| Fellow Travelers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Ron Nyswaner |
| Based on | Fellow Travelers byThomas Mallon |
| Starring | |
| 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 (2023-10-29) – December 17, 2023 (2023-12-17) |
Fellow Travelers is an Americanhistorical romance andpolitical thriller televisionminiseries based on the 2007 novel of the same name byThomas Mallon. StarringMatt Bomer andJonathan Bailey, it centers on the decades-long romance between two men who first meet during the height ofMcCarthyism in the 1950s. The series premiered on October 29, 2023, onShowtime following an October 27 release onParamount+ with Showtime.[1]
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 aPeabody Award and three nominations at the76th Primetime Emmy Awards.
After a chance encounter in Washington, D.C., in the 1950s, Hawkins Fuller and Timothy Laughlin start a volatile romance that spans "theVietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueleddisco hedonism of the 1970s and theAIDS crisis of the 1980s, while facing obstacles in the world and in themselves".[2]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by [5] | Original release date [6] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "You're Wonderful" | Daniel Minahan | Ron Nyswaner | October 29, 2023 (2023-10-29) | |
In 1980sWashington D.C., Hawkins "Hawk" Fuller and his wife Lucy celebrate his new diplomatic post inMilan 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, uponDwight D. Eisenhower winning thepresidential election, Hawk meets and flirts with Tim Laughlin, who strongly believes inMcCarthyism and is a devoutCatholic. Hawk gets Tim a job forJoseph McCarthy as an aide to find information for him, and later seduces Tim; they haveanal 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 undergroundgay 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 attendsmass, 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 inSan 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 (2023-11-05) | |
| 3 | "Hit Me" | Destiny Ekaragha | Teleplay by : Brandon K. Hines & Jack Solomon Story by : Ron Nyswaner | November 12, 2023 (2023-11-12) | |
| 4 | "Your Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire" | James Kent | Anya Leta | November 19, 2023 (2023-11-19) | |
| 5 | "Promise You Won't Write" | James Kent | Katie Rose Rogers &Robbie Rogers | November 26, 2023 (2023-11-26) | |
| 6 | "Beyond Measure" | Uta Briesewitz | Dee Johnson | December 3, 2023 (2023-12-03) | |
| 7 | "White Nights" | Destiny Ekaragha | Brandon K. Hines & Ron Nyswaner | December 10, 2023 (2023-12-10) | |
| 8 | "Make It Easy" | Uta Briesewitz | Teleplay by : Anya Leta & Jack Solomon Story by : Ron Nyswaner | December 17, 2023 (2023-12-17) | |
A television adaptation of Mallon's work was in development as a co-production fromFremantle forShowtime as of October 2021.[7] Showtime officially greenlit the series in April 2022, with the series being written byRon Nyswaner who also served as executive producer. Other executive producers includedDaniel Minahan, who directed the first two episodes.[8]
Alongside the greenlight announcement in April 2022, it was announcedMatt 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 thatJonathan Bailey would star opposite Bomer as Tim Laughlin.[10]
Principal photography began inToronto on July 27, 2022, and wrapped on December 9, 2022.[8][11]
Episodes of the series were released onParamount+ with Showtime two days prior to their debuts onShowtime.[1][6]
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Fellow Travelers won aPeabody Award at the 83rd ceremony for chronicling LGBTQ+ history over 50 years. On thereview aggregator websiteRotten 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] OnMetacritic, 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 byVariety,The Washington Post andThe 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.
