The Testaments
The Testaments
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The Testaments

"Witness a defiant coming of age story."

8.3
Yr 2026
Status Returning Series
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

Growing up in Gilead is all they have ever known. As a new generation of young women grapple with the bleak future that awaits them, they will be forced to search for allies, new and old, to help in their fight for freedom.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 80 /100

Critical reception for "The Testaments" has been largely favorable, with reviewers viewing the series as a disturbing, timely, and engaging follow-up to "The Handmaid's Tale." Critics praised the show for approaching Gilead through a fresh perspective, examining themes of groupthink, privilege, and complicity as a new generation of young women navigate the oppressive regime.

Praise was frequently directed at the cast, particularly lead actor Chase Infiniti and the core ensemble of young women, as well as the persistent tension established at Aunt Lydia's school. Outlets commended the production design, stellar acting, and the series' ability to maintain a chilling edge while incorporating a lighter YA-oriented spin on the world.

While the consensus remains positive, some reviewers offered minor critiques, pointing to occasional dialogue issues or noting that the series feels so tied to its predecessor that it struggles to stand entirely on its own. Nevertheless, most critics agreed that the show is an incisive, well-crafted, and terrifying addition to the franchise.

“This excellent series gives a glimpse into the dark world where Gilead girls are trained to become Gilead women.”

“Disturbingly relevant and brutal by turns, the series is as incisive and insightful as its predecessor.”

“...a study in groupthink – in power, corruption and the ease with which ordinary people acquiesce to evil practices...”

“...the writing is good (if a bit on the nose), the acting is stellar (especially the core group of young women at its center), and the design of the show is perfectly terrifying.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Disney Plus
CA • UK
Hulu
US
Why fans love it

The Testaments grounds its drama in the suffocating reality of a persistent totalitarian state. Where many series lean into the external mechanics of a revolution, this version centers the claustrophobic experience of growing up inside a system that demands total compliance. It examines how a new generation navigates an unchanging, bleak future while trapped in a cycle of institutionalized control.

Ann Dowd returns to the screen as a force of authority, anchoring a narrative that prioritizes the internal struggles of its young characters. The show operates as a study of survival within an alternate history, highlighting the friction between state-mandated slavery and the desire for individual autonomy. By focusing on the search for unlikely allies, the story avoids simple heroics in favor of a calculated, dangerous path toward freedom.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 19
Longest run 10 eps
Show 67 more
Zarrin Darnell-Martin as Aunt Gabbana 10 episodes Eva Foote as Aunt Estee 10 episodes Isolde Ardies as Hulda Edwardson 10 episodes Shechinah Mpumlwana as Jehosheba Yardarm 10 episodes Birva Pandya as Miriam Dawson 10 episodes Kira Guloien as Rosa 10 episodes Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne 3 episodes Nate Corddry as Commander MacKenzie 8 episodes Blessing Adedijo as Zilla 4 episodes Cory Lee as Martha 1 episode Aidan Gouveia as Smarmy Guardian 1 episode Hattie Kragten as Constance 9 episodes Pamela Estrada as Talia 4 episodes Kenzyn Hoffman as Young Agnes 1 episode Dwight Ireland as Mr. William 3 episodes Amy Landecker as Tabitha MacKenzie 1 episode Randal Edwards as Dr. Grove 6 episodes Ellen Olivia Giddings as Penny Judd 4 episodes Charlie Carrick as Commander Judd 5 episodes Kerri Smith as Melanie 1 episode Jimi Shlag as Neil 1 episode Meghan Honor as Pearl Girl #1 1 episode Nadin Rizk as Pearl Girl #2 1 episode Fionn Laird as Justin 1 episode Olivier Lamarche as Policeman 1 episode Carlos Albornoz as Tim 1 episode Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue 1 episode Kate Hewlett as Mrs. Grove 5 episodes Heather Kosik as Florist 1 episode Christina Cox as Jehosheba's Mother 1 episode Monica Rodriguez Knox as Miriam's Mother 1 episode Pearl Sun as Jehosheba's Martha 1 episode Raymond Johnson-Brown as Dancing Commander 1 episode Reed Diamond as Commander Weston 4 episodes David Mortimer as Young Commander (Becka) 1 episode Dan Mousseau as Young Commander (Agnes) 1 episode Aaron Schwartz as Old Commander 1 episode Steve Cumyn as Commander Maddox 2 episodes Neil Girvan as Commander Stevens 1 episode Shaeane Jimenez as Susan 1 episode Lisa Bunting as Maggie 1 episode Edward Glen as Keith 1 episode William Attwood as Man with Gun 1 episode Nicholas Koy Santillo as Paper Man 1 episode Alex Woods as Black Uniform 1 episode Eric De Santis as Judd Stadium Guardian 1 1 episode Tarah Consoli as Stadium Woman - Weeping 1 episode Marnie Delwo as Woman 1 episode Janice Hawke as Stadium Woman - Peeing 1 episode Coko Galore as Stadium Woman - Nightmare 1 episode Tamsin Kelsey as Pitying Woman 1 episode Barbara Gordon as Linda 1 episode Arthica Kumarakesary as Sara (Pearl Girl) 1 episode E. Fegan DeCordova as Gentle Pearl Girl 1 episode Zoë Belkin as Stringent Pearl Girl 1 episode Irena Huljak as Hulda's Mother 1 episode Kevin Hare as Hulda's Father 1 episode Gordon Harper as Commander Park 1 episode Rob Torr as Commander Riley 1 episode Nico DeCastris as Guardian 1 episode Kaitlyn Thomas as Jehosheba's Friend 1 episode Roger Shank as Commander Chapin 1 episode Martha Girvin as Mrs. Chapin 1 episode Margaret Atwood as Prison Matron 1 episode Claire Acott as Prison Matron 1 episode Colin Glazer as Honey Truck Driver 1 episode Hitesh Arora as Boat Driver 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Testaments overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

sequel based on novel or book slavery dystopia freedom alternate history totalitarianism dramatic excited
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 08, 2026
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
203