‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ returns to Hulu on April 25 (and here’s a new trailer)

The first season of The Handmaid’s Tale has been a home run for Hulu — the series has been embraced by awards voters, and it was one of the streaming service’s most-watched dramas last year.

This weekend, Hulu has been working to build up anticipation for the 13-episode second season, with the release of the first images and the announcement that the show will return sometime in April. Now there’s a “first look” trailer, as well as an actual premiere date: April 25, when Hulu will air two episodes, followed by a new episode every week.

The Handmaid’s Tale was adapted by television writer Bruce Miller from the novel by Margaret Atwood, and it stars Elisabeth Moss as Offred, a woman trying survive in an oppressive society called Gilead.

The second season is expected to go beyond the plot of the novel, exploring the world beyond Gilead. Marisa Tomei will be one of the guest stars. And Moss says, “Arguably, it’s darker than season one — if that’s possible.”

Here’s that new trailer, which leans on the increasingly familiar “classic pop song, but slow and sad” formula — but the imagery is grim enough that it still works.

Hulu’s announcements at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour weren’t just about its big show. The service also announced that it’s picking up a six-episode adaption of Joseph Heller’s classic novel Catch-22, with George Clooney starring, directing and executive producing.

And this isn’t about a Hulu Original, but still: If you’re an ER fan, you’ll be glad to know that all 331 episodes are now streaming.