The Handmaid's Tale Season 5 Episode 1 Moment That Had Fans Cracking Up

Hulu drama "The Handmaid's Tale" premiered in 2017 and has since averaged just under one season per year, meaning that its fifth season started airing in 2022. Shortly before the first episode of Season 5 dropped on September 14, fans learned that "The Handmaid's Tale" Season 6 will be its last. Viewers starting its fifth season, then, now know that the show is steadily approaching its endgame.

Even those who possess a passing familiarity with the story of "The Handmaid's Tale" are likely aware of its dark tone. When the series opens, its women protagonists live in a nation called Gilead, where they're beholden to the wants of its ruling class under an authoritarian government. Of course, even within this bleak framework, its characters occasionally secure wins both minor and major.

The "Handmaid's Tale" Season 4 finale includes one such moment, when the escaped June (Elisabeth Moss) arranges and participates in the murder of her former captor Fred (Joseph Fiennes). While this serves as a major dramatic turning point in the lead-up to the show's coming finale, it also happens to be the impetus for a scene in the premiere episode of Season 5 that fans found hilarious.

At one point in "The Handmaid's Tale" Season 5, Episode 1, June decides to confess her involvement in Fred's murder to the Canadian government. As it turns out, because Fred died outside of Canada, they determine that the murder isn't under their jurisdiction. They do, however, fine June for mailing one of Fred's fingers to his wife Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), which amounts to $88, payable online.

In a Reddit discussion thread about the episode, user piscesmushie quoted the scene where June receives her fine and added two laughing emojis. This netted around 600 upvotes, making it the most popular comment in the thread. Furthermore, the majority of replies to the post simply consist of users recounting just how much they laughed when they found out about June's meager punishment. User full07britney even wrote, "I was trying to figure out if that's the first time I have ever laughed at THT."

On Twitter, meanwhile, user @thithucdiem shared an account of this scene emphasizing its comedic tone, and received more than 2,500 likes and around 400 retweets. User @John463987741 replied with an image of a smiling Elizabeth Moss holding an $88 check, and received a number of comments from users who found this post funny as well.

By these and other "Handmaid's Tale" fans' estimation, then, the anticlimax of June's fine seems to mark both a rare moment of levity and an overall highlight of its Season 5 premiere.