining girls (2022)
maid story Elisabeth Moss stars in this other sci-fi adaptation of an acclaimed novel (in this case by Lauren Beukes). Moss plays Kirby Mazarachi, an archivist for the Chicago Sun-Times who was attacked years earlier and left for dead. She still suffers from the trauma of that event, a legacy that becomes even more complicated when she finds reality changing around her, and she meets a woman who was murdered, with wounds almost identical to the ones that nearly killed Kirby. Even as the number of female victims increases, she becomes determined to find the killer. It is significant that she is an archivist and not a policeman: Kirby is not content to see these women as bodies, or merely as victims, but is determined that their stories be told. It’s best not to give too much away here, except to say that there’s another important clue in the title, it refers to women standing up in a culture that doesn’t always reward that kind of thing. Stream shining girls On Apple TV.
