The Handmaid's Tale: Every season ranked from weakest to strongest

The Handmaid
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 1 (Image Source: Prime Video)

The Handmaid's Tale got people talking right from the start. The show began in 2017 and threw us into Gilead, a scary place where women lose their rights and their names. It is based on Margaret Atwood’s famous book. The show does not just tell a dark story. It also asks us to think about how easy it is to lose freedom.

There are six seasons of The Handmaid’s Tale. They show hard times, fighting back, and trying to survive. Elisabeth Moss plays June and she does a great job. Though not every season is perfect, some are slow and repetitive; still, the series is one of the best modern dramas on TV. Now, we will rank the seasons from weakest to strongest. Let’s get started.


Ranking every season of The Handmaid's Tale: From weakest to strongest

6. Season 4: The weakest link

The Handmaid's Tale (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale (Image Source: Prime Video)

Season 4 had sky-high expectations because June finally escaped Gilead. Audiences wanted fresh storylines, but the pacing stumbled. Season 4 kept showing June’s trauma again and again. It got a bit tiring. Still, June’s fight for justice against Fred Waterford was exciting.

The courtroom tension and the shocking finale, where June and fellow survivors delivered brutal retribution, remain unforgettable. Still, outside these moments, the season struggled with focus. Side plots distracted from the core, and momentum lagged.

There were some strong moments. But the season of The Handmaid's Tale felt uneven. So, it goes last in the ranking.


5. Season 5: Emotional but uneven

Season 5 picks up after Fred dies. June feels torn between revenge and moving on. She clashes a lot with Serena Joy. Their fights create a lot of tension. Serena finally feels alone and desperate, which is new for her.

The Handmaid's Tale, Season 5 (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 5 (Image Source: Prime Video)

But sometimes the story feels slow. It seems like the writers are saving the big moments for Season 6. Serena’s problems go on for too long. June cannot make up her mind, and that gets old. Here, Elisabeth Moss and Yvonne Strahovski do an amazing job. Overall, seeing Season 5 of The Handmaid's Tale, fans think it is not weak. But, it does not have the same excitement as earlier seasons!


Season 3: Building the rebellion

Season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale shows more of Gilead. June becomes a leader. She starts taking big risks for others. Soon, she plans to help many children escape. June’s rescue mission is the boldest part of the show. This moment changes everything.

This season was indeed breathtaking. The imagery of handmaids standing in defiance or June lit in quiet determination created lasting impressions. The season also gave more depth to Aunt Lydia, showing how her cruelty was mixed with twisted loyalty to Gilead.

The Handmaid's Tale, Season 3 (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 3 (Image Source: Prime Video)

Still, pacing problems appeared here, too. Some episodes stretched too long without payoff. But despite the slow moments, Season 3 was crucial in shifting the focus from survival to open resistance. It made clear that June was no longer just a victim but was emerging as a leader.


Season 2: Brutality and resistance

Season 2 really changed the course of The Handmaid's Tale. First, the handmaids stood in a stadium and faced execution. This scene made it clear that things were now much darker and scarier.

June’s pregnancy was very important. It showed both pain and hope. She wanted to protect her child, even when everything felt hopeless. Emily and Janine also fought back in small ways, and these moments mattered a lot.

The Handmaid's Tale, Season 2 (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 2 (Image Source: Prime Video)

Serena Joy was interesting, too. She wanted more power but was stuck by the rules she helped make. This season was harsh, but it needed to be. It made people see just how cruel Gilead was, and it showed that rebellion might be coming soon.


Season 6: A bold and emotional finale

Season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale had a big job to finish the story. The season showed a lot of drama and action. It also kept the feelings real, especially for June. She wanted freedom. Still, Gilead’s power often seemed too strong.

Next, the show mixed fast scenes with quiet moments. Serena had to face what she did. Aunt Lydia and Janine also had important scenes. The quiet moments showed that pain does not just go away after escape.

The Handmaid's Tale, Season 6 (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 6 (Image Source: Prime Video)

Many Handmaid's Tale fans talked about the ending. Some thought that not everything was finished. Still, most people agreed the last episode was strong and true to the story. The show respected the characters and themes. It was not perfect, but it ended on a strong note.


Season 1: The unmatched beginning

Season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale changed TV forever. The show looked intense and sometimes scary. The actors did an amazing job and made everything feel real.

We meet June as Offred. She loses her name and her freedom. She has to wear a red cloak and follow strict rules. The place feels tense and silent, like something bad could happen any second. What made Season 1 powerful was not constant violence but the quiet horror of control.

The Handmaid's Tale, Season 1 (Image Source: Prime Video)
The Handmaid's Tale, Season 1 (Image Source: Prime Video)

Elisabeth Moss gave a career-defining performance, while Ann Dowd’s Aunt Lydia became one of the most memorable villains on TV. The season stayed close to the book but modernized it with urgency. It was sharp, original, and unforgettable.

Season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale is more than just the beginning of The Handmaid’s Tale. It is the blueprint of why the show became a cultural phenomenon.


Ranking all six seasons of The Handmaid's Tale is a wild ride. Season 1 was simple but scary. By Season 6, everyone seemed tired but hopeful. Let me tell you that The Handmaid's Tale isn’t just about Gilead. It’s about never giving up. However, the show warns us about losing rights. It shows the power of standing up and saying no.

Edited by Ritika Pal