On what date did the first episode of The Handmaid's Tale premiere?

The first episode of The Handmaid’s Tale premiered on April 26, 2017. Hulu launched the series with its first three episodes available on that date, then released the remaining seven episodes of the ten-episode first season weekly.

The series was developed by Bruce Miller for Hulu and adapted from Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel. Its debut introduced viewers to Gilead, a theocratic totalitarian state where fertile women are forced into reproductive servitude. Elisabeth Moss stars as June Osborne, whose assigned name is Offred.

The launch was significant for streaming television. The Handmaid’s Tale quickly became one of Hulu’s most acclaimed original dramas and later made Emmy history as the first streaming series to win Outstanding Drama Series. The second season premiered almost exactly one year later, on April 25, 2018.

Some international dates differ: the first two episodes premiered in Canada on April 30, while the United Kingdom debut came later. The canonical U.S. Hulu premiere date is April 26, 2017.