LOS ANGELES, April 2 (UPI) -- When Margaret Atwood wrote her sequel The Testaments, she had more to say about The Handmaid's Tale. Yet coming after Hulu's adaptation, The Testaments, premiering Wednesday on Hulu, is essentially a retread with little to add.
In Gilead, Agnes (Chase Infiniti) grew up hoping to be a handmaid one day. She hasn't had her period yet, and the show focuses on Agnes and other Plums, young girls who wear purple robes instead of the Handmaids' red ones.
Agnes is also assigned to show Daisy (Lucy Halliday) around. Daisy is a Pearl Girl, taken in from Canada, so they wear white robes.
For Atwood, showing a different aspect of Gilead would have further developed her world building. However, Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale went far beyond her book, and lasted several seasons after June (Elisabeth Moss) escaped and led successful rebellions against Gilead.
So The Testaments shows Gilead rebuilt despite June's efforts, and essentially tries again with different costumes. Agnes is Hannah, the daughter June and Luke (O-T Fagbenle) left behind in Gilead, though the connection is not clear enough to evoke the emotional benefit of June's previous struggles.
