The Testaments, the sequel series to The Handmaid's Tale, has debuted on Disney+ and Hulu, but fans of Margaret Atwood's 2019 novel will notice significant changes. The 10-part series follows the young women of Gilead, known as 'Plums', as they prepare for marriage, but the timeline and character arcs have been altered.
The most notable difference is the timeline. The novel is set 15 years after The Handmaid's Tale, while the TV show takes place only four years after the series finale. This shift means the uprising in Boston is still fresh, and characters like June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss) remain more present in the narrative.
As a result, the character Daisy (Lucy Halliday) is not the same as in the book. In the novel, Daisy is revealed to be Holly/Nichole, June's baby. In the show, Holly/Nichole is a five-year-old living safely in Toronto, while Daisy is a different child rescued during Angel's Flight. Similarly, Agnes (Chase Infiniti) is aged 14-15 in the show, whereas in the book she starts younger and ends in her early 20s.
Another key change involves Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). While the novel focuses on Agnes, Daisy, and Aunt Lydia, the TV series gives June a more active role through her interactions with Daisy and her resistance work. Additionally, Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) was killed off in The Handmaid's Tale, but in the novel he is alive and meets his daughter. The show has not yet addressed this divergence.
The Testaments airs weekly on Wednesdays on Hulu and Disney+.
