Fellow Travelers (miniseries)

Fellow Travelers
Genre
Created byRon Nyswaner
Based on
Fellow Travelers
by Thomas Mallon
Starring
ComposerPaul Leonard-Morgan
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
ProducerAnya Leta
Cinematography
Editors
Running time55-67 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkShowtime
ReleaseOctober 29 (2023-10-29) –
December 17, 2023 (2023-12-17)

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]

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

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.TitleDirected byTeleplay by [5]Original release date [6]
1"You're Wonderful"Daniel MinahanRon NyswanerOctober 29, 2023 (2023-10-29)
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 MinahanDee JohnsonNovember 5, 2023 (2023-11-05)
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 EkaraghaTeleplay 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 KentAnya LetaNovember 19, 2023 (2023-11-19)
5"Promise You Won't Write"James KentKatie Rose Rogers & Robbie RogersNovember 26, 2023 (2023-11-26)
6"Beyond Measure"Uta BriesewitzDee JohnsonDecember 3, 2023 (2023-12-03)
7"White Nights"Destiny EkaraghaBrandon K. Hines & Ron NyswanerDecember 10, 2023 (2023-12-10)
8"Make It Easy"Uta BriesewitzTeleplay by : Anya Leta & Jack Solomon
Story by : Ron Nyswaner		December 17, 2023 (2023-12-17)

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

The performances of Matt Bomer (L) and Jonathan Bailey received widespread acclaim from critics

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.

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2023 Golden Tomato Awards Best Miniseries Fellow Travelers Won [17]
2024 Astra TV Awards Best Limited Series Nominated [18]
Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Matt Bomer Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Jonathan Bailey Won
Best Writing in a Limited Series or TV Movie Ron Nyswaner (for "You're Wonderful") Nominated
Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance in a TV Movie/Limited Series Jelani Alladin Nominated [19]
Noah J. Ricketts Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a TV Movie or Limited Series Brandon K. Hines & Ron Nyswaner (for "White Nights") Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Limited Series Fellow Travelers Nominated [20]
Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Matt Bomer Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television Jonathan Bailey Won
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Fellow Travelers Won [21]
Golden Globe Awards Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film Nominated [22]
[23]
Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television Matt Bomer Nominated
Peabody Awards Entertainment Fellow Travelers Won [24]
People's Choice Awards The TV Performance of the Year Matt Bomer Nominated [25]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Matt Bomer Nominated [26]
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Jonathan Bailey (for "Make It Easy") Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Ron Nyswaner (for "You're Wonderful") Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Miniseries & Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Fellow Travelers Nominated [27]
Best Actor in a Miniseries, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television Matt Bomer Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television Jonathan Bailey Won
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie Matt Bomer Nominated [28]
Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials Fellow Travelers Nominated [29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Petski, Denise (August 17, 2023). "'Fellow Travelers': Matt Bomer & Jonathan Bailey Limited Series Gets Showtime Premiere Date". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  2. ↑ Otterson, Joe (July 11, 2022). "'Bridgerton' Star Jonathan Bailey Joins Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Porter, Rick (July 19, 2022). "Showtime's 'Fellow Travelers' Adds Trio to Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Otterson, Joe (July 21, 2022). "Showtime Limited Series Fellow Travelers Adds Five to Cast". Variety. Archived from the original on July 21, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Fellow Travelers". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Shows A-Z - fellow travelers on showtime". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 2021). "Fremantle Adds Nyanza Shaw And Jerry Jacobs As Scripted EVPs". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 White, Peter (April 20, 2022). "Matt Bomer's 'Fellow Travelers' Lands Series Order At Showtime". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 20, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  9. ↑ Otterson, Joe (June 7, 2022). "Allison Williams to Star Opposite Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  10. ↑ Porter, Rick (July 11, 2022). "'Bridgerton' Star Jonathan Bailey Joins Showtime's 'Fellow Travelers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  11. ↑ Toronto, City of (December 9, 2022). "Project Title: Fellow Travelers". toronto.ca. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Fellow Travelers: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Fellow Travelers". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 26, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ Tinubu, Aramide (December 8, 2023). "The Best TV Shows of 2023". Variety. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  15. ↑ Loofborouw, Lili (December 5, 2023). "The best TV shows in 2023". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  16. ↑ Kang, Inkoo (December 10, 2023). "The Best TV Shows of 2023". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Best Miniseries 2023 | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  18. ↑ "The 2024 Astra TV Awards Nominations Have Arrived". Hollywood Creative Alliance. July 9, 2024. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  19. ↑ "8th Annual Black Reel Television Awards Nominees". Black Reel Awards. Archived from the original on June 16, 2024. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  20. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (December 5, 2023). "'The Morning Show' & 'Succession' Lead Critics Choice Awards TV Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  21. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (January 17, 2024). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  22. ↑ Shanfeld, Ethan; Lang, Brent (December 11, 2023). "Golden Globes 2024: Full Nominations List". Variety. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  23. ↑ "GLAAD Media Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline. January 17, 2024. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Erik (May 10, 2024). "84th Peabody Awards Winners: 'Fellow Travelers,' 'Jury Duty,' '20 Days of Mariupol' and More". Awards Watch. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  25. ↑ Malec, Brett (January 11, 2024). "2024 People's Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominees". E! Online. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Fellow Travelers". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  27. ↑ Admin, I. P. A. "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards | International Press Academy". Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Nominees & Recipients - The 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  29. ↑ Longeretta, Emily (June 10, 2024). "'Baby Reindeer', 'Ripley' and 'Shogun' Lead 2024 TCA Awards Nominations: Full List". Variety. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
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