In the wild world of The Handmaid’s Tale, Ann Dowd has the power to make any fan feel frustration and potentially hatred towards her. Not here. Not in this episode.
Watching her as Aunt Lydia when she was free, beautiful and glowing with confidence was a gift that slowly unwrapped and revealed a wonderfully hidden side of her. Then she broke. Watching her break, broke me.
Dumbstruck by how incredibly charming, funny and warm she could be, juxtaposed to how her tyrannical self could be in Gilead, was a masterful sight to behold. Ann’s acting is something so moving here, that I do not think I will ever forget the wonder that she graced upon the screen.
This episode is so magnificent in its microcosmic storyline of the past, I personally feel that it can stand on its own. You do not have to be 3 seasons into The Handmaid’s Tale to appreciate it. Perhaps the flashback would have more impact if you spend countless moments feeling the tension toward Aunt Lydia, that is true. Conversely, it is so well written and performed, it feels like a powerfully poignant short film that becomes an allegory of great merit.
She was not always Aunt Lydia, with her hair down, makeup on and hopeful eyes that shine with true joy, you are pulled in with refreshing empathy. There is no plan to spoil any part of what “Unfit” has to offer, except to say, watch and marvel at this display of what the stage can really be, live or filmed, when a thespian brings life to the proper meaning of the craft.
It is in these instances like this, where I am no longer on my couch or my living room and I am so heavily invested a character’s plight, their presence feels real. Waves of emotion ran through me as I powerlessly observed the peak of elation and the pit of despair.
Reflecting on this episode and seeing Ann in anything else, I am reminded of how amazing she was here, and I nearly tear up at the thought of it. At some point, I may re-watch it, but it may be a very long time before I’m prepared to experience it all over again.
Perhaps it is her motherly disposition, the compassion in her eyes and the way I feel towards those I love in my life and see it in her. Part of me does not want to identify the magic that is in her delivery of it all, start to finish.
Suffice to say, Ann is magnificent, and I highly recommend you check out this episode, even by itself. Sit back and marvel at her excellence. For me, it will stay with me forever. That is what makes art, immortal.
Rating: 10/10
Through the Looking Glass 