Gripping television from start to finish.
It's seldom to find a series that holds your attention all the way through from the beginning of its first episode to its final frame, but The Handmaid's Tale managed just that.
Starring Elisabeth Moss, the show is based on the book of the same name by Margaret Atwood, a dystopian novel written in 1985 that arguably has more relevance in today's world than it even held more than 30 years ago.
Moss plays Offred, sold into servitude to a wealthy couple in a world where infertility is rampant and only a select few 'Handmaids' can bear children.
In the fictional Republic of Gilead, formerly the United States of America, fear and oppression is rife as women are divided into cooks, cleaners, facilitators and those raped by the commanding forces with the sole purpose of continuing the human race.
Moss - famous for roles in The West Wing, Top of the Lake and her star turn as Peggy Olsen in Mad Men - gives an incredible performance opposite Joseph Fiennes as the frightened yet defiant Offred, whose determination not to be defeated has consequences that neither she nor the audience could possibly be prepared for.
95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 8 Primetime Emmys and a legion of adoring fans, The Handmaid's Tale is one of - if not the -best new drama of 2017.
If you missed it the first time around then tonight's the perfect chance to delve in.
A second series has been promised for 2018, but for now, you can catch the first series all over again on More4 from 10.15pm on Thursday 5 October.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJTonrzXTJs
