‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Creator Explains Exactly What Is (and Isn’t) Part of Gilead

Ever wonder if Alaska is stuck in the middle of this mess? Bruce Miller has answers

Joseph Fiennes Handmaids Tale
Photo by: George Kraychyk/Hulu

If you watch “The Handmaid’s Tale,” then you are well aware that in this fictional world, the United States has been transformed into a dystopian regime called Gilead. But if you watch the critically-acclaimed Hulu series, then you also probably have many questions about this messed up country, one being, what territory does it encompass? After all, it’s probably a little harder to enforce your authoritarian laws when two of your states exist outside of the continent.

And, yes, creator Bruce Miller confirmed that is the case during a conference call with reporters on Monday, ahead of the Elisabeth Moss-led show’s Season 2 finale, which dropped on Hulu Wednesday.

“I think it was in Episode 11, where we saw the map,” Miller said. “Yes, Gilead has taken over the continental U.S., so all 48 states of the continental US. There’s lots of areas that are not nearly as well controlled as the Boston area, where the movement was very strong.”

“Our show takes place in Cambridge, Mass., outside of Boston and they stated that,” he continued. “But so Alaska and Hawaii are the United States, the two states that are united still. And the rest of it has turned into Gilead with lots of pockets of resistance and unease and the places where the grip of Gilead is not nearly as firm.”

“We’re a very big, very ornery country, and it’s hard to keep us in line,” Miller adds.

Oh, we know. Read more from our interview with Miller about the Season 2 finale here to see just how “ornery” June (Moss) and the other Handmaids have become.

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