Alexis Bledel's Exit Forced The Handmaid's Tale Writers To Come Up With Worst Storyline Ever
Literally anything would do better.
Even the most popular and acclaimed TV shows sometimes face the worst possible situation when the actor playing a fan-favorite character decides to leave the show. It's almost impossible to handle such a situation gracefully, and many shows end up facing serious backlash after doing so in one way or another.
Unfortunately, that was the case for the production team behind The Handmaid's Tale, who had to deal with the abrupt departure of series star Alexis Bledel, who portrayed Emily Malek. While the cast, crew, and fans respected the actress' decision to take a break from the show, they were forced to admit that the quality of writing in her storyline had declined.
To this day, fans are wondering if we know exactly what happened to Emily. And the answer is: we don't, just as the writers don't seem to know themselves.
After Emily murders Commander Waterford and decides to return to Gilead, viewers are left in the dark about her fate. While her wife Sylvia talks about her decision, there is no real resolution for the character. For all we know, Emily could have been killed in Gilead or started a new life elsewhere.
Of course, it's understandable that The Handmaid's Tale execs are probably hoping to bring Alexis Bledel back for at least one more episode to give Emily the ending she deserves. However, it is almost impossible to predict if the actress will ever agree to do so, which is why Emily Malek remains in limbo.
Despite understanding the nature of the attempts to not burn all the bridges between the show and the actress, fans still argue that the storyline could've ended better. Leaving without a word to her son Oliver goes against everything we've learned about Emily, and literally any other story would feel more realistic.
The general hope is that Alexis Bledel will return for The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 and give the writers a chance to give her character the ending she deserves (a happy one, of course).
However, at the moment there is no official information about the release date of the season or Bledel's participation in it.
Keep an eye out for more news and behind-the-scenes updates on The Handmaid's Tale!