How to watch The Handmaid’s Tale without cable
Carolina
Argentinian Carolina has an extensive movie background in the cinematic universe. She is our resident TV analyst and a seasoned expert in global streaming platforms. She showcases her comprehensive knowledge through her love for Netflix 'Originals', Frozen, The Good Place, and The Dragon Prince.
Want to watch The Handmaid’s Tale but don’t have a cable subscription? No worries. I’ll be showing how you can stream this exciting drama for free.
Two years ago, in April 2017, The Handmaid’s Tale took the world by surprise as a dystopian drama web series that portrays a bleak future that maybe we’re already living in.
An original Hulu series, this show put the streaming service in the spotlight thanks to the popularity that quickly gained.
The main issue with Hulu is it’s only available on the US and Japan for now, so, when it comes to watching The Handmaid’s Tale, the availability is very narrow because if you live outside the US, you can only rely on cable networks.
Before falling into disappointment, keep reading this guide, and I’ll show how you can watch The Handmaid’s Tale almost for free and without a cable subscription.
What you need to watch it
Channel 4 shows the series in the UK, they’re a British public-service free-to-air television network, which doesn’t require any subscription.
You’ll find a block on it outside the UK due to geo-restrictions meaning you can’t access it unless you use a VPN service like ExpressVPN.
VPN: Is a privacy app used by millions of users that lets you protect and disguise your real location.
Using a VPN allows you to skip the blocking through a service that offers you fast speeds for streaming video, user-friendly setup, a cheap fee, and in case you don’t like it, you have a 30-day back money guarantee.
If you want more options, you can give NordVPN and IPVanish a try, both are equally good and offer pretty similar services as well so you’re free to choose.
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30-day money back guarantee
How to watch: Step by Step
When it comes to VPN services, it doesn’t matter which service you chose, they all work more or less the same.
Following these easy steps, you’ll be able to configure your service to enjoy The Handmaid’s Tale without paying for a cable subscription!
Step 1
Visit the ExpressVPN website or the site of one of the other VPN services.
Sign up and choose a subscription length. You’ll only need a one month package, but it’s worth taking a longer period so you can enjoy other shows like Poldark and Beecham House.
Step 2
In the “products” section, look for the app according to your device. The apps are available for all kind of systems and devices, including smart TVs and routers.
If you’re on Android or Apple iOS mobile devices, you can search for the app in the corresponding app store.
Step 3
With the app already installed, now, you need to log in using the account details you created in the first step.
Step 4
The last step is the most important one. Press the … button to open the country selection list and choose the United Kingdom.
Once connected visit Channel 4’s online streaming service All 4.
Watch Then Handmaid’s Tale.
Now you can watch the UK’s Channel 4 shows including The Handmaid’s Tale as if you were living in the UK, for a very cheap fee without expensive cable subscriptions.
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When is The Handmaid’s Tale shown?
Channel 4 airs the episodes weekly on Sundays at 9 pm (UK time), and then they’re streamed on their website.
Currently, they’re showing season 3, but the other two previous seasons are available to watch on their website.
What’s The Handmaid’s Tale about?
Based on the homonymous novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian drama set in the US after a Second Civil War that left the country divided.
From the ashes of that war, the Republic of Gilead is born with a totalitarian, theocratic government that organises society under the leadership of a military elite which is driven by religious fanaticism.
In this near future, the fertility rates have dropped due to sexually transmitted diseases and pollution. And once this new regime takes control of the country, women are subjugated brutally and not allowed to own any property, or to work, or have access to reading or studying.
The fertile women are forced to become handmaids, a new kind of slavery rank where women are assigned to the ruling elite couples, and they must submit into a ritual rape to get pregnant and give these couples a child.
All handmaids wear a plain red dress that covers their bodies completely, with a big white wing on their heads. According to the rank and type of service the women provide, the colour of their clothes also change.
How faithful is the series to the book?
The series follows the events of the book from Offred’s point of view, a handmaid assigned to Commander Fred Waterford’s house.
Most of the events and the general story from the book is respected in the show, and some elements and subplots are also expanded.
According to Margaret Atwood, the book author, the series portrays this world and characters more frighteningly than she did in the book.
Who’s acting in The Handmaid’s Tale?
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) headed the cast as June Osborne / Offred / Ofjoseph, a woman who is captured when she was running away to Canada with her family.
After being separated from her husband and daughter, she’s forced to become a handmaid. Her name changes every time a new master is assigned to her.
Joseph Fiennes (Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love) as Commander Fred Waterford, a high-ranking government official and June’s master. He and his wife, Serena Joy, are among the founding members of the Republic of Gilead.
Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter) as Serena Joy Waterford, Fred’s wife and a former conservative cultural activist. A very religious woman, she can be mean and cruel towards June.
Summary
The Handmaid’s Tale has become a success since it was released two years ago on the streaming platform Hulu.
Sadly, if you want to watch it in or outside the US, you need to have a cable or Hulu subscription.
But with the help of a VPN like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, or IPVanish, you can watch it for free on the UK’s Channel 4 anywhere in the world.
If you don’t want to be left out of the dystopian drama of the moment, subscribe to the VPN service you like the most, get the app, choose the UK as your location, and start enjoying The Handmaid’s Tale right away!
Illustrations © 7vect0r & Arienne Davey | Dreamstime.com
