Jezebels

This article refers to the Episode 8 of the TV series. For the secret brothel, see Jezebel's. For the prostitutes forced to work in the brothel, see Jezebel.

Jezebels
Season 1
Episode 8
Air date	31 May 2017
Directed by	Kate Dennis
Teleplay by	Kira Snyder
Episodes
Previous	The Other Side
Next	The Bridge

Jezebels is the eighth episode of the first season of The Handmaid's Tale.

Synopsis

Fred takes June for a nice evening out where she meets an old friend.

Plot

Offred sits on the bed as Nick sleeps, trying to remember her husband Luke. It becomes evident that June and Nick care for each other a great deal.

In a flashback, we see Nick in career counseling, where he gets in a fight with another customer. After he is thrown out, the career counselor (Pryce) invites him out for coffee. After Nick tells him about his brother and the hard times they've had, the career counselor tells him about a religious group he is part of called the Sons of Jacob that wants to "clean up" the country.

In the present, Offred returns to her room and is surprised to find Commander Fred Waterford waiting for her with gifts including makeup, a revealing dress, and high heeled shoes. After shaving her legs and getting dressed up, the two, driven by Nick, head to a surprise destination. Disguised as Serena Joy Waterford, Offred slips by the guards at various checkpoints.

Again in flashback, we see Nick driving Mr. Pryce, Mr. Waterford and another Son of Jacob (Commander Guthrie) while presumably in his new job. The three men discuss women's roles and The Ceremony in the new society they want to build. They finally agree to pass this concept to the "Committee". When asked for his opinion on this "handmaid issue", Nick replies that the three men's idea was right as "not to form attachments" will be "better for everyone". This also marks the first time Nick meets Mr. Waterford.

In the present, Mr. Waterford, Offred and Nick enter the back of a building. They meander through hallways and elevators, and eventually find themselves in Jezebel's, a secret brothel/sex club frequented by well-to-do men. Offred sees Moira across the bar. In an atrempt to hide the shock, Offred excuses herself to the women's restroom and finds Moira. The two have an emotional reunion, but Moira is shooed out by a superior. Moira tells Offred to find her later.

In the kitchen of Jezebel's we see Nick doing business with the kitchen maid Beth for the Eyes. Beth has alcohol and illegal hair dyes for the Wives. Nick gives Beth garden herbs, pregnancy tests and various prescription drugs. Nick asks her why she wanted ketamine, Beth tells him that some of the brothel’s guests use it on the women and that the women will sometimes spike the drinks of their customers and go through their phones, looking for information for The Eyes. Beth offers herself to Nick sexually, and he gently turns her down.

In a flashback, Nick and Rita discover the previous handmaid hanged herself in her room. Nick quickly tries to cut the rope and gets her down but he finds that she is already dead. As the body is carried away, Serena Joy asks Mr. Waterford "What did you think was going to happen?"

Reunion with Moira (Relationships/June and Moira)

In the present, Mr. Waterford and Offred are in a hotel room. Mr. Waterford tells Offred all about his current frustrations and fears and makes advances towards her. Offred silently cries as he advances on her. Later, while Mr. Waterford is sleeping, Offred sneaks down to see Moira. Moira tells her about her escape, the last time they saw each other, and how she found her post at Jezebel's. After insisting that they can't escape, Moira shuts Offred down and sends her away.

In a flashback we see Commander Guthrie being led by two guards into an office building of the Eyes. Nick reports to a pleased Commander Pryce that Guthrie has been sleeping with his last two handmaids and is skimming from the transportation budget, according to his aide and his Martha. Pryce then reminds Nick to "be chiefly reporting on the activities of his own Commander" and laments at the "loss" in the Waterfords' household. He concludes "We are going to clean up Gilead, son."

Under His eye, Guardian Blaine
 (Relationships/Nick and June)

The morning after Mr. Waterford and Offred's visit to Jezebel's, Serena Joy returns from her mother's house. As Nick brings her bags through the kitchen, Offred notices Nick's aloofness and asks if she can see him later. When he says he doesn't want to see her anymore because it's too dangerous, she demands a reason stating that if she indeed is murdered for her actions, at least someone will remember her. She mentions that she knows nothing about him. He eventually tells her that his full name is Nick Blaine and that he is from Michigan, but that is all. Offred leaves the room upset.

On her way up to her room, Serena Joy stops her and gives her the gift of a music box with a ballerina spinning to Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Offred uses the key to carve "You Are Not Alone" next to the Latin message in the closet.

Cast

Starring

• Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne
• Joseph Fiennes as Fred Waterford
• Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Waterford
• Max Minghella as Nick Blaine
• Samira Wiley as Moira Strand

Guest Starring

• Robert Curtis Brown as Andrew Pryce
• Amanda Brugel as Rita Blue
• Kristen Gutoskie as Beth

Additional Cast

• Justin Landry as Pushy Job Seeker
• Damien Howard as Checkpoint Guardian
• Christian Lloyd as Commander Guthrie
• Kirsten Johnson as Aunt
• Adrian Griffin as Commander Davidson
• Evgerny Akimov as Commander
• Charlie Riina as Handmaid
• Nora Sweet-Underhill as Wife
• Natalie Turner as Call Girl
• Mike Jackson as Commander

Music

• "White Rabbit" — Jefferson Airplane, arrival at Jezebel's.

Notes

• Pryce says to Nick "You are not alone" in their first private conversation (outside the career center). Offred later carves the same sentence in the closet wall.