"It's hard making it in a society that only cares about profit and pleasure. No wonder God has turned His back on us. No wonder there are no children. He doesn't want them to grow up in this screwed-up world."
- Pryce introducing his political conviction to Nick [1]
Commander Andrew Pryce is a minor character in the TV series. He is a Commander of The Eyes and an early member of the Sons of Jacob. He is the supervisor of Nick and chairs a board of local commanders, called the "Council".[2]
Before Gilead
Pryce works as a career counsellor. Nick is one of his unemployed customers who gets in a fight with another customer. After Nick is thrown out, Pryce invites him out for coffee. After Nick tells him about his brother and the hard times they've had, Pryce tells him about a religious group he is part of called the Sons of Jacob that wants to "clean up" the country.[1]
After the coup d'etat
Nick is driving Commander Pryce, Commander Waterford and Commander Guthrie. The three men are discussing solutions for the decreasing fertility rates.
Pryce initially states they must treat "these girls (i.e. the remaining fertile women) respectfully, in a Godly fashion, despite the moral stain from their lives before". Guthrie rejects this as unaffordable "window dressing" and ineffective. By Waterfords request and to Pryce's resentment, Guthrie proposes to use all remaining fertile women as concubines, i.e. they should be collected and impregnated by men of superior status. Pryce then suggests the "Ceremony" scenario with the wife present for the act ("it would be less of a violation") and eventually agrees to the enslavement [1].
In the present
Pryce reveals to Nick that Commander Guthrie has been sleeping with his last two Handmaids and is skimming from the transportation budget, according to his aide and his Martha. Due to the suicide of the Waterfords' handmaid, Pryce orders Nick to spy on Mr Waterford and report all his future activities. Pryce concludes "We are going to clean up Gilead, son".[1]
Pryce is chairing the council of local commanders (among them Waterford) who are hearing the case of Commander Putnam. Waterford is all for leniency, reminding that no one is free of mistakes and that Warren Putnam has a family, a wife and a new child. Pryce replies that the council should always stand against sin, and that Mrs. Putnam herself has asked that her husband receive the harshest punishment possible, as she fears for his immortal soul and knows that he must make an offering to God to find redemption. Ultimately, Putnam's left hand is amputated.[2].
Trivia
Pryce calls Nick "son".
Before Gilead, Pryce wanted to clean up "the country" (i.e. the USA). In the present, he wants to clean up Gilead, the result of this first "cleanup".
Notes
After the takeover, Pryce makes concessions to Waterford and Guthrie in the "handmaid issue". In the present, he spies on them and is Waterford's boss. This shows he's been gaining political power.
Pryce is planning a purge. In the novel, several characters who were alive during the timeframe of The Handmaid's Tale are described as "dying during purges" which occurred in the Middle Gilead Period [3].
Pryce used to prefer a "respectful" treatment of fertile women. The suicide of Offred's predecessor and Warren Putnam's misbehaviour (which caused Janine's suicide attempt) may have reconfirmed his initial point of view. A successful "purge" (orchestrated by him) could mean an improvement for the life conditions of Handmaids (who aren't usually treated respectfully).