Gilead, the oppressive backdrop of The Handmaid's Tale, is run by criminals, hypocrites, misogynists, misanthropes, sadists and nearly every other kind of terrible human disguised as a person of God. But its architect, Commander Joseph Lawrence (played by Bradley Whitford), is a bit more complicated than that.
The smug Lawrence was introduced in Season 2 as the new commander of Ofjoseph, née Ofglen, née Emily (played by Alexis Bledel) in the TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel, and he was confounding from the start. Though Gilead—a nation built on the bones of the U.S. and ostensibly designed to reverse a fertility crisis—is his brainchild, he does not adhere to its rules. (That's not so surprising—commanders in Gilead do pretty much whatever they want, including patronizing Jezebels, the local brothel populated by sex slaves.)
His home is filled with art. He plays music. He does not rape Ofglen, even though her sole purpose is submitting to his will in order to produce a baby. He seems utterly disinterested in the rituals of the barbaric nation he created. In fact, by the end of Season 2, he's the one who helps Ofglen escape to Canada, albeit not without a little psychological torture just for fun along the way. (Thanks for ruining Annie Lennox's "Walkin' on Broken Glass" forever, jerk.)
So, what gives?
"There was a huge event in Lawrence's life," Whitford told Newsweek, "which was the dissolution and loss of the true love of his life, a result of his arrogance and his horrific mistake in using religious nutjobs as a delivery system for his ideas. That changed everything."
The commander's wife, Eleanor Lawrence (Julie Dretzin), a kind former art professor, suffered with mental illness exacerbated by her husband's role in creating Gilead. In Season 3, she died by suicide.
Joseph Lawrence still lives in the nation he birthed but, heartbroken, is conspiring behind the scenes. Whitford credits the show's protagonist, June Osborne, played by executive producer Elisabeth Moss, with his awakening. "June kind of blows on the spark of decency in a very powerful way and offered this character—a very flawed guy under very difficult circumstances—at least the potential for some sort of rehabilitation."
Off-screen, there was a parallel journey for the two actors. Whitford says it was Moss, with whom he previously worked on The West Wing, who pushed him into exhilarating and nerve-wracking new territory behind the camera.
"I loved it," Whitford told Newsweek about directing the ninth episode of the season, "Allegiance." "This is a beautifully produced, incredible crew. It's a story I love, it's actors I love, and honestly, mirroring June and Lawrence's relationship, Lizzie really inspired me to see what I could do if I took a little more responsibility for the story. It was truly one of the most immersive, satisfying creative experiences of my life."
Moss, who's won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Critics' Choice Television Award for her portrayal of June, directs multiple episodes this season, too, including the season premiere, "Morning," written by series creator Bruce Miller, and Episode 2, "Ballet." She also directed three episodes of Season 4.
The Handmaid's Tale premieres on Hulu September 14 with the first two episodes of the season, and new episodes on Wednesdays.
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