The Stakes Have Never Been Higher for Commander Lawrence on ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6.

From the moment he was introduced in Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale, Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford) has always stood apart from the rest of Gilead’s ruling class. Though he helped design the system, he remains deeply skeptical of the theocracy it became, and has shown real remorse for how it’s impacted the women and young girls trapped within it.

That duality has long made him one of the show’s most compelling figures. He’s undeniably complicit, but also a rare voice of conscience in a regime built on cruelty, and one that twisted his vision of change into something far darker than he ever intended. In Season 6, he’s trying to push through his vision for New Bethlehem, a reformist colony designed to give Gilead’s citizens more freedom. Surrounded by growing suspicion and pressure from all sides, the stakes have never been higher for Joseph Lawrence.

Joseph Lawrence Becomes a High Commander in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 6

In Season 6’s aptly titled episode “Promotion,” Commander Lawrence reluctantly accepts a promotion to High Commander, pulling him deeper into Gilead’s inner circle, which is filled with men he clearly despises. The move, of course, isn’t driven by ambition. Like his strategic marriage to Naomi Putnam (Ever Carradine), it’s a calculated step toward gaining the influence he needs to make New Bethlehem a reality. With Gilead growing more unstable by the day, Lawrence is doing his best to play the part required of him.

In a quietly emotional moment with young Angela, he refers to his late wife, Eleanor, as his “real wife,” just before Naomi arrives, dismisses Angela, and fawns over his uniform, awkwardly commenting on his “virility.” Lawrence responds coldly, brushing off her affection and steering the conversation back to his reforms. It’s another example of him playing along with Gilead’s expectations to maintain power, which Whitford delivers with just the right touch of dry, comedic edge.

At his dimly lit and weirdly tense promotion ceremony, Lawrence remains stone-faced, silently enduring the charade. While Commander Wharton (Josh Charles) appears to share some of his reformist ideals, the introduction of Commander Bell (Timothy Simons) reveals the deep moral divide among Gilead’s leadership. Bell is sleazy and cruel, already arranging for them to celebrate at Jezebels. Lawrence once again plays along just enough to keep up appearances, but instead uses the opportunity to spend time with Janine (Madeline Brewer). He knows he’s responsible for placing her at Jezebels, seeing it, tragically, as a form of mercy compared to the Colonies. In a moment of compassion, Lawrence gives Janine a drawing from Angela, a subtle but powerful gesture that shows he sees Janine, not Naomi, as Angela’s true mother. It’s a moment of kindness, but in many ways, it’s also an act of resistance. Seems like he’s learned something from June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss).

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Bradley Whitford Continues to Shine in the Role of Commander Lawrence in Season 6

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Whitford continues to deliver one of the most layered performances on television. Some of Lawrence’s lines are genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, which is a rare gift in a show as bleak and emotionally harrowing as this one. In many ways, he serves as a stand-in for the audience, someone who recognizes the absurdity of Gilead. He’s one of the few characters who openly mocks the regime’s hypocrisy while still carrying the guilt of helping create it. That tension between complicity and redemption is what makes him so compelling, and Whitford’s casting remains one of the series’ most brilliant decisions.

With Mayday plotting a major attack and the other Commanders growing more suspicious of his motives, the pressure on Lawrence is higher than ever. New Bethlehem is beginning to take shape, largely thanks to his uneasy alliance with Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski), who, to her credit, has proven to be a valuable recruitment tool for the island. Lawrence is juggling everything, trying to maintain control while navigating shifting loyalties. That’s why his promotion to High Commander is such a significant move: it gives him more authority, but it also means more eyes are on him.

In the final moments of the episode, Lawrence shares another quietly poignant scene with Angela, reading aloud from A Little Princess, Eleanor’s favorite book. As he recites the words, Whitford delivers a performance filled with tenderness and sadness. It’s a powerful reminder of what he’s fighting for with New Bethlehem. He never wanted to live in a world where women, and especially young girls, were forbidden to read. When he gently promises Angela that one day she’ll be able to read on her own, it’s both tragic and hopeful. Again, it’s a small act of rebellion that speaks volumes about who Commander Lawrence really is.

As The Handmaid’s Tale enters the back-half of its final season, Commander Lawrence stands at the heart of its most essential question: Is it possible to reform Gilead, or will the entire system literally blow up in his face? Whether he succeeds or fails, Whitford’s performance remains one of the show’s highlights. His ability to continually subvert expectations and humanize such a morally gray character is nothing short of brilliant.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Release Date

2017 – 2025-00-00

Network

Hulu

Showrunner

Bruce Miller

Directors

Mike Barker, Kari Skogland, Daina Reid, Reed Morano, Floria Sigismondi, Jeremy Podeswa, Kate Dennis, Richard Shepard, Amma Asante, Christina Choe, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Bradley Whitford, Dearbhla Walsh, Liz Garbus

Writers

Kira Snyder, Eric Tuchman, Yahlin Chang, John Herrera, Jacey Heldrich, Dorothy Fortenberry, Marissa Jo Cerar, Lynn Renee Maxcy