The Handmaid’s Tale’s Madeline Brewer on Commander Putnam’s Shocking Fate

With Season 5 of The Handmaid’s Tale nearly at its end, last week’s episode “Together“ saw swift and unexpected justice dealt against one of Gilead’s own commanders. Early in the season, Commander Warren Putnam (Stephen Kunken) was given Esther Keyes (Mckenna Grace) as a new handmaid, which led to him raping the teenager off-screen and causing her to become pregnant. In the world of Gilead, there’s nothing inherently “wrong“ with his actions, which leaves Putnam blindsided when his actions are called into question by Commander Lawrence (Bradley Whitford). Putnam has been a prominent figure throughout the series, seeing as he was Janine’s (Madeline Brewer) Commander and the father of her daughter. Seizing on Esther’s new proximity to her child, Janine positions herself as a mentor for the handmaiden, so she can get back inside the Putnam’s home and be with her daughter, in whatever way she can. However, Esther sees Janine as partially responsible for what