Fellow Travelers (miniseries)
2023 historical miniseries
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Fellow Travelers is an American historical romance and political thriller television miniseries based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon. Starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, it centers on the decades-long romance between two men who first meet during the height of McCarthyism in the 1950s. The series premiered on October 29, 2023, on Showtime following an October 27 release on Paramount+ with Showtime.[1]
- Matt Bomer
- Jonathan Bailey
- Jelani Alladin
- Linus Roache
- Noah J. Ricketts
- Allison Williams
| Fellow Travelers | |
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| Genre | |
| Created by | Ron Nyswaner |
| Based on | |
| Starring |
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| Composer | Paul Leonard-Morgan |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Anya Leta |
| Cinematography |
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| Editors |
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| Running time | 55-67 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | October 29 – December 17, 2023 |
The series received positive reviews from critics with particular praise for the performances of Bomer and Bailey. It was named among the best television shows of 2023 by several publications and was a recipient of numerous accolades including a Peabody Award and three nominations at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Premise
After a chance encounter in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s, Hawkins Fuller and Timothy Laughlin start a volatile romance that spans "the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueled disco hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, while facing obstacles in the world and in themselves".[2]
Cast
Main
- Matt Bomer as Hawkins "Hawk" Fuller, a World War II veteran and official at the State Department who vigilantly hides his homosexuality
- Jonathan Bailey as Timothy "Tim" Laughlin, a young and idealistic congressional staffer who becomes entangled with Hawkins
- Jelani Alladin as Marcus Gaines,[3] a gay reporter chafing at the unofficial segregation of 1950s Washington, D.C.
- Linus Roache as Senator Wesley Smith, a father figure to Hawkins and opponent of McCarthyism (based in part on Lester C. Hunt)
- Noah J. Ricketts as Frankie Hines, a self-assured drag queen and love interest of Marcus
- Allison Williams as Lucy Smith, daughter of Senator Smith, childhood friend and eventual wife of Hawkins
Supporting
- Will Brill as Roy Cohn[4]
- Chris Bauer as Senator Joseph McCarthy[4]
- Matt Visser as David Schine[4]
- Christine Horne as Jean Kerr, aide to Senator McCarthy and later his wife[4]
- Erin Neufer as Mary Johnson, a closeted secretary in Hawkins' office and friend of Tim[4]
- Keara Graves as Miss Addison, a secretary in Hawkins' office who is a true believer in McCarthyism
- Chelsea Russell as Stormé, an entertainer at the Cozy Corner
- Andy Milne as Andre, the pianist at the Cozy Corner
- David Tomlinson as Eddie Kofler, a young government employee whom Hawkins sleeps with and later turns in to investigators
- Jane Moffat as Helen Smith, wife of Senator Smith
- Mike Taylor as Leonard Smith, son of Senator Smith and brother of Lucy
- Rosemary Dunsmore as Estelle, Hawkins' mother
- Michael Therriault as Fred Treband, an investigator working to purge homosexual employees from the U.S. government
- Jude Wilson as Jerome, a San Francisco youth taken in by Marcus and Frankie
- Brittany Raymond and Teagan Sellers as the adult and teenage Kimberly, daughter of Hawkins and Lucy
- Etienne Kellici as Jackson, son of Hawkins and Lucy
- Morgan Lever as Craig, Hawkins’ "boy toy" on Fire Island
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by [5] | Original release date [6] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "You're Wonderful" | Daniel Minahan | Ron Nyswaner | October 29, 2023 | |
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In 1980s Washington D.C., Hawkins "Hawk" Fuller and his wife Lucy celebrate his new diplomatic post in Milan by hosting a party at their mansion. Marcus, an old friend, unexpectedly visits to deliver him a souvenir and news that his old friend, Tim, is dying. In 1952, upon Dwight D. Eisenhower winning the presidential election, Hawk meets and flirts with Tim Laughlin, who strongly believes in McCarthyism and is a devout Catholic. Hawk gets Tim a job for Joseph McCarthy as an aide to find information for him, and later seduces Tim; they have anal sex. There are increasing crackdowns on secret homosexuals and communists at work, which worries Hawk. Hawk is also under pressure to marry Senator Smith's daughter Lucy, who he grew up with. Tim lets Hawk know of the information he overhears, but asks to be invited to a party in return; Hawk obliges, and the pair have sex. At the party, Tim is introduced to Marcus, and learns he is a reporter and also hides his sexuality. Tim, Marcus and Hawk visit an underground gay bar, where Hawk and Tim can openly kiss. Tim expresses jealousy over Hawk's relationship with Lucy, and Hawk reminds him they cannot catch feelings for one another. Tim storms off in rage. Tim attends mass, which he had stopped attending upon his relationship with Hawk. A priest tells Tim that God will forgive him and make him pure if he is truly sorry, but Tim confesses he felt pure while having sex with Hawk. McCarthy enforces harder crackdowns on homosexuals and communists, confirming Tim's insider information. Hawk returns to Tim and apologizes, confessing that he left his first lover out of fear, and that he later died; Tim and Hawk rekindle their relationship. Back in the present, Hawk is preparing to visit Tim; Lucy, who knows of their relationship, pressures him not to go. Now in San Francisco near where Tim lives, Hawk calls him, only for Tim to cut the call, though the phone eventually rings back. | |||||
| 2 | "Bulletproof" | Daniel Minahan | Dee Johnson | November 5, 2023 | |
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In the present, Hawk meets up with Maggie, Tim's sister, who criticises Hawk for depriving Tim of the opportunity to have a real partner. In 1953, Hawk attends Senator Smith's birthday party. Lucy's brother, Leonard, implies that he knows of Hawk's homosexuality and that Hawk is only courting Lucy to get Senator Smith's inheritance. That same night, Tim brings Hawk's secretary, Mary Johnson, to a party. He has a conversation with Senator McCarthy and Roy Cohn. Later, Tim has sex at Hawk's apartment. Hawk reveals that Mary is a lesbian, and that she and Tim should keep seeing each other to protect themselves. Tim accidentally oversleeps at Hawk's apartment, leading Hawk to pretend Tim is a newspaper boy when he is seen by a resident of Hawk's building. In a meeting, McLeod emphasises the growing threat of homosexuals in the M unit, causing Mary and Hawk to feign concern. Marcus and his friends discuss the black poet Langston Hughes, who is facing Cohn and McCarthy in court. In the hearing, David Schine, Cohn and McCarthy accuse Hughes of communist behaviour. Cohn shuts down Marcus's question about why Schine is not in Korea. Hawk invites his mother to lunch, where she reveals that his father is dying. She suggests he makes amends with his father, who disapproves of Hawk's homosexuality. Tim has lunch with Mary in public, where they discuss his religious beliefs. After realising Hawk won't call him, Tim attends a party at Mary's house. He meets her friends, including her partner Caroline. Tim walks home with one of Mary's male friends, who is celibate. Meanwhile, Marcus and Hawk meet at the bar. Frankie, a drag queen and the bar's singer, flirts with Marcus. Hawk visits his family home. His father demands that Hawk apologises for his homosexuality, which Hawk refuses to do, despite knowing he will be written out of his father's inheritance. Tim reveals information to Marcus about the authenticity of Schine's limp in exchange for Hawk's whereabouts. Caroline is placed under investigation by the authorities, leading them to conduct an investigation of her living arrangement with Mary. In his apartment, Hawk dictates a letter for Tim to write to Mary under the pretence of her love, to deflect suspicion from her. Hawk calls Tim out for dangerously mingling with Mary's queer friends, upsetting Tim who realises Hawk is using him. Mary uses the letter to clear her name and betrays Caroline to the authorities. Marcus finds Robert F. Kennedy, encouraging him to investigate Schine's 4F classification. Hawk tells Senator Smith that he is on McCarthy's enemy list. Frankie praises Marcus for his article about Langston Hughes. In the present, Hawk visits Tim in his apartment and stays for dinner. The episode ends in the 1950s, where Tim admits he has had carnal relations with a man in a confession. | |||||
| 3 | "Hit Me" | Destiny Ekaragha | Teleplay by : Brandon K. Hines & Jack Solomon Story by : Ron Nyswaner | November 12, 2023 | |
| 4 | "Your Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire" | James Kent | Anya Leta | November 19, 2023 | |
| 5 | "Promise You Won't Write" | James Kent | Katie Rose Rogers & Robbie Rogers | November 26, 2023 | |
| 6 | "Beyond Measure" | Uta Briesewitz | Dee Johnson | December 3, 2023 | |
| 7 | "White Nights" | Destiny Ekaragha | Brandon K. Hines & Ron Nyswaner | December 10, 2023 | |
| 8 | "Make It Easy" | Uta Briesewitz | Teleplay by : Anya Leta & Jack Solomon Story by : Ron Nyswaner | December 17, 2023 | |
Production
Development
A television adaptation of Mallon's work was in development as a co-production from Fremantle for Showtime as of October 2021.[7] Showtime officially greenlit the series in April 2022, with the series being written by Ron Nyswaner who also served as executive producer. Other executive producers included Daniel Minahan, who directed the first two episodes.[8]
Casting
Alongside the greenlight announcement in April 2022, it was announced Matt Bomer would executive produce the series and star as Hawkins Fuller.[8] Allison Williams joined the cast in June as Lucy Smith.[9] It was announced in July that Jonathan Bailey would star opposite Bomer as Tim Laughlin.[10]
Filming
Principal photography began in Toronto on July 27, 2022, and wrapped on December 9, 2022.[8][11]
Release
Episodes of the series were released on Paramount+ with Showtime two days prior to their debuts on Showtime.[1][6]
Reception
Critical response
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Fellow Travelers won a Peabody Award at the 83rd ceremony for chronicling LGBTQ+ history over 50 years. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of 76 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "A queer romance with the full breadth and depth of an epic, Fellow Travelers is a moving showcase for Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey's captivating on-screen chemistry."[12] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[13]
Fellow Travelers was named among the best TV shows of 2023 by Variety, The Washington Post and The New Yorker.[14][15][16] The show was nominated for three awards at the 76th Emmy Awards, Lead Actor in a Limited Series (Bomer), Supporting Actor in a Limited Series (Bailey), and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series.
