Disappointing Character Development: A Review of Showtime's Fellow Travelers

The Big Picture

Fellow Travelers sheds light on the echoes of homophobia and the lasting impact it has on individuals and relationships.

Starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, this historical romance series depicts the enduring relationship between their characters. However, it falls short in its exploration of the experiences of transgender, queer, and intersex individuals in the McCarthy era, while also sidelining the narratives of Black and female characters.

At 18 years old, I secured my very first job at a construction company, a place notorious for normalizing homophobia. I was well aware of this right from the start, which is why I was incredibly cautious about my demeanor, speech, and gestures. Throughout my entire time there, I was subjected to homophobic slurs, but I felt a sense of "safety" because I presented myself as heterosexual. However, one day, I overheard one of my superiors expressing shock over an argument he had witnessed between his same-sex neighbors, unable to comprehend that they could have emotional connections. I chose not to speak up, not wanting to confront him about the dehumanizing nature of his views. My decision was partly influenced by his higher position and the potential consequences he could inflict on me at work, but primarily because speaking out would mean revealing my own sexuality, something I knew I couldn't undo. For those who have lived through similar experiences, the Showtime series Fellow Travelers will strike a painfully familiar chord, serving as a reminder that the echoes of institutionalized homophobia persist to this day. Unfortunately, the series excels in only one aspect.

Adapted from Thomas Mollon's novel of the same name, the show revolves around Hawkins "Hawk" Fuller (portrayed by Matt Bomer), a man comfortable with his sexuality but compelled to live a closeted life during the Joseph McCarthy era. However, this doesn't deter him from forming a relationship with Tim "Tippy" Laughlin (played by Jonathan Bailey), an idealist who is awakening to the reality that the U.S. is not what it claims to be.

Image via ShowtimeFellow Travelers

Chronicling a decades-long, tumultuous, and passionate relationship is the story of Hawk, a charming and ambitious individual, and Tim, a devout and idealistic political staffer, who find themselves falling in love during the height of the 1950s Lavender Scare. Their intense affair grows even stronger as they navigate through the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueled disco scene of the 1970s, and the devastating AIDS crisis of the 1980s, all while tirelessly evading exposure and the risk of losing everything.

Release Date October 27, 2023Cast Matt Bomer, Jonathan BaileyMain Genre RomanceGenres History, Drama

Hawk Is a Fully Developed Character in 'Fellow Travelers,' but Few Others Are

Image via Showtime

Understanding Hawk's predicament is quite straightforward. As an employee of the U.S. government, he possesses direct insight into the daily actions taken against the LGBTQIA+ community and the ensuing fear it instills within him. During the '50s, being labeled a homosexual was comparable to being labeled a Communist, wherein the distinction held diminishing significance as McCarthyism gained ground and those in power.

In that regard, Fellow Travelers effectively demonstrates the negative consequences of a state of paranoia, creating a culture of suspicion where trust is impossible, relationships disintegrate, and minority groups always suffer. The series also highlights how innocent individuals can become casualties of this environment. However, these issues also reveal the major flaws in Fellow Travelers. Despite the clear portrayal of Hawk's precarious position and our understanding of his questionable and even cruel choices, the show is too quick to absolve him of his actions. Hawk is not a good husband, likely not a good father, and shows no remorse when sacrificing others for his own advantage. However, the show wants us to focus more on the beautiful and tragic love story he experiences.

This contrast would be less problematic if the series presented Hawk as an unsympathetic character. Unfortunately, both his virtuous and malicious actions are given equal weight, as though they can simply cancel each other out. This is not the case. Some of Hawk's actions even border on criminal, and no amount of endearing gestures towards Tippy can justify his past actions – not to mention the problematic nature of his central romance.

'Fellow Travelers' Has a Romance Problem

Image via Showtime

Fellow Travelers goes out of its way to idealize Hawk and Tippy's relationship, completely overlooking the toxic nature of Hawk's presence in Tippy's life. As the story unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that Hawk is on a destructive path and willingly drags Tippy down with him. The most frustrating part is that this is all done in an attempt to create a predictable, heartfelt ending. It's ironic that a series aimed at highlighting the dehumanization and erasure of our community by the American government perpetuates the same patterns with its supporting characters.

Fellow Travelers doesn't delve deeply into the LGBTQIA+ perspective. Instead, it only touches on the B and briefly acknowledges the T, repeating a mistake that many stories make. It fails to acknowledge the existence of transgender, queer, and intersex individuals during that time period, relegating them to mere footnotes. While using the McCarthy era and the HIV epidemic as a backdrop highlights society's disregard for our community, we must not make the same mistake. This is why documentaries like The Stroll are so crucial in modern filmmaking—they give voice and visibility to those who have long been silenced.

Marcus and Frankie Are Left Behind in 'Fellow Travelers'

Image via Showtime

Fellow Travelers falls short in its representation of Black and female characters. Take Marcus (Jelani Alladin) and Frankie (Noah J. Ricketts) for example. Marcus starts off with similarities to Hawk in terms of sexuality and affection, but his character development is not shown to the audience like Hawk's. It feels like the series includes Marcus and Frankie just to fulfill some diversity quota, rather than fully exploring their romance. The same treatment happens to Lucy (Allison Williams), who is reduced to a supportive wife and forgotten once Hawk's storyline progresses.

Similarly, Fellow Travelers fails in depicting the absurdities of the McCarthy administration in the '50s. McCarthy and his associates are portrayed as one-dimensional Disney villains, with scarred or odd-looking faces, solely highlighting the era's absurdity. The victims, unfortunately, are rarely given a voice. This could have been an opportunity to showcase powerful testimonials, but instead, the show repeatedly emphasizes McCarthy's evil nature and the hypocrisy of his team. While it's important to acknowledge their wrongdoings, we must remember that McCarthy gained widespread support during that era. By reducing these figures to mere villains, it creates the illusion that such oppressive forces are a thing of the past, when in reality they still exist and pose a threat to our basic human rights.

The lack of commitment in Fellow Travelers to explore its chosen backdrop is evident in the abrupt time jumps between episodes, where McCarthy disappears. Without delving into the devastating impact of the HIV-AIDS epidemic on the community and the enduring prejudice faced by HIV+ individuals, the series falls short in providing a deeper understanding.

While Fellow Travelers can be enjoyed as a romance story that requires minimal thought, it does offer enough background information to comprehend the characters' motivations and prompts some reflection on society's cruelty towards our community. However, it prioritizes a problematic character at the expense of giving space to other narratives, which is a missed opportunity for an extended series.

Rating: C

The Big Picture

Fellow Travelers exposes the deep-rooted impacts of homophobia on people and their relationships, shedding light on its enduring effects.

The show idealizes the damaging bond between Hawk and Tippy, disregarding the detrimental consequences it has on Tippy's well-being.

The McCarthy era is not thoroughly examined in terms of the experiences of transgender, queer, and intersex individuals. Additionally, the stories of Black and female characters are marginalized in the series. The premiere episode of Fellow Travelers is currently streaming on Showtime in the U.S., and the remaining seven episodes will be released every Friday.

Watch on Showtime