| Fellow Travelers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Ron Nyswaner |
| Based on | Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon |
| Starring |
|
| Composer | Paul Leonard-Morgan |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Anya Leta |
| Cinematography |
|
| Editors |
|
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Showtime |
| Release | October 29, 2023 – present |
Fellow Travelers is an American historical romance 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]
Premise
After a chance encounter in Washington D.C. in the 1950s, Hawkins Fuller (Bomer) and Timothy Laughlin (Bailey) 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 Fuller, a WWII veteran and official at the State Department who vigilantly hides his homosexuality
- Jonathan Bailey as Tim Laughlin, a young and idealistic congressional staffer who becomes entangled with Hawkins
- Jelani Alladin as Marcus Hooks,[3] a gay African-American 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 and a childhood friend of Hawkins
Supporting
- Will Brill as Roy Cohn[4]
- Chris Bauer as Senator Joseph R. McCarthy
- Erin Neufer as Mary Johnson
- Matt Visser as David Schine
- Christine Horne as Jean Kerr
- Keara Graves as Miss Addison
- Jane Moffat as Helen
- Chelsea Russell as Stormé
- Andy Milne as Andre, Cozy Corner Pianist
- Mike Taylor as Leonard Smith
- David Tomlinson as Eddie Kofler
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Teleplay by [5] | Original release date [6] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "You're Wonderful" | Daniel Minahan | Ron Nyswaner | October 29, 2023 | N/A |
| 2 | "Bulletproof" | Daniel Minahan | Dee Johnson | November 5, 2023 | TBD |
| 3 | "Hit Me" | Destiny Ekaragha | Teleplay by : Brandon K Hines & Jack Solomon Story by : Ron Nyswaner | November 12, 2023 | TBD |
| 4 | "Your Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire" | James Kent | Anya Leta | November 19, 2023 | TBD |
| 5 | "Promise You Won't Write" | James Kent | Katie Rose Rogers & Robbie Rogers | November 26, 2023 | TBD |
| 6 | "Beyond Measure" | Uta Briesewitz | Dee Johnson | December 3, 2023 | TBD |
| 7 | "White Nights" | Destiny Ekaragha | Ron Nyswaner & Brandon K Hines | December 10, 2023 | TBD |
| 8 | "Make It Easy" | Uta Briesewitz | TBA | December 17, 2023 | TBD |
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 screenplay written by Ron Nyswaner who also serves as executive producer. Other executive producers include Daniel Minahan, who is directing 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 are released on Paramount+ with Showtime two days prior to their debuts on Showtime.[1][6]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 49 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.40/10. 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]
See also
References
- 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.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (2022-07-11). "'Bridgerton' Star Jonathan Bailey Joins Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (2022-07-19). "Showtime's 'Fellow Travelers' Adds Trio to Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (2022-07-21). "Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' Adds Five to Cast (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ↑ "Fellow Travelers". Writers Guild of America West. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
- 1 2 "Shows A-Z - fellow travelers on showtime". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 2021). "Fremantle Adds Nyanza Shaw And Jerry Jacobs As Scripted EVPs". Deadline. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- 1 2 3 White, Peter (20 April 2022). "Matt Bomer's 'Fellow Travelers' Lands Series Order At Showtime". Deadline. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (7 June 2022). "Allison Williams to Star Opposite Matt Bomer in Showtime Limited Series 'Fellow Travelers' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (11 July 2022). "'Bridgerton' Star Jonathan Bailey Joins Showtime's 'Fellow Travelers'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ↑ "Project Title: Fellow Travelers". toronto.ca. December 9, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- ↑ "Fellow Travelers: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
- ↑ "Fellow Travelers". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 26, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.