The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 Review: 7 Ups & 1 Down From 'Women's Work'

6. Pop Culture References

The dystopian setting of Gilead makes it easy to forget that the handmaids once had their own lives like everyone else.

We were reminded of Janine and June's former lives through a brief conversation they had at the beginning of Women's Work. On a walk to the market, the two handmaids converse about June's pregnancy, and Janine tells June that she's approaching the fun part of the pregnancy - when the baby starts to kick. Janine then compares the stomach kicks to something out of the movie Alien. June laughs, and proceeds to tell Janine that the sequel is better.

The two women, dressed in full handmaid gear, surrounded by armed guards while discussing Alien isn't something you thought possible in Gilead. But at the end of the day: the world might have changed, but these women have not, and the pop culture references are a neat little reminder of this.