Hulu renews The Handmaid’s Tale

By Erik Adams | May 3, 2017 | 2:09pm

Aux Features The Handmaid's Tale

Upfront presentations—the annual TV tradition in which broadcasters say “Hey, here are some shows” and advertisers say “Hey, we’ll pay you money to put our commercials around those shows”—have been underway since early March, but the routine kicks into full gear this month, capped with the announcement of the major networks’ lineups for the 201-18 season. And while we’re not quite there yet, the series of digital “newfronts” scheduled through May 12 promise some exciting updates that don’t have to do with chattering skyboxes that interrupt your favorite world wide web content—for example, Hulu’s announcement of The Handmaid’s Tale’s second season.

It’s not much of a surprise, following what Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins described as the biggest premiere in the streaming platform’s history. Ordering a second-round of the Bruce Miller-run adaptation indicates that the well-received series will eventually expand beyond the bounds of Margaret Atwood’s novel. But don’t take our speculation for it: During Hulu’s upfront presentation, star Samira Wiley touted The Handmaid’s Tale’s love stories, an attribute of Atwood’s near-future dystopia that’s never really been singled out before. But hey, we’re getting more of one of 2017’s best TV shows, so who are we to complain?