Last night, the Iowa Senate fast-tracked a so-called “heartbeat” bill, one of the nation’s most restrictive, that would ban most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected—effectively banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Also, Hulu has decided to renew The Handmaid’s Tale for a third season.
Now, Hulu’s decision to renew the show is probably based on its eight Emmy wins—including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for star Elisabeth Moss and Outstanding Drama Series—last fall as much as the increasingly bold attempts to deprive women of bodily autonomy that have accompanied the rise of Trumpism. The show has also undoubtedly played a role in raising the profile of the streaming service, which just passed 20 million U.S. subscribers for the first time. (A new deal that gives Spotify subscribers three months of Hulu for 99 cents can’t have hurt either.) But as long as the chilling parallels keep on coming, keeping the chilling televised resistance going as well seems like a good idea.