Fellow Travelers

A classic and unbeatable formula: an ardent (to say the least) but forbidden romantic entanglement against the background of thirty years of dramatic social and political upheavals. A sort of The Way We Were but with Bomer and Bailey (both perfectly cast) instead of Streisand and Redford. The McCarthy era episodes are strikingly well done with the good period detail (one carping point: the '50s seem to be in vogue at the moment and every actor is dressed so perfectly in period style that no-one ever seems stepped out of an upmarket clothing store with nary a worn or patched garment to be seen).and fine performances from the troupe of Washington politicians and their cohorts. One glaringly obvious misstep where, because everything else is so well done I indulgently suspend my disbelief, is the almost total lack of effort taken to age the characters. After 30 years Hawk is supposed to have grandchildren yet he appears to have discovered the secret of eternal youth; the secret seems to have been shared with Marcus, who, apart from longer hair and a beard is similarly untouched by time.

Fellow Travelers isn't for those who know nothing about history nor much about the struggle and plight of gay men in the several eras this book-to-screen adaptation recounts. I mention this because I've seen some comments berating the creators for showing the power imbalance between the two leads and it's generally coming from people who were born into a world where it wasn't illegal to be gay, the world they arrived in was one where LGBT equality was at the fore and gay marriage was starting to become legal in many countries around the world, coupled with the introduction of anti-discrimination laws in the workplace and hate crime laws in many modern societies.

So, for those people who don't get this story about the paranoia and hatred stemming from a government of the day, a government steeped in the mire of a cold war and itself paranoid beyond reason, it's principally because they are shocked and expect every gay story to be like Heartstopper or Red, White and Royal Blue, both very enjoyable in their own right, but equally unrealistic and cuddly.

For my part, I like the cuddly stories but I also like the grit, and Fellow Travelers has plenty of grit: from the underground gay-scene to the dom-sub dynamic between the two leading men and then on to the paranoia of McCarthy-ism and the horrendous persecution and witch-hunts of gay men and all that that entailed. Then onwards through the 60's and 70's it goes to the height of the AIDS crisis in the late 80's, spanning the lives of the cast and the struggles of being gay at that time, and is it no wonder that the shying flowers who've never had those same struggles believe it's made up or inappropriate to convey. Well, I have news for them, that was the harsh reality even if they don't want to believe it.

It's a reality that's conveyed so very well in Fellow Travelers, with lavish production values from sets to costume and script. To top it all, we get to see two actual out gay actors give amazing performances and I must say that there is a realism to the sex scenes and an animalistic intensity which I don't believe two straight actors could quite achieve so convincingly. Although it shouldn't matter, if an actor is good, wheter he's gay or not and I've not seen love making as convincing since Free Fall, the German gay film, and that was a straight cast as far as I know. Nevertheless, there's something special going on between Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey in Fellow Travelers and perhaps it's the fact that we know they're both gay men that helps us to buy into it more.

Amid other reviews here taking of ratings bombing and social media with various moaners who want cuddly stories I felt the need to write a review and point out that this production and story is top notch, it's special and it's a rarity to find two out gay men playing two gay characters in a serious drama.

This is without question, one time where it would be very remiss to believe any of the reviews, including this one, and just simply make up your own minds after watching this outstanding show. If you like it, it deserves your support, if you don't, please remember that there was a time when a story like this one wouldn't even be considered for production and it is books that have made these TV series possible. More importantly it's about remembering the persecution and then writing about it, it's those stories that have liberated gay men to the extent that they now have the luxury of watching themselves, and lives which went before, portrayed on screen by two out gay actors. That alone is remarkable. If we want more real gay stories, the equation is simple: lend your support, it will be rewarded by a great story and excellent acting such as that of Fellow Travelers.

Amazing story which reminded me of my youth in the 1960s and onwards through a military career (don't ask don't tell) and 17 years in a corporate job always hiding my sexual identity. Fellow Travelers could have been written by me. I lived through all the drama, aids, loves...what in incredible telling of history: the sadness and fear in the gay culture because of aids and the government's refusal to recognize it! This drama goes behind the scenes to show the real stories behind the headlines of that period in American History which caused so many to suffer and be treated as lepers, outcasts, not worthy of being Americans.

I'm a straight female who resides in an area with a very small LBGQ population. I do not have much exposure to gay culture, but I do believe in to each their own. I have always been a fan of Matt Bomer so I tuned in for him. I did not expect to become so invested and overwhelmed with their love story. The story was very compellingly and extremely well acted. I didn't particular like Hawk or Marcus as people, but they were brilliantly portrayed. Tim (Skippy) absolutely broke my heart. I have to say, I was initially a little shocked by the explicit sex scenes, but it wasn't anything worse than what I've seen between heterosexual couples on series like Sparticus, GOT, etc. This is definetly one of the most impactful series I've seen in awhile.

The "Lavender Scare" was a very real, despicable period in American political history that deserves to be widely-understood and known. "Fellow Travelers" is an engaging, informative vehicle for recounting the events; while the fictionalization entertains, the subject matter truth stays appropriately prominent throughout the show.

As a gay man & longtime DC-area resident, with a 30-year successful career in federal government defense contract work, the story is a close-hitting view of past discrimination faced by the LGBTQ community. Much progress has been made, with much more needed. "FT" tells the oft-ignored story of the time period, to remove the "blight" of homosexuals from our government - with great actors, beautiful period sets and costumes - and remind us that the fight is NOT over, especially for trans individuals in the present.

Federal government-employed LGBTQ people were hunted by McCarthy & his acolytes (he was the root of the "Red Scare") and when/if discovered, many had their lives utterly destroyed by the subsequent "outings" and criminal prosecutions. Many targeted individuals lost careers, families and hopes for the future, and too many lost lives to suicide. The fights to expunge criminal records and clear names continues TODAY by the families of their now-deceased loved ones who were targeted, persecuted AND prosecuted.

Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey are great in their roles. There is perhaps a little too-graphic representation of sex at times, but it's not un-real or overly-done. Supporting characters are faithful to their roles and vary in acting quality, though all are solidly good. I adore Alison Williams, and she is credible and generally wonderful as the wife of "Hawk." I like that actors of color, along with *actually queer* actors, are present throughout the plot lines. The inclusion of the AIDS crisis, which was largely ignored by political leaders in its early days, is another sad/tragic part of queer history deserving of the spotlight, too.

To me, the only drawback is the use of flashbacks to change the period of time being addressed. It happens very quickly in Ep1, without much setup, so it took me a beat or two to follow the context and characters through the transitions; once I understood what was occurring, it was not an issue. I saw negative reviews that focused on cigarette smoking (really??) and other minor elements, and while I respect differing views, to give a lowest rating for such things both diminishes the important overall message, AND misses the forest for the trees by a wide margin.

Overall, "Fellow Travelers" is a warmly engaging, well acted and accurately depicted account of an important facet of queer history in the United States. It deserves the attention and positive reviews it is receiving, and I recommend it to others, without reservations. -v/r, FEGIII.