There is a balm in Gilead. Hulu has renewed The Handmaid’s Tale TV show for a second season. The subscription streaming service announced The Handmaid’s Tale season two renewal today, during the Hulu Upfront Presentation at the Madison Square Garden Theater.

An adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale tells the story of life under the totalitarian regime of Gilead. The Hulu cast includes: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-T Fagbenle, Jordana Blake, Amanda Brugel, Ever Carradine, Alexis Bledel, and Kristen Gutoskie.

Here’s more, taken from Hulu’s multi-show press release.

Hulu Original Series The Handmaid’s Tale Renewed For Season Two

On the heels of its extraordinary week one premiere, Hulu is pleased to announce that it has picked up The Handmaid’s Tale for a second season, set to debut in 2018.

Based on the award-winning, best-selling novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale premiere has been watched by more Hulu viewers than any other series premiere – original or acquired – on the service, drawing acclaim from both fans and critics.

“The response we’ve seen to The Handmaid’s Tale in just one week since its premiere has been absolutely incredible. It has been an honor to work with this talented team of cast and creators to develop a series that has struck such a chord with audiences across the country,” said [Hulu SVP and Head of Content Craig]  Erwich. “As we continue to expand our strong slate of original programming, The Handmaid’s Tale is exactly the type of gripping and thought-provoking storytelling we want to bring to viewers. We can’t wait to explore the world of Gilead and continue Margaret’s vision with another season on Hulu.”

The Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. The series is created, executive produced and written for television by Bruce Miller (THE 100), who serves as the series’ showrunner. The Handmaid’s Tale is executive produced by Miller, Warren Littlefield (FARGO), Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears and Ilene Chaiken. Margaret Atwood is a consulting producer for the series. The Handmaid’s Tale is produced by MGM Television and marks the first collaboration for an original series between Hulu and MGM.

What do you think? Have you been watching the first season of The Handmaid’s Tale TV series? Did you think it would be cancelled or renewed for season two on Hulu?