We focus on the story of Agnes (played by Chase Infiniti), the biological daughter of Handmaid’s Tale main character June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss). She grows up in Gilead completely content with the brutal system, but her life is turned upside down when new resident Daisy (Lucy Halliday) joins Aunt Lydia’s (Ann Dowd) school for wives.
Although she seems like just another student, Daisy is secretly a spy working with June and Mayday agents to overthrow Gilead.
Viewers have also been introduced to the Aunts responsible for educating the young women. But what’s the story behind their unusual names?
How do Aunts in The Testaments get their names?
The Aunts in The Testaments are named after commercial products that were popular among women in the pre-Gilead era.
It’s revealed in Margaret Atwood’s novels that the founding commanders introduced this tradition in an attempt to ease the transition into Gilead.
Each Aunt picks their name from a list of product names that are “familiar and reassuring” to them. These include the “names of cosmetic lines, cake mixes, frozen desserts, and even medicinal remedies”.
This is why the Aunts have unique names such as Aunt Estee (Eva Foote), seemingly named after Estee Lauder, or Aunt Gabbana (Zarrin Darnell-Martin), derived from Dolce and Gabbana.
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*Warning: Mild spoilers for The Testaments novel.*
But these brand names only hold meaning to the older generations living in Gilead. In The Testaments novel, main character Becka (Mattea Conforti) becomes an Aunt. She later learns about the “approved list” of names she can choose from for her new role.
Atwood writes: “Becka said the names were made from the names of products women had liked once and would be reassured by, but she herself did not know what those products were. Nobody our age knew, she said.”
Since Becka and Agnes have been raised in Gilead, they don’t have the same connection to the gender-specific brand names.
The sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale focuses on the young teens of Gilead
The Testaments teased in trailer from Disney+
The Testaments couldn’t have come at a more depressingly relevant time given the state of the world.
From the reversal of the historic Roe vs Wade ruling in America, to the erosion of women’s bodily autonomy across the world, to Incel culture via Andrew Tate and the Manosphere, to the continuing unfolding horrors emerging from the Epstein Files, being a woman in 2026 has never been a more frightening prospect.
That’s why I believe Disney+ and Hulu drama The Testaments should be compulsory viewing in all schools and serves as a warning that if we don’t try to change things now, all hope could be lost forever.
The series is adapted from Canadian author Margaret Atwood’s Booker Prize-winning 2019 novel The Testaments, which itself was a sequel to her seminal 1985 classic The Handmaid’s Tale.
The follow-up novel came about thanks to the success of Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale starring Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss in the title role. The original series first hit screens in 2017 – not long after Brexit and newly elected President Trump’s first term in office – and instantly captured the zeitgeist thanks to its dystopian, Black Mirror take on the world.
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A Disney+ subscription now starts at £5.99 and includes hit series like The Testaments, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bear, plus countless titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and more.
Atwood has previously said how The Handmaid’s Tale was originally based on things that had already happened across history and were still happening, however, since she published her novel over 40 years ago, it appears those times have become a disturbing and tangible new reality for us.
The Testaments TV show follows a group of teenage girls from the upper echelons of Gilead society preparing to become Wives to Commanders, many of whom are much older than them. Their destined husbands are determined by the Aunts in a series of arranged marriages to ensure there isn’t any accidental incest, given the use of Handmaids and babies getting handed over to Gilead’s finest families.
The girls known as ‘Plums’ – thanks to the Cadbury shade of purple they wear – are forbidden from reading or writing at the risk of losing a finger; their sex education is non-existent; they witness Gilead’s harsh brand of Old Testament justice; and they are constantly warned not to tempt men, who apparently can’t control their urges.
Amid the Plums is Pearl Girl Daisy (played by Lucy Halliday), a Canadian teen from Toronto posing as a Gilead convert after she’s sent into Gilead by the resistance movement Mayday. Street-wise and sex-savvy, Daisy serves as the audience’s perspective in the show as she challenges the Plums in the face of the regime’s fallacies.
While the drama isn’t as dark as its predecessor, The Testaments delves into issues of consent and sexual abuse in a more age-appropriate way. The Testaments shows why we all need to be educated about sex and making informed choices about our bodies.
The Testaments is also one of the few shows to feature periods and menstruation so prominently. Gilead celebrates menstruation as a sign of fertility to the point that the Plums ring a bell heralding the news and then embark on a catwalk of sorts while their fellow pupils cheer them on. Not since reading Judy Blume have I seen so much discussed about periods, if only there were more positive depictions of period in media.
Sadly, it’s a double-edged sword for the girls as it means it’s now time for them to find a husband as they essentially become child brides. Again, this complexity is intriguing and one that feeds into grooming teens – the way the Commanders eye up Agnes MacKenzie (Chase Infiniti) as a potential bride-to-be when she greets her father during a meeting is chilling.
But amid all the bleak dystopian misogyny, hope springs: Daisy is trying to stoke a fire from within Gilead and give the Plums agency. It’s this message that’s so important: you may be a teenage girl but you still have the power to shape the world and make your voice heard.
I’ve always believed that TV has the power to change things for the better in this world. If you can see it, then you can be it. Whether it’s onscreen representation from the likes of Netflix’s Heartstopper depicting blossoming queer love, to soaps brilliantly covering a myriad of topics from domestic violence and stillbirth, to Adolescence, which led to discussions in Parliament about male radicalisation. Meanwhile, a whole generation of women pursued STEM careers thanks to Gillian Anderson’s iconic performance as medical doctor and scientist, FBI agent Dana Scully in The X-Files.
If The Handmaid’s Tale was sounding the alarm for my generation, then The Testaments is the wake-up call for this generation. The future of the world is in your hands, and you have the chance to change it right now.
The Testaments airs weekly on Hulu and Disney+ on Wednesdays
Malcolm in the Middle is officially back and the actor who played older brother Reese has revealed that he has ‘never watched the show’ despite being a leading figure in it
Liam McInerney Content Editor
05:00, 10 Apr 2026
Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) with Reese (Justin Berfield) (Image: Carin Baer/FOX)
The actor who starred as Reese in Malcolm in the Middle has “never watched the show” back. Justin Berfield, now 40, has now returned to our screens for the reboot of the sitcom that ended two decades ago. He has lived a quiet life since then and recently revealed why he quit Hollywood.
But speaking on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, he confirmed that he had watched the four-episode revival, which was released on Disney+ today (April 10), but he still avoids the original episodes.
He said: “I watched it — and I never watched any of the Malcolm episodes.”
Host Joe, clearly surprised, pushed him further, and Justin continued: “I think I’ve, out of 151 episodes, I think I’ve just seen five… I just never watched them.
“I’m an actor… I cannot watch myself because I critique myself way too much.”
He was then informed that he was “great” as Reese but he responded: “I am like, I feel I didn’t hit that joke right, I feel like I messed that line up. I can’t watch myself.
“I’ll turn it on for my wife and kids and I’ll run away and leave the room. I’m like, ‘Let me know when it’s done.’”
He was then pressed on whether he will one day watch it back, given it might trigger some positive memories he had forgotten about.
Justin, who is now a stay-at-home dad who has worked as an onset producer and writer, said: “I don’t know… maybe. I just get uncomfortable watching myself. I know every actor is different and some people love watching themselves, I just can’t. I don’t know. I critique myself too much.”
The reboot sees Justin return as the older brother to Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz.
He said it was interesting to see where all the characters ended up 20 years later — and he said Reese was still his “shortsighted but quick reacting” self.
Also returning is Malcom’s other older brother, Francis, portrayed by Christopher Masterson. And the siblings’ parents, Hal and Lois, played by Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, are also starring in it.
The synopsis reveals: “After shielding himself and his daughter from his family for over a decade, Malcolm is dragged back into their orbit when Hal and Lois demand his presence at their 40th anniversary party.”
And as for what it was like being back on set after so long away from his former colleagues, Justin said: “It felt like a really, just a really long hiatus. When we were filming the show, you’d film for like eight months and then you’d take like two, three months off, and then kind of go back and do some things again and start seeing everyone, and that was like your year for seven years straight.
“And then we did this, it was obviously like 20 years since we’d seen each other for most of us. And you just kind of, it felt like time stopped, like we just got right back into it.”
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is streaming on Disney Plus from April 10
Scrubs fans have been wondering if any more original cast members will return.
Scrubs Cast – then and now
Fans are wondering if one of the most beloved characters from the original series of Scrubs will appear in the revival.
*Warning – this article contains minor spoilers for the revival series of Scrubs*
A few weeks into the new season, we have already been reacquainted with JD, Turk and Elliott played by Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke respectively. Early episodes have also featured brief appearances by John C McGinley’s Dr Cox and Judy Reyes’ Carla.
Unfortunately they are not series regulars for the new iteration. Although the Todd has been a more regular occurrence.
The Janitor was an instant favourite in the original series. He appeared during the original eight season run and was played by Neil Flynn.
Most dedicated viewers will know that the writers first considered the role would actually be a part of the main character’s imagination but they soon abandoned that idea part way through the first season.
He did not appear in the ninth season, having apparently quit as soon as he found out his adversary JD no longer worked at the hospital. Behind the scenes, Flynn’s commitment to starring in the sitcom The Middle at the same time prevented him from appearing.
But will the Janitor appear in the new series? Here’s what we know so far.
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Is the Janitor in the new series of Scrubs?
Yes, the Janitor is due to make an appearance in the series. A video shared to the show’s official Facebook page back in February confirmed it by sharing a short video. It was captioned: “Oh, he is SO back. Neil Flynn is scrubbing back in to Scrubs.”
However, the actor was not in his character’s usual attire. Instead of his maintenance overalls, he is seen wearing a suit. The person behind the camera drops a disposable coffee cup before Flynn enters the shot and says: “I’m not cleaning that.”
This clip sparked more than a 1,000 comments of fans sharing their excitement to the news. One person simply stated: “Best. News. Ever!” Another replied: “Shut the front door!?!!! I cannot waaaait!! I was getting so worried because I hadn’t seen him in any of the sneak peeks.”
However, six episodes have been released so far and Flynn is still to appear. The show seems in no rush to offer up more cameos as it spends time introducing fans to the new characters. This week, in the sixth instalment, only just saw the reintroduction of another beloved role – the stuffed dog Rowdy, who was revealed to now be living in JD’s office.
There only three episodes left of the revival series according to its Wikipedia page, so it should not be long before Flynn appears. We still don’t know for sure which one it will be though. It could be that the makers of the show are saving something special for the finale.
There’s a mysterious new character that fans are wondering about their true identity
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The latest season of hit Marvel sequel series Daredevil Born Again has introduced a mysterious new villain.
While the show debuted last year, it quickly became a hit with fans and critics alike and succeeded in picking up where the Netflix version of the comic book character left off. It also meant that the character was now officially a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Its first season managed to score an impressive 87% on website Rotten Tomatoes and the premiere episode of the second season is streaming now on Disney+.
As episodes are released on a weekly basis, fans will see Mayor Wilson Fisk crush New York City underfoot as he hunts down public enemy number one, the Hell’s Kitchen vigilante known as Daredevil. But, beneath the horned mask, Matt Murdock will try to fight back from the shadows to tear down the Kingpin’s corrupt empire and redeem his home. Resist. Rebel. Rebuild.
The show sees most of the original cast return including Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio reprising their roles as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk respectively. Also returning are Wilson Bethel as Bullseye and Deborah Ann Woll as Karen.
One newcomer to the show though has already made an impact just one episode in. That is the currently mysterious Mr Charles, played by Matthew Lillard. Lillard is famed for his previous roles in the Scream franchise as well as Five Nights At Freddy’s, the Scooby Doo live-action films and Prime Video series Cross.
But who is his character Mr Charles? Is he in the original Marvel comics? Here’s all you need to know. Beware some mild spoilers for Daredevil Born Again season 2, episode 1.
Who is Mr Charles?
In the show, we meet Mr Charles as he watches developments in New York on the TV from Washington. Daredevil has just sunk the North Star ship which was secretly smuggling weapons for Wilson Fisk and his associates. Turns out, Mr Charles is a middle man for these associates.
As a result, he gets a phone call and agrees he needs to address the matter personally. He arrives at Fisk’s office on his own terms, seemingly one of the very few people unafraid of the Kingpin. In a reference that may have missed the average viewer, the name Miss de Fontaine is mentioned and confirmed to be Mr Charles’ boss.
This means he works for Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus and seen in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , Black Widow , Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , and Thunderbolts. So this Mr Charles works for the CIA but is assisting de Fontaine with illicit operations.
However, some fans believe that this name could be a cover for who the character really is. According to Screen Rant there is a character called Mr Charles in Marvel lore but he only appeared in one issue, outside any main storyline or continuity. The issue was published in 2013 and he was a Roxxon Corporation employee who was in charge if illegal oil drillings in the ocean.
Fans will just have to wait as the series continues to see who Mr Charles really is and what he is truly up to. There is always the chance that he is an original character created for the show.
Created by Ryan Murphy, the drama unveils John (portrayed by Paul Anthony Kelly) and Carolyn’s (Sarah Pidgeon) relationship in the years preceding their tragic deaths on July 16, 1999, after a plane crash.
Episode 8 transports audiences to August 30, 1997, capturing the hours before Princess Diana’s heart-breaking death. The Royal passed away on the 31st after a car accident in Paris.
Carolyn is deeply affected by Princess Diana’s death because she had recently been seated behind her at Gianni Versace’s funeral. She also starts fearing for her own future under public scrutiny, whilst John appears to dismiss her worries, reports the Daily Record.
Viewers have been left heartbroken by the moving episode, with one X user posting: “I’m shattered beyond words this really broke me #lovestory.”
A second contributed: “#lovestory’s last episode might kill me, poor Carolyn,” whilst a third commented: “That was an unpleasant episode #LoveStory.”
And a fourth audience member remarked: “Just finished episode 8 of Love Story and I’m in tears. Those 42 minutes flew by and hit me so deeply I cried my eyes out.”
So when can audiences return to the drama?
How many episodes are left in Love Story Season 1?
As per usual, Love Story will be ready to stream on Disney+ next Friday (March 27). Unfortunately, that episode will be the series finale.
Entitled ‘Search and Recovery’, Episode 9 sees John and Carolyn battling to keep their relationship intact. As we witnessed in the series premiere, the pair will set off on a journey to Hyannis Port, accompanied by Carolyn’s sister Lauren (Sydney Lemmon).
We observed John clarifying that he would be piloting their small aircraft, before the show reverted back to the now-wedded couple’s initial encounter.
If the most recent episode left viewers teary-eyed, we can only image how emotional the responses to the series finale will be.
Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette ends with Episode 9, landing on Disney+ next Friday, March 27.
