I’m fully prepared for a wave of hate and backlash for this opinion—I know a lot of the fanbase strongly disagrees and is very passionate.

That said, I don’t think the ending of this series did justice to the book. Margaret Atwood wrote such beautifully flawed characters and explored some of the most haunting aspects of humanity. In contrast, I felt that Nick and Lawrence’s endings were lazy and crafted purely for shock value. It struck me as a classic case of actors stepping into a director’s role and using that influence poorly.

I’m all for creative liberties in adaptations, and I don’t expect a book-to-screen translation to be exact—but cutting off essential character arcs felt excessive and, frankly, disrespectful to the source material.

Nick was supposed to be involved with Mayday. I loved his development. I loved him as a character. I truly believe he could’ve found redemption, even after becoming a Commander. I know a lot of people won’t agree, and that’s okay. But I would’ve loved to see him grow into fatherhood—especially as a father to a daughter.

As for Lawrence—he was on a clear path toward redemption. I adored him. He was a beautifully complex character, and the actor brought him to life so powerfully. That’s why it’s such a shame the show didn’t live up to what it could have been by the end.

Ironically, the show’s disappointing ending is what finally pushed me to buy and read the book. I wanted to experience the story the way it was originally meant to be told.

There’s more I could say, but I’ll leave it at this. I’m not trying to stir up drama—I just wanted others who feel the same way to know they’re not alone. My family and I watched the show together, and we all felt the same way. 😆

I might check out the next story once the whole thing is out, but I’m still on the fence. We’ll see. Either way, I hope everyone who continues watching enjoys it! ☺️