--- title: "The Testaments: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-testaments/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-testaments" critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 6 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Testaments (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 78 from 6 reviews: 4 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics are pleased to be back in Gilead, and nearly all of them agree on why: Chase Infiniti, as Agnes, is singled out in review after review, with Lucy Halliday named alongside her in several as the second of the series’ two young leads. The praise clusters around the shift in perspective, from the handmaids to Aunt Lydia’s school for the regime’s daughters, and the reviews describe it as a coming-of-age story about indoctrination, friendship and rage, several noting a lighter, more teenage tone than the original without much loss of menace. The reservations come from two quarters. The AV Club finds ten episodes too many, with world-building that pads rather than deepens, and asks whether the sequel needed to exist at all. The Hollywood Reporter thinks the strong performances are hemmed in by the original show’s archetypes. Nobody is hostile, but the spread is wide, from warm approval to a shrug. ## Variety — Aramide Tinubu Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 7 April 2026. The critic calls it a stunning and exemplary follow-up to The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as a magnificent coming-of-age story about girlhood, survival, rage and friendship under Gilead’s regime. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/the-testaments-review-hulu-1236709315/) ## Radio Times — Jess Bacon Rating 4/5. 7 April 2026. It is a triumph as a dark coming-of-age fable that stands impressively on its own while feeling disturbingly familiar, emphasizing indoctrination, female friendship and the regime’s control over young women. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/the-testaments-handmaids-tale-sequel-review/) ## The AV Club — Christina Izzo Rating C+. 2 April 2026. The critic praises Chase Infiniti's performance as Agnes but finds the series overly padded with excessive world-building and slow pacing across its ten episodes. It questions the necessity of the sequel given the familiarity of Gilead from the prior show. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-testaments-review-tv-hulu-chase-infiniti) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2026. Strong performances, particularly from Chase Infiniti, anchor the series, but it feels creatively suffocated by heavy ties to the original show and recycled archetypes. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/the-testaments-review-chase-infiniti-hulu-handmaids-sequel-1236552871/) ## Evening Standard — Vicky Jessop 7 April 2026. Chase Infiniti is singled out for excellence in this return to Gilead, which blends beauty and unease while remaining as urgent and darkly enjoyable as its predecessor. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/the-testaments-review-disney-handmaids-tale-b1277853.html) ## The Guardian 8 April 2026. The critic finds the series a bloody, horrific sequel despite its somewhat lighter YA tone, focusing on the next generation of women in Gilead under Aunt Lydia's school. The visual iconography and study of indoctrination and power are singled out. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/apr/08/the-testaments-review-bloody-sequel-the-handmaids-tale-disney-plus) ## The Independent 8 April 2026. The series is hailed as a fresh, vital young adult epic like Bridgerton meets Lord of the Flies, with strong performances from Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday as the central ingenues. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/the-testaments-cast-handmaids-tale-review-hulu-disney-b2953490.html) ## The Telegraph — Ed Power 8 April 2026. The review sees the series as a successful dystopian Mean Girls-style YA twist on Atwood’s world, told from the perspective of teenage girls at an elite finishing school. Chase Infiniti’s performance as Agnes is praised. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/the-testaments-disney-review/) ## The Times 7 April 2026. The adaptation of Atwood’s sequel is presented as a Gen Z-friendly story of teen rebellion against fundamentalist oppression in Gilead. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/the-testaments-review-chase-infiniti-handmaids-tale-margaret-atwood-dvz58cs57) ## Collider — Isabella Soares Rating 9/10. 2 April 2026. The critic praises the stellar performances of Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday as stars in the making and highlights the fresh spin on the coming-of-age genre in a dystopian setting, noting its timely relevance. They single out the strong ensemble cast and layered storytelling for praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-testaments-hulu-review-chase-infiniti-handmaids-tale/) ## Digital Spy — David Opie Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2026. The critic calls the series a perfect retelling that lives up to the early seasons of The Handmaid's Tale, highlighting strong performances especially from Chase Infiniti and the fresh perspectives while maintaining the franchise's tone and relevance. It praises the adaptation's changes for television and the avoidance of excessive violence. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a70895788/testaments-review-handmaids-tale/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-testaments.md