Forgotten wartime 'masterpiece' viewers are calling 'better than The Handmaid's Tale'

A 'masterpiece' six-part Australian miniseries based on true stories of female nurses serving in WWI has quietly resurfaced online as one of the most powerful portrayals of women suffering under unimaginable pressure. Fans claim Amazon Prime series Anzac Grils makes Margaret Atwood's dystopian The Handmaid's Tale look tame. The series follows five young nurses from Australia and New Zealand as they swap polite society for field hospitals in Egypt, Lemnos and France.

Set between 1915 and 1918, Anzac Girls follows five young nurses - Alice, Elsie, Olive, Hilda and Grace - as they leave behind comfortable lives in Australia to tend to wounded soldiers in the chaos of war. From the heat of Egypt to the muddy battlefields of France, the women face heartbreak, danger and unimaginable loss while clinging to friendship and faith. Their story unfolds through real diaries and letters from the front lines, showing the courage, exhaustion and quiet heroism that defined a generation of women history almost forgot.

Their lives are ruled by men, their bodies pushed beyond exhaustion, and their bravery ignored by the history books - until this show finally gave them a voice.

One fan wrote: "The best of the centennial World War I shows that came out." while another added: "This was great! I enjoyed it a lot... A rarely seen aspect of the war. The only modern day comparison I can think of is The Handmaid's Tale but this packs way more punch."

More praised its raw focus on the female front line. ""Those women went through hell and still smiled. This show deserves every award it never got."

Unlike the stylised world of Gilead, Anzac Girls is brutally real. Every hospital, bombing and heartbreak actually happened. As one reviewer at Roads to the Great War explained:

"No battles, other military events or locations are fictitious. ... All of what the nurses know is from rumour, uncensored letters or out-of-date newspapers. Why isn't anyone talking about this show? I've seen fake suffering on TV, but this was the first time it felt personal."

In The Handmaid's Tale, women are stripped of freedom by a fictional regime. In Anzac Girls, they're stripped of everything - sleep, safety, love - by real-life war. Both worlds expose the control and exploitation of women, but only one shows how far compassion can go in the face of carnage.

One viewer summed up the feeling, dubbing it a "masterpiece": "It's more haunting, more human. It's not glossy or glamorous - it's raw, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable. A masterpiece, full stop."

Originally released in 2014, the show never reached blockbuster status outside Australia, yet it's now enjoying a second life. On Rotten Tomatoes, viewers call it "an instant classic" and "one of the most emotional dramas ever made."

For those after a binge that hits harder than any sci-fi nightmare, this rediscovered gem brings a true story to life with gut-wrenching realism.

Anzac Girls is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime and several other global platforms and is fast becoming the historical drama viewers can't stop talking about.