The first images from the new “Handmaid’s Tale” show are out and they’re real unsettling

When we first heard that Hulu was adapting Margaret Atwood’s iconic The Handmaid’s Tale into a TV show, we celebrated — after all, it’s sadly remained an incredibly relevant political and cultural criticism. And Elisabeth Moss is perfectly cast in the role of Handmaid protagonist Offred, as she has a mountain of nuanced and moving roles under her belt. (Peggy forever.)

Now, we have a first glimpse of what the show will actually look like, and oh yeah, we’re excited for this timely and timeless tale to get the modern TV treatment.

The color palette is stark and striking, which is absolutely perfect as the original dystopian tale is rendered in bold primary strokes: Red, blue, and black are all loaded with meaning in the story’s examination of extreme patriarchy. For those of us who adore the book and maybe even watched the okay 1990 movie adaptation, the story resonates all the more in this current day and age. (For those who don’t know the story, here’s a good summary.)

It’s fitting that we should have our own modern rendering of the Republic of Gilead, as we head into our own uncertain times regarding reproductive health and the First Amendment, among many other things. The rest of the cast includes Joseph Fiennes, Samira Wiley, and Max Minghella, and the show’s set to air in April of next year. Hopefully it will have remained a a close-reading of our reality, rather than a look into our future.