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 27, 2023 on Showtime.
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".
Cast
Main
Matt Bomer as Hawkins Fuller
Jonathan Bailey as Tim Laughlin
Jelani Alladin as Marcus Hooks
Linus Roache as Senator Wesley Smith
Noah J. Ricketts as Frankie Hines
Allison Williams as Lucy Smith
Supporting
Will Brill as Roy Cohn
Chris Bauer as Senator Joseph R. McCarthy
Erin Neufer as Mary Johnson
Matt Visser as David Schine
Christine Horne as Jean Kerr
David Tomlinson as Eddie Kofler
Episodes
Production
Development
A television adaptation of Mallon's work was in development as a co-production from Fremantle for Showtime as of October 2021. 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.
Casting
Alongside the greenlight announcement in April 2022, it was announced Matt Bomer would executive produce the series and star as Hawkins Fuller. Allison Williams joined the cast in June as Lucy Smith. It was announced in July that Jonathan Bailey would star opposite Bomer as Tim Laughlin.
Filming
Principal photography began in Toronto on July 27, 2022 and wrapped on December 9, 2022.
Reception
On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
See also
Fellow Travelers (opera)
Explanatory notes
References
External links
2023 American television series debuts
2020s American LGBT-related drama television series
2020s American drama television miniseries
Cultural depictions of Joseph McCarthy
Gay-related television shows
Homophobia in fiction
Showtime (TV network) original programming
Television series based on American novels
Television shows filmed in Toronto
Television series set in the 1950s
Television series set in the 1960s
Television series set in the 1970s
Television series set in the 1980s
Television shows set in Washington, D.C. Television series by Fremantle (company)