The Testaments S1E3 "Daisy"

·1 hr 42 min·5 clips

Daisy reveals how Gilead's extremist candidates were elected despite openly targeting women and gay people.

The episode begins with the hosts, Daphne, Wendy, and Jason, introducing their coverage of The Testaments, Season 1, Episode 3, titled 'Daisy'. They immediately discuss the episode's focus on Daisy's backstory and voiceover, which aligns with the book. A major revelation is the confirmation that Daisy is Baby Nicole, the daughter of June and Nick, who was smuggled out of Gilead. The hosts recap Nicole's history from The Handmaid's Tale, including her role as a political symbol. They analyze the creative decision to age Nicole up for the TV series, comparing it to 'soap opera rapid aging syndrome'. A significant portion of the discussion contrasts Daisy's previous life in Toronto—where she had a boyfriend, Justin, and liberal, loving adoptive parents—with her current life as a Pearl Girl in the oppressive, fear-based society of Gilead. The hosts break down the tense sequence where June Osborne extracts Daisy from a hospital after her adoptive parents, Neil and Melanie, are killed by Gilead agents. They examine Daisy's integration into the Pearl Girls school, including a field trip to Commander Judd's house where his wife, Penny, shows off her life. During this trip, the girls' bus is attacked in an action sequence shown from their limited point of view. The hosts speculate this was a failed Mayday extraction attempt for Agnes. They discuss Daisy's growing acceptance among the other girls after she confidently talks about male body hair, lightening the mood. The analysis touches on themes from the opening monologue, drawing parallels between Gilead's rise and contemporary political rhetoric. The hosts also mention production details, like director Mike Barker's involvement and casting praise for Lucy Holiday as Daisy. The episode concludes with the hosts promoting their other podcasts before transitioning to a spoiler-filled 'book talk' segment comparing the TV adaptation to Margaret Atwood's novel.

As heard by us

A thoughtful recap ties Gilead's early warning signs to Daisy's uneasy path toward Mayday.

Daphne, Wendy, and Jason frame Episode 3, "Daisy," around the warning signs that only look obvious once Gilead has already arrived, then track what that means for Daisy as Mayday starts to come into view.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get Daisy's voiceover, June stepping into the story, and a field trip where the girls visit Mrs. Judd, who is really their friend Penny.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from House Podcastica | All the Shows