The Handmaid’s Tale remains a major draw on Netflix after expanding into select regions, and Hulu’s sci-fi momentum—driven by The Testaments and the original series’ reputation—has pushed the show into top-watched territory across multiple countries.
By the time weekend binge-watchers reached for The Handmaid’s Tale on Netflix. the show was already doing the one thing that reliably changes what viewers search for next: it was climbing. In select regions where the series recently landed in early May. it quickly found its way onto international charts. ranking among the Top 10 most-watched shows across territories including Argentina. Austria. Belgium. Costa Rica. France. Germany. Italy. Malta. and Mexico.
Hulu’s sci-fi universe isn’t just lingering in the background, either. The recent surge comes as momentum builds around Hulu’s 83% Rotten Tomatoes sci-fi series. which is quietly taking over Netflix’s world days after arriving on the streaming giant. The momentum shows no sign of slowing down, and the spin-off—The Testaments—has been part of the push. Its first season ended with a finale that shifted expectations and reignited attention. landing the series in the middle of conversations that binge-watchers don’t tend to start unless the timing feels right.
The Testaments recently concluded its first season, premiering on April 8, 2026, with its Season 1 finale airing on May 27. The show follows Agnes (Chase Infiniti). a young woman raised in upper-class Gilead society and educated at a prestigious girls’ school overseen by Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd). all in preparation for a prosperous marriage. But Agnes’s path collides with Daisy (Lucy Halliday) from the independent city of Toronto. Aunt Lydia orders Agnes to mentor Daisy—without knowing that Daisy is a spy.
That setup hits harder because Agnes is tied to the story at the center of The Handmaid’s Tale. Agnes is the daughter of June (Elisabeth Moss), who successfully escaped Gilead but was tragically separated from her first child. In The Testaments finale titled “Secateurs,” mother and daughter are still not reunited. Yet Agnes finally learns the truth about her birth mother after Daisy reveals that Agnes’ birth name is actually Hannah.
The original series, The Handmaid’s Tale, has been shaping audiences for years. It debuted to major acclaim and has the distinction of being the first streaming series ever to win the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Based on Margaret Atwood’s bestselling novel. the dystopian drama is set in Gilead. a totalitarian society established in what was once part of the United States. In Gilead. a fundamentalist regime treats women as state property. forcing fertile women—known as “Handmaids”—into child-bearing servitude as the world tries to repopulate after devastation.
The show ran for six seasons from April 26, 2017, to May 27, 2025. It was created by Bruce Miller. whose work on the series earned Emmy wins in 2017 for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. And now. as The Handmaid’s Tale continues to spread on Netflix in select regions in early May. The Testaments is already poised for what comes next. The spin-off is expected to return for Season 2.
What’s striking is how the pieces line up: a landmark Emmy-winning series that built a lasting global audience. a spin-off that closed its first season with a revelation at the heart of its characters. and then—just days after The Handmaid’s Tale’s Netflix expansion—international viewers pushing it into the Top 10.
The result is a perfect setup for anyone hunting for a show that feels urgent, not just popular. Netflix viewers get Gilead—and Netflix charts get the proof that the story still has the power to pull people back in.
The Handmaid's Tale The Testaments Hulu Netflix Emmy Bruce Miller Margaret Atwood Gilead June Elisabeth Moss Aunt Lydia Ann Dowd Agnes Chase Infiniti Daisy Lucy Halliday Rotten Tomatoes 83% Secateurs Season 2
So wait it says Hulu’s show is surging on Netflix? Like Netflix just added Handmaid’s Tales again or what. Confusing.
83% Rotten Tomatoes is wild like that alone should carry it. But I still don’t get how The Testaments is pushing it, aren’t they different shows? Either way people are bingeing, so cool I guess.
I read that June is the main character? But then it starts talking about Agnes and Aunt Lydia ordering stuff. Like who is actually the daughter of who, because my app shows different cast names. Netflix algorithm prob just messed up my brain.
Top 10 in all those countries sounds fake lol. Also it says it landed in early May in “select regions” but then it’s already top-watched? Make it make sense. I only watched like one episode and now my feed won’t stop pushing it.