Bradley Whitford is headed to Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale in Season 2. Whitford, who has played many characters on television, including the popular Josh Lyman on The West Wing, will step into a role that sounds right up his alley. Whitford will join the award-winning drama to play Commander Joseph Lawrence, one of the key players in the creation and maintenance of the nation of Gilead.
Commander Joseph Lawrence is the architect of Gilead's economy, and is described as a gruff and intimidating yet disheveled "mad genius." THR said Bradley Whitford's Commander Lawrence is a bit of an enigma, and his sense of humor and brief moments of kindness make him a mystery to his newest Handmaid. Whitford's character is said to have a major recurring role, so no doubt he'll play a heavy part in the story as Season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale dives deeper into the inner workings of Gilead.
The inclusion of a major economic player like Commander Joseph Lawrence into The Handmaid's Tale is interesting, especially considering the nation was on the brink of economic failure in Season 1. The U.N. imposed a trade embargo on Gilead for its practices, although it looked as though the nation would survive the embargo as Mexico began to have their own fertility problems and sought out Gilead's women. Adding a character like Bradley Whitford's Commander Lawrence to the story will give the show an excuse to further flesh out Gilead's financial situation, and allow viewers to see whether or not the nation will survive the U.N. embargo. One would imagine that for Gilead's economy to survive it'll have to have more nations desperate for fertile women, or the Euro to fail, so scenes with Commander Lawrence will be important in order to follow the status of either of those events.
Bradley Whitford is a great casting for The Handmaid's Tale, especially given one of his most notable roles in 2017. Whitford played the bizarre patriarch of the Armitage family in Get Out, and no doubt the affable yet spooky vibe he gave off in that film will be utilized in his role as Joseph Lawrence. On paper, his serious demeanor with the twitches of humanity that he displays towards his Handmaid sounds similar to Joseph Fiennes' Commander Waterford. Fiennes walked the line between his two halves quite well and it made for one of the most memorable performances in Season 1, so, hopefully, Whitford's portrayal as Commander Lawrence can match if not top that.
The Handmaid's Tale Season 2 will come to Hulu on Wednesday, April 25, at 12:01 a.m PT. Binge the series in the time leading up to the big day, or head on over to our midseason premiere guide and get information on all shows coming in early 2018.
