Now thatThe Handmaid’s Talehas ended after six seasons on Hulu, audiences will have to wait until sometime in 2026 forthe upcoming sequel show,The Testaments, if they want to see a follow-up to Elisabeth Moss' performance. Luckily, there are other places to see Moss’s incredible acting talents.Moss has headlinedThe Handmaid’s Taleas June Osborne, and her performances have never failed to live up to the intense tone set by Margaret Atwood in the original novel.
In fact, Moss’ acting talents have carried her forward from her initial TV voice acting work in the early 1990s to her present status as one of the most popular actors in television. And,between seasons 4 and 5 ofThe Handmaid’s Tale, Moss starred in another science-fiction thriller on Apple TV+.While we all wait forThe Testaments, this show from 2021 is definitely worth the watch.
Fans Of The Handmaid’s Tale Should Check Out Elisabeth Moss In Apple TV+’s Shining Girls
Filmed Between Seasons 4 And 5 Of The Handmaid’s Tale, Shining Girls Shows Off Moss' Talents
IfThe Handmaid’s Talewas a favorite these past 8 years, then Apple TV+’s 2022 sci-fi thriller,Shining Girls, might hit the spot while waiting forThe Testaments.InShining Girls, Moss stars as Kirby Mazrachi,an archivist at theChicago Sun-Times.Shining Girlsfollows Kirby’s quest to solve her own attempted murder, and, in the process, uncovers a string of similar murders spanning decades. And, althoughShining Girlstakes place in Chicago in the 1990s, whereasThe Handmaid’s Taleis set in the future dystopia of Gilead, Kirby and June have many similarities.
Both women that Moss portrays are the victims of incredible violence at the hands of men who feel certain of their righteousness, and both women rise above that and fight.June’s strength and resilience are at the heart ofThe Handmaid’s Tale, and Kirby demonstrates that same indomitable spirit inShining Girls.In short,Shining Girlsshows Moss at her best, and it is an excellent addition to her repertoire.
Shining Girlsshows Elizabeth Moss at her best.
On top of the excellent performance that Moss gives inShining Girls,she also directed two of the show’s eight episodes. That makesShining Girlsone of only two projects where Moss has a director’s credit, the other being ten episodes ofThe Handmaid’s Tale. Furthermore,Moss also worked as a producer on bothShining GirlsandThe Handmaid’s Tale, and she will be an executive producer forThe Testaments.Shining Girlsputs Moss' talents center stage, and it is certainly a worthy follow-up for audiences who lovedThe Handmaid’s Tale.
Why Shining Girls Is Worth Watching On Apple TV+
Above Moss’s Talents, Shining Girls Is A Great Show
Even withoutThe Handmaid’s Tale,Shining Girlsis absolutely worth watching. In addition to Moss, the show also starsWagner Moura, who played Pablo Escobar in Netflix’sNarcos, and Phillipa Soo, who originated the role of Eliza Hamilton in the hit Broadway musicalHamilton. All three give incredible performances, and they make every scene ofShining Girlspop on Apple TV+.As the story progresses and the mystery at the heart ofShining Girlsunfolds, the pacing remains spot on and there are no episodes that fail to impress.
Shining Girlswas always conceptualized as a single-season show, so the current set of 8 episodes on Apple TV+ is all that there will ever be.
SinceShining Girlsis a mystery, I don’t want to give too much away in the recommendation. Butthere are science-fiction elements at play inShining Girlsthat really take the story to the next level. Just asThe Handmaid’s TaleandThe Testamentsare based on books,Shining Girlsis adapted from a novel by Lauren Beukes, and those literary elements make the entire show weave together elegantly over its single-season run. So, while it’s no substitute for Gilead andThe Handmaid’s Tale,Shining Girlsis a gripping story that does not disappoint.
Shining Girls
Cast
Shining Girls is a suspense thriller series starring Elisabeth Moss as Kirby Mazrachi, a newspaper archivist traumatized by a brutal assault. Set in 1990s Chicago, the show follows Kirby as she partners with seasoned crime reporter Dan Velazquez, played by Wagner Moura, to uncover a series of cold case murders that mirror her own attack, revealing disturbing and supernatural connections. The series is based on the novel by Lauren Beukes.
