Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 8 — the series finale — brought the show to a close in an emotional and impactful way.

If I had to describe the final chapter in one word, it would be "unexpected."

Back to the 1950s

It was an inspired choice to take us back to the 1950s to tell one last story about Hawk and Tim. Their love for one another ran more profound than ever during that period.

For all of its flaws, Washington, D.C., was where they met, and their relationship flourished despite having to keep things on the down low.

Their relationship is a big "what if" because had they gotten together somewhere else that was more accepting of same-sex relationships, perhaps they would have lived the rest of their days together.

The sad part about the return to the 1950s was Hawk's willingness to do the unthinkable by telling the government about Tim's sexuality.

Lucy: May I? How are you?

Tim: I have KS, recurring seizures, and my hair is falling out. What else? Um… Uh, my social worker suggested I sign a do-not-resuscitate order. How are you?

Lucy: The government ought to do more about this. It’s terrible.

Tim: They could do more. But people like you would have to pay higher taxes. Lucy: My father used to argue for a national healthcare system. He believed government should take care of its citizens. So do I. It’s not always wise to judge someone on appearances.

Tim: You’re right.

Lucy: This hospital is not what I expected it to be. It’s the only one like it in the country, where people with AIDS are treated like human beings. I’m sorry, Mrs. Fuller, but why are you here?

Lucy: I don’t know. You mean something to my husband. I suppose I had to see you so I would know.

Tim: Know?

Lucy: How much you mean to him.

Tim: Shouldn’t you ask him? Right. That wouldn’t get you anywhere.

Lucy: No.

Tim: My time with Hawk was rushed, with years in between. You had him most of his life.

Lucy: But you were always there. I could never get away from you.

Tim: It’s not a contest.

Lucy: Of course it is. It always has been.

Tim: Then why didn’t you leave him?

Lucy: Because we had a good life. And children. And then when Jackson… You don’t want to hear this. Please. When Jackson died, it was so unbearable. The only comfort I had was knowing that Hawk understood that suffering, felt the same way. If I had had to bear that alone, I wouldn’t have lived through it. I should be going.

Tim: Mrs. Fuller, thank you for coming to see me.

_{🔗 permalink: Mrs. Fuller, thank you for coming to see me.}

Tim went from being brimming with hope that he and Hawk could make this work to feeling so much betrayal and pain that he arrived at the hospital determined to blow up Hawk's marriage.

While Tim isn't the kind of person to do that, he got close enough, and who's to say what he would have done if he hadn't seen Jackson through the screen?

While Tim was happy about the situation with Hawk that allowed them to meet in secret, it was hard for Tim to fathom why Hawk went to these extreme measures to eradicate him from his life.

The only thing that makes sense is that Hawk chose Lucy, Jackson, and his family and didn't want to start this family with secrets, which Tim came to respect.

Hawk has long been this man with many secrets, but he'd turned a corner and was ready to be more open and honest with himself.

Why Did Hawk Betray Tim?

It's a shame that Hawk wasn't more upfront about that and couldn't bring himself to lay out his feelings to Tim because what he did was the ultimate betrayal.

Now it's easier to understand why Hawk has been desperate in his attempts to look after Tim in the present because he's holding on to these actions and feels somewhat responsible for Tim never finding someone else to love or be loved by someone else.

There are many things that Hawk wishes he'd have done differently, and maybe, just maybe, there'd have been some semblance of happiness for Tim in the end.

Tim was a shell of his former self after his most recent seizure and has been desperately trying to find a way to live, even when he knows that his time is running out.

Lobbying the idea of signing the DNR must have felt like the only way for Tim to have any power in that situation, or so he thought.

Seeing Tim go from knowing the end is near and letting it happen to the passionate man at the protest who understood he had to do something showcased elements of Tim that seemed dormant due to his death sentence.

The Protest and Saying Goodbye

Knowing he and Marcus played Hawk to stage the protest was another satisfying development because, for the first time, Hawk wasn't in control.

I never thought I'd hear Hawk pleading with Tim to stay with him in San Francisco to help in his fight because Hawk had been so laser-focused on moving to Italy and starting afresh.

It's also hard to tell whether he only came to that epiphany because Lucy said she would probably not be at home, as she realized her life partner would never desire her as she should be desired.

Lucy understood the bond Hawk had with Tim and was well aware that had the world not been so awful to the LGBTQ+ community, they may have never been together.

Marcus: Tim.

Hawk: What are you doing here?

Marcus: I’ll take your badge.

Tim: Marcus is going inside with me. He needs your badge to get in.

Hawk: I don’t understand.

Tim: I knew Lonigan would refuse to see us. And we’d never get close to the Governor. And then… I invited you to the gala. I mean, it was very convenient. Hawk: I think I’ve been used.

Tim: A little.

Hawk: All right. Hey. Give us a minute? Look, whatever you’re up to, and I don’t want to know all the details, I’ll wait for you.

Tim: No. You need to go home. Where you belong. No. It’s not…

Hawk: I want to stay.

Tim: I have to fight this fight. That means letting go of everything else. And if you’re around, I will not be able to let go.

Hawk: But I wanna show up for you.

Tim: Go home, Hawk. Please. Make it easy for me.

Hawk: Hey, Skippy. Promise you won’t write.

Tim: I won’t.

_{🔗 permalink: I’ll take your badge.}

Lucy has got to feel duped into getting into a relationship with Hawk in the first place. Much like Tim, she wasted many years of her life with him.

Visiting Tim in the hospital came out of the left field, but there had to be some way to tie these two threads together. Even though Lucy and Tim were far apart, they both shared love for Hawk.

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Now that Lucy has left Hawk, seemingly to return to Washington D.C., it's a shame we didn't see any footage of her living her best life, but then again, how do we know that she didn't reunite with Hawk after Tim's death?

There's so much unsaid about where things went after Tim's death, but knowing that Hawk could tell his daughter that Tim was the man he loved signaled that Hawk was at peace with his decisions.

It's hard to tell whether Tim and Hawk met again after the night of protest, but something tells me that these two always find a way to get back in each other's orbit.

Tim's Death Happened Off-Screen

The decision not to show Tim slipping away on-screen was interesting. A part of me always thought we'd see him in Hawk's arms as he passed away.

Seeing how Tim resigned himself to spending his final months not with the man he loved but by fighting for people like him was a testament to the man he was.

He could have spent his final days with Hawk, but he sent the man he loved away. He knew being in his presence woud make him lose sight of what he had to accomplish in those final days.

Kimberley: Dad? You found him? It’s beautiful. From what you’ve told me, it really suits your friend.

Hawk: Yeah. It does. Sweetheart. He wasn’t my friend. He was the man I loved.

_{🔗 permalink: Yeah. It does. Sweetheart. He wasn’t my friend. He was the man I loved.}

At one point, Tim was staring death in the face, but seeing his resilience as he realized what he had to do was courageous and perfectly in line with the character we watched across eight episodes.

Marcus putting the pieces together to realize that Jerome had tested positive was another heartbreaking development, especially hearing Jerome, the kid he was raising as his own, tell him the results. It hit him like a ton of bricks.

SEAL Team is Ending a Season Too Late

The series didn't tell us what became of Jermone, but the only solace we can take from this storyline is that he had both Marcus and Frankie by his side throughout.

They gave Jerome the family unit he never had and helped him live his authentic self, so they felt responsible for his wellbeing.

Saying goodbye to this series is tough. It's a rarity that a show gets everything so right, from the casting to the production to the excellent writing.

My only hope is that the show will be recognized on the awards front because it genuinely has been the year's best show. It's not even a contest at this stage.

What are your thoughts on how the series concluded?

Do you think the end was fitting for all the characters?

Hit the comments.

Stream all episodes on Showtime.

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The post Fellow Travelers Goes Out With Tears, Hope, and a Powerful Goodbye appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Tim comes back after Hawk says he will help him get a job.

He goes to one of Hawk's apartments and they come to an understanding that it will be their place and they can meet whenever.

Tim, although he's upset, comes to like the place but is thrown for a loop when Hawk tells the government that he's gay, taking his newfound career from him.

Tim rushes to the hospital, seemingly to tell Lucy everything but is met by Jackson, which makes him change his focus.

In the present, Tim tells Hawk that he's losing a part of himself every time he has a seizure and isn't sure whether to sign a DNR form because he doesn't want to be kept alive by life support.

Hawk wheels and deals to get the meeting with the governor, but is shocked when Lucy arrives in San Francisco.

She tells him that she's moving on and won't be moving to Italy. Hawk said that he would take retirement to be with her but she wants to be desired and is more interested in being close to her family in Washington D.C.

Hawk goes back to the hospital and Tim is ready to fight back. He goes to the meeting with Hawk and Marcus tells him that he was used.

Hawk wonders why but Tim says that he needs to focus on this great cause and Hawk being around will take him away from that, so they part ways, seemingly for goof.

Frankie, Marcus, Tim, Jerome, and their friends stage the protest.

In 1987, Hawk arrives in Washington D.C. to the blankets and finds Tim's. His daughter says it's great that he found his friend's blanket and Hawk confesses it was the man he loved.

The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 8 Recap: Make It Easy appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 7 dealt with the loss of his son, Tim's tenacity to save him, and Frankie and Marcus' relationship woes, with the backdrop being the tensions following George Moscone's and Harvey Milk's assassinations.

It was another stellar hour of this Showtime drama that flawlessly nestles these intricate storylines throughout essential points in history.

Welcome to Fire Island, but Don't Try Hit on My Man

After Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 6, there were questions of whether the next time Hawk and Tim crossed paths was when Hawk arrived in San Francisco on Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 1.

Sadly, there was more pain in store here as Tim arrived on Fire Island with determination and a plan to save Hawk's life.

Hawk was spiraling out of control in the aftermath of Jackson's death, which was hard to watch because this wasn't the man we met in Washington, D.C., all those years ago.

At one point, Hawk was so sure of himself as he tried to keep on this mask about his personal life to those not in the know about his sexual orientation.

The mask has slipped somewhat as he's turned to alcohol and drugs to mask the pain of losing a child.

He was a sorry sight, and he wasn't the man Tim fell in love with almost 30 years ago, but somehow, Tim couldn't quit him when they first crossed paths again.

Although Hawk was in a relationship with Craig, you could tell there was a lack of chemistry between the pair.

Frankie: You are not serious about going.

Tim: I owe my parents a visit. Fire Island’s a ferry ride away.

Frankie: If White gets off, this city is going to explode. Timothy, I need you here. Not chasing after your long lost whatever he is to you.

Tim: He’s been through a tragedy.

Frankie: The tragedy is you holding on to him.

Tim: Like you hold on to Marcus?

Frankie: At least Marcus and I sleep in the same bed. Most of the time.

_{🔗 permalink: At least Marcus and I sleep in the same bed. Most of the time.}

There's a good chance Craig only put up with Hawk for so long because of the house he lived in, but Tim's arrival definitely threatened him.

There's so much history between Hawk and Tim that anyone getting in the way would struggle to come out the other side without their heart being broken.

Craig saw Tim as this disruptor of the life he was leading on Fire Island and wanted Tim to believe there was something deeper beneath the surface with Hawk.

Hawk was only masking his pain and grief with Craig, as evidenced by his reaction to his new squeeze going through his belongings and finding Jackson's photo.

Hawk: Where are you going?

Rafael: I’ll wait outside. Walk you to the ferry.

Tim: It meant nothing to you. Everything we said last night. Everything we have been through. What is wrong with me?

Hawk: Skippy. No.

Tim: What is wrong with me?

Hawk: This is not about you.

Tim: Why can I not stop believing anything you say? If this is what you want, fine. If you want to die, go on, fսcking die. Your wife and your daughter have already buried a son and a brother, and they’re gonna have to bury you. But you don’t care because you’re so fսcking selfish! I’ve wasted all this time. My life on you.

Hawk: Don’t go. No. Don’t go. No, please.

Tim: Hawk, I’m done with you. I’m free.

_{🔗 permalink: Hawk, I’m done with you. I’m free.}

Hawk is very selective about whom he shares his life with, and Craig was merely someone who would follow him around, clearing up after him.

We've known for a long time that Hawk uses people and discards them when he no longer needs them, but thankfully, it's always been different with Tim.

While observers like Frankie were vocal about Tim moving on from Hawk, Tim understood that Hawk was there for him in his time of need and wanted to return the favor.

The sad part is that Tim probably thought there was a future for him and Hawk at various points throughout the episode, but thankfully, his B.S.-meter received an upgrade, and he called Hawk out countless times throughout the hour.

They've known each other for almost 30 years, and while Tim has been able to move on, he's always held on to those feelings for Hawk, even if they can never be together.

Tim wants to respect Hawk's marriage to Lucy as much as possible, which explains why he picked up the phone and hinted at asking her permission to find Hawk.

The phone call between Lucy and Tim from earlier in Fellow Travelers Season 1 makes a lot more sense.

Kimberly: Hello.

Hawk: It’s Daddy. Hi.

Kimberley: Hi. Are you okay?

Hawk: I’m fine. How are you?

Kimberley: I’m fine. Daddy, I miss you. We miss you.

Hawk: Sweetheart… I’m coming home.

Kimberley: Okay. Okay.

Hawk: You’ll tell your mother?

Kimberley: Of course. We have a lot to talk about.

Hawk: I know.

_{🔗 permalink: It’s Daddy. Hi.}

Tim cutting Hawk out of his life, once and for all, is what gave Hawk the drive to cut out the drugs, return home, and work, paving the way for him to be stationed abroad, which is what he always wanted.

Hawk wanted to move away because he would be able to live his life his way, without the prying eyes of anyone, but, surprisingly, that's how he still feels all these years later.

It didn't take long for Kimberley to put the pieces together about what her father was getting up to in his time away from the family, so I guess he's at a point in his life in the 1980s where the people closest to him know everything.

After losing Jackson and realizing the error of his ways, Hawk seems determined to make the best decisions for his family.

His going to San Francisco initially seemed like his way of apologizing to Tim and repenting for everything he did to him over the years, but deep down, Hawk has helped Tim through many hardships.

It's a shame they could never make their relationship work due to the circumstances.

Hearing Tim say he wasted his life on Hawk was heartbreaking because, for many people, there's always that one person you can't quit.

Tim struggled to date and move on with his life because he was hung up on Hawk. As much as he hated Hawk's guts at times, he couldn't quit him.

Nurse: I’m afraid Tim’s had another seizure.

Hawk: What do you mean? How bad is it?

Nurse: It was severe, but they were able to pull him out of it. He’s in his room.

_{🔗 permalink: It was severe, but they were able to pull him out of it. He’s in his room.}

Tim's words profoundly affected Hawk because it seemed like he realized that he had contributed to the pain Tim endured.

It's such a complicated web of pain, but it's been fascinating unraveling just how they went from their first meeting to their last.

Tim's latest seizure in the present is another sign that his life is ebbing away, and the visual of Hawk holding his hand as he slipped away was both gutwrenching and satisfying.

But the only satisfaction that comes from that is that the person Tim loved the most — despite some resentment — is there with him in those final hours of his life.

SEAL Team is Ending a Season Too Late

Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 8 — the series finale — will likely find Tim recounting some of the best moments of his life as he dies, and then we'll get the aftermath of how it affects everyone.

Tim has a significant impact on people because he deeply cares for what's right in the world, and I don't doubt he helped many people while working with Frankie.

Speaking of Frankie, I didn't expect those middle years of the narrative to be so harsh on him and Marcus.

I spoke a bit about how it's nice they have this perfect relationship in my Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 6 review, so their differing viewpoints came out of the left field.

There's always been an attraction between these two, but the very different work they were doing drove a wedge between them somewhere along the way.

The big surprise is that Marcus was straight-up cheating because, to people on the outside, you'd think they had this love story for the ages.

But the reality is that all great romances tend to have hurdles that make the foundation stronger.

Marcus grew from the infidelity, and Frankie understood that by taking him back.

Marcus: Frankie.

Frankie: What are you doing here?

Marcus: I came to walk you home.

Frankie: I’m going downtown with everybody else.

Marcus: There are cops all over the place. This could get ugly.

Frankie: Yeah, let it get ugly. Tomorrow is Harvey’s birthday. Happy birthday, Harvey.

Marcus: Babe, babe, babe. Open your eyes. This fight is for whites. If you go out there half-cocked, who do you think they’re gonna swing at first? We’ve been doing this too long.

Frankie: What does that mean?

Marcus: This isn’t the time.

Frankie: What the fսck do you mean? Do you even look in the mirror when you shave? Because I have news for you. You are a big, chocolate gay man. Everyone is meeting up at the Elephant Walk later. If you can find your balls by then.

Marcus: Don’t get messed up in this shit. They’re not worth it.

_{🔗 permalink: Don’t get messed up in this shit. They’re not worth it.}

We've witnessed Marcus' attempts to be a journalist in an industry dominated by white men and the struggles he came up against during that.

Heartstopper Season 3: Everything We Know

He's conditioned himself to pick and choose his battles, and he was well aware that he and Frankie would have been some of the first people the cops would go after in the aftermath of the Dan White verdict.

Frankie wanted to join the people in his community and was desperate for Marcus to realize that sometimes, you must stand up for what's right, no matter the consequences.

There was a resolution for the pair after Marcus showed up and saved Jerome from the cops.

It was another powerful scene in a long line of them, reiterating once again that Fellow Travelers should be one of the year's most talked-about shows.

The acting, historical accuracy, and storylines all nestle together to deliver an eye-opening display of what life was like for people not long ago.

Fellow Travelers concludes Friday, December 15, 2023, on Showtime.

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The post Fellow Travelers: Love, Loss, and Betrayal Set the Stage for a Devastating Series Finale appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Tim gets a postcard from Hawk on Fire Island, who wants him to drop everything and visit him.

Frankie notes that he needs to quit that man for good, but Tim is feeling worried because he lost his son and has been calling him at night.

He calls Lucy, who is not happy to hear from him. He's sorry for her loss and is worried about Hawk.

Kimberly is now heavily pregnant but Lucy has no idea where he's disappeared to and balks at the notion that Tim is asking for permission to visit him.

So Tim goes to Fire Island and is greeted by multiple men at his house and one of them his his new boyfriend, Craig.

Craig implies he knows everything about Hawk but Tim doesn't believe him.

Hawk is too concerned with partying and what other people can do for him, and Tim prepares to leave.

Unfortunately, he can't leave Hawk like this and joins in the party. He had previously caught Craig looking at Hawk's personal belongings, including a photo of Jackson.

The three men go out but the result of Dan White's sentencing changes everything for Tim and he's stunned to find that Hawk has left him.

When he returns to the house, it emerges that Craig lied about Tim leaving with another man and Hawk tries to start a three-way between them, only to lash out at Craig when he realizes Jackson's photo has been touched.

Hawk breaks down to Tim and they seem to be at a resolution… until Hawk is back to his partying ways the next morning.

Tim lashes out, telling Hawk that he wasted his life on him and that he's done with him.

Tim leaves and Hawk realizes that he's messing everything up and throws the men out of his home and the drugs

In the present, Hawk shows up at the hospital to learn that Tim has had another seizure and doesn't have long left, so he sits with him, holding his hand as he drifts away.

Back in 1979, Marcus is teaching at school and lets a kid be homophobic which riles up Jerome.

Marcus tells Frankie he thinks one of his students are homeless and the pair have an argument about how Marcus is never helping any of Frankie's causes.

They reunite later when Marcus goes to find Frankie and Jerome at the protest against the justice system and takes a beating for Jerome from the police.

The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 7 Recap: White Nights appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Progressing the action to the 1960s was a significant tonal shift that felt far removed from the 1950s arc because everyone is in very different places.

Sadly, none of our characters are where they want to be, which means they're destined for heartbreak unless they find a way to move on.

Welcome to the Cabin on the Edge of My Property

Tim joining the Army on Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 5 was either a good or bad decision.

Unfortunately for him, it was the latter, but I loved how Jonathan Bailey introduced us to this hardened version of Tim as he was on the run from the cops.

Who would have thought the sweet, innocent man we met at the beginning of Fellow Travelers would face a 12-year sentence?

It's so out of character, but it is a testament to how his life was changed forever after he was sent to Fort Dix to begin his journey.

Knowing that he didn't want to accept help[ from Hawk added an element of mystery to what happened in the years between his leaving Washington and being arrested.

Even at that, though, the crime wasn't bad.

Tim has always wanted to help those in need, and burning the draft forms was the only way he could help some people avoid seeing what he saw during his time in the Army.

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It must have taken a lot to accept help from Hawk after their past.

Hawk has been the drug that Tim has struggled to quit. We've witnessed countless times how he's ashamed of his feelings for him but can't bring himself to move on.

There's always been that element of "what if?" with them in that how would their relationship have flourished had they met in a different time and location where they weren't forced to hide their relationship.

The saddest part is that even though Hawk's actions are both infuriating and manipulative, he does have a lot of love for Tim.

He understands that prison isn't the right place for Tim, which perfectly explains why he found a way to get Tim into the cabin at the Country House.

Even after all those years apart, their deep love for each other is heavily present, even if Tim would rather believe it isn't there.

But some people are good at acting like they can live without what they need the most, which was perfectly illustrated in Tim's reactions to Hawk at the cabin.

Tim isn't the man he was when we met him at the beginning of Fellow Travelers Season 1.

He isn't as easily manipulated, and he was surprisingly well put together for someone facing a decade-plus stretch in prison.

Is Jackson the Child that Hawk and Lucy Lost?

The last person I expected Tim to form a bond with at the cabin was Hawk and Lucy's son, Jackson.

Jackson has been lingering over the show like a dark cloud because the 1980s storyline has confirmed Hawk and Lucy lost a child.

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After seeing the dynamic between Hawk and Jackson, it's not easy to see how there's a good chance that Jackson will follow a career path far removed from his parents' wants.

Jackson is more of a free spirit and doesn't get along with his father because of their differing personalities, but the big kicker here is that Hawk didn't have a great relationship with his own father.

You'd think he'd bend over backward to form a bond with his son and be there for him.

It's something Hawk never had, but it's another shining example of his selfishness.

Yes, Hawk has shown he can be compassionate and caring, but more often than not, it's only when it benefits him.

He doesn't understand how to be a father to Jackson, and it was a real shocker that Tim gave him the food for thought and drive to be a better father.

Jackson has been acting out purely because he doesn't feel he fits in with his family.

Hawk would have recognized the disconnect between him and his son if he observed his actions and feelings.

I hope that Tim's words of wisdom about being a parent and listening to Jackson will rub off on Hawk and help the father and son carve out a strong bond before the unthinkable happens.

I say it's unthinkable because it's going to hit Hawk and Lucy like a tonne of bricks when they lose one of their children.

Everything will be pushed into perspective, and I expect a lot of finger-pointing about who was there and who wasn't.

Is Hawk and Lucy's Relationship as Solid as They Want People to Believe?

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To onlookers, Hawk and Lucy are this power couple with a beautiful family, but behind closed doors, the distrust has been manifesting into something else that I'm surprised they managed to bounce back from in the 1980s timeline.

Lucy's admission about cheating on Hawk highlighted that their extra-marital affairs are what could be holding them together.

The frustrating thing about Hawk is that he looked almost mad the night of the party when he clocked Lucy coming back from a tryst with the husband of one of the partygoers.

Lucy: Are you the only one who matters?

Hawk: What?

Lucy: Your children are here, I’m here. How dare you bring that man into our lives?

Hawk: Look, it doesn’t mean anything.

Lucy: Don’t insult my intelligence. He’s on the run from the law.

Hawk: He’s not a criminal, he’s an activist.

Lucy: He’s wanted by the police, and you helped him hide, Hawk! Do you know what you’ve risked? All we’ve built together, your career, my life, our children’s lives. You married me. If you can’t give me all your love, give me enough respect to keep whatever this is out of our home.

_{🔗 permalink: He’s wanted by the police, and you helped him hide, Hawk! Do you know what you’ve risked? All…}

It shows that he thinks it's okay for him to have sex with other people but starts to get jealous when the shoe is on the other foot.

Lucy's reaction to Hawk having a man on the run from the law in the cabin, a quarter of a mile from their home, was warranted.

Lucy probably doesn't know the ins and outs of why Tim was arrested, nor does she care, but the notion that her husband is housing a fugitive on their property while their kids are there is too much for her to comprehend.

Even if he never admits it, Tim will always be Hawk's weakness. You can see it in his eyes and his actions.

A part of Hawk thought that being Tim's knight in shining armor and hiding him like his dirty little secret in the cabin would lead to them rekindling their relationship.

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Tim's coldness toward Hawk was warranted because of his actions.

Why Did Lucy Burn Tim's Letter to Hawk?

But Tim, hearing that Lucy burned the letter he wrote confessing his love to Hawk, seemingly made Tim realize that he'd wasted good quality time with the man he loved.

Tim: Dear Hawk, I went into the Army to get away from you. I thought time and distance would help. But it hasn’t. Hawk, I still love you. But I’m hoping to find something else. Maybe a deeper faith someday. Tim.

_{🔗 permalink: Dear Hawk, I went into the Army to get away from you. I thought time and distance would help….}

Tim cast a specific look at Hawk as he was going away in the cop car, which made him realize that Hawk may not be the heartless man he thought he was.

If that's the last time they see each other before Hawk rocks up in San Francisco in the 1980s as Tim's health declines, that's pretty sad.

Reflecting on the past can be therapeutic for many, but these two are destined for more heartbreak.

Tim was so convinced that his life was over thanks to his seizures, but what does he have to look forward to now?

Hawk: Nice toss, bud. How you feeling?

Jackson: Did your friend tell you?

Hawk: Yeah. Don’t do that again. I hear you’re a poet.

Jackson: He tell you that, too?

Hawk: He did. Question is why you didn’t.

Jackson: You’d think it’s stupid, and it probably is.

Hawk: It isn’t. I’d like to read some of your writing. If you’d let me. Jackson. Do you know that I love you? I do. I love you beyond measure. I’m not gonna tell your mom about the acid or the other stuff. Just… Do better, okay? Okay?

_{🔗 permalink: It isn’t. I’d like to read some of your writing. If you’d let me. Jackson. Do you know that I…}

His health is still getting worse, and he's lived a life of regret primarily driven by his love of Hawk.

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It's heartbreaking, and it's hard to be upbeat about where their story will go from here.

How do you be happy about a show like this, knowing how it will end?

Amidst the Darkness, Marcus and Frankie are Poised to Prevail

The only people who will probably find some semblance of happiness in the end are Marcus and Frankie.

Witnessing the hurdles they went through as they both took their lives in different directions has been interesting, mainly because we know they're together in the present timeline and that Marcus' book made it to shelves.

In life, we make sacrifices we hope will be worth something in the end, and for these two, it's nice that they were worthwhile.

Their story juxtaposes the darkness infused in the others, and I hope that we end the series with them happy and healthy.

That's all I got, Fellow Travelers Fanatics.

What are your thoughts on Hawk bringing Tim to the Country House? Do you think he crossed a line?

Frankie: I don’t have a lot of time. Come in. How’s your father?

Marcus: He’s hanging on. I’ll be there as long as he needs me.

Frankie: And then?

Marcus: Go back on the road. Chicago, Detroit, then down South. I wanna see if anything’s changed in this country since Dr. King’s murder. If anything’s ever gonna change. When do you leave for San Francisco?

Frankie: Day after tomorrow.

Marcus: (singing) Be sure to wear…

Frankie: A flower in my hair. Baby, I’m gonna be wearing nothing but flowers. Marcus: How about a kiss goodbye?

Frankie: I don’t like goodbyes. And you said goodbye a long time ago.

Marcus: How about a kiss, then?

Frankie: Marcus. Marcus, Marcus.

[Marcus hugs Frankie.]

Frankie: Guess we’re both growing up.

Marcus: I feel like I’m 100 years old.

_{🔗 permalink: I feel like I’m 100 years old.}

Are you surprised about his inability to form a bond with his son?

What's your take on Lucy burning the letter and criticizing Hawk for bringing his lover to their home?

What are your thoughts on Marcus and Frankie's storyline?

Hit the comments.

Fellow Travelers continues on Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Episodes are available on Fridays on Paramount+ With Showtime.

Cliffhangers That Made Our Jaws Drop to The Floor

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The post Fellow Travelers Jumps to the ’60s With Heartbreak, and a Surprising Revelation appeared first on TV Fanatic.

We hear the bustle of their home as their kids run amok as Tim is on the phone.

He sees a newspaper that Tim has been arrested for burning Army draft forms and faces over a decade inside.

He gets Marcus to convince him to go to his country home and Hawk picks him up.

Their dynamic fraught because Tim still thinks Hawk ignored his letter with the admission of love all those years ago.

Tim doesn't want to get close to Hawk, but no matter how much they try to stay apart, they do get close.

Hawk and Lucy are hosting a party and Jackson arrives at the cabin, high on drugs, and tells Tim that he feels he doesn't fit into his family.

Hawk picks him up and Tim tells him he needs to be a better father to his son because he runs the risk of messing things up.

Hawk takes this on board and goes home.

At the party, Lucy has sex with a man and Hawk is not impressed.

The next day, Tim goes to the house. Lucy answers and he asks to use the phone. He calls the lawyer to tell him he's willing to hand himself in.

Lucy tells him that she burned the letter. Its contents said that he loved Hawk.

After Tim is arrested, Lucy goes off because he brought a fugitive into their home and only thought about himself.

We see Frankie prepare to move to San Francisco and the distance between them as Marcus focuses on looking after his father.

In the present, Tim's health is declining and he's surprised he survived the seizures, but Hawk seems now ready more than ever to be with him.

The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 6 Recap: Beyond Measure appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Beginning the hour with a man walking into oncoming traffic after likely having his whole career thrown away because of suspicions about his sexuality was a choice. Still, as heartbreaking as it was, it underpinned the urgency of Hawk's plight.

Hawk has largely lived how he sees fit, sleeping with who he wants and facing zero consequences.

It wasn't too long ago he was called bulletproof because of his close ties to Senator Smith, but there's an immediate sense of dread in Hawk when he finds the letter summoning him for an interview.

A part of him understood that his life, as he knew it, could be over, but he also had the drive to come out of the other side unscathed.

Miss Addison reporting him wasn't too much of a surprise. She's been watching his every move from the sidelines of Fellow Travelers Season 1.

The biggest shocker was how confident she was when she told Hawk and Mary it was her at the Christmas party. She was goading Hawk into doing something about it.

We've witnessed his reactions to various situations throughout the season, but there's always been this level of restraint, and thank god he had it at the office party.

Hawk knows to pick his battles, so watching him get back at Miss Addison and even the man interviewing him with words was the only way to proceed.

Seeing these little acts of aggression in ways that he can't be penalized for is a small victory for him and viewers as this story plays out.

Matt Bomer can play menacing very well, and he was positively chilling in his exchanges with Miss Addison and the man conducting the interviews.

Hawk: The gentleman who left the unit last week, he stepped in front of a truck. That must affect someone in your position.

Man: Unfortunately, we’re seeing an average of one suicide per week.

Hawk: You ever worry that someone might kill you instead?

Man: One moment. You’ll have to return tomorrow for a polygraph.

Hawk: No, that won’t be necessary. Just speak to Mr. McLeod.

Man: When we believe a polygraph is required, cooperation is mandatory. We’re trying to clear the backlog before the holidays. Can you come back tomorrow after hours?

Hawk: Sure.

_{🔗 permalink: The gentleman who left the unit last week,}

Hawk is living a lie, and he's slowly making mistakes he wouldn't have made before he met Tim, which is a testament to their intense love for one another.

Passing with flying colors was necessary, or Hawk's life could have gone in a very different direction, and there's a good chance Tim would have also been outed in the process.

Hawk's undoing will probably be the love he has for Tim. I know they were exchanging information, but a night of passion while knowing people are watching your every move probably wasn't the best idea.

Mary: They’re going to ask you questions about your private activities in detail. Hawk: I hope they’ve scheduled several hours for that.

Mary: I thought you were taking this seriously.

Hawk: I am.

Mary: You take nothing seriously. You’re all wrong for him, Fuller. He is deeply sincere, and you’re going to hurt him.

Miss Addison: I know who you’re talking about. The boy who gave Mr. Fuller that book? Yeah, I saw what he wrote inside. “Mr. Fuller, thank you for everything. You’re wonderful.”

Mary: You reported him.

Hawk: You’re right, Miss Addison. I am wonderful. So why don’t you just suffer? Merry Christmas.

_{🔗 permalink: You’re right, Miss Addison. I am wonderful. So why don’t you just suffer? Merry Christmas.}

The Hawk from the beginning of Fellow Travelers Season 1 would have kept Tim well away from his apartment, but Hawk is beginning to think about a future with Tim and what they could do if they were away from the prying eyes of everyone in Washington, D.C.

Their chat about Christmas and what they would do was very telling, but it's sad knowing that in the 1980s timeline, their relationship has been blown to smithereens.

Where did it all go wrong? Does Hawk get closer to the life he wanted and cut Tim out because he wasn't ready to come out?

There are many questions here, but one little nugget of truth that surprised me: Hawk and Lucy losing a child.

I hadn't picked up on that before, but it was on full display as Hawk and Tim had this conversation about loss.

Telling a story across two timelines and filling in blanks along the way can be a recipe for disaster, but Fellow Travelers is giving us information slowly and leaving the viewers to draw conclusions.

The result is a satisfying and timely storyline that will be remembered for years.

Seeing how happy Hawk and Tim were all those years ago, to see them practically act like strangers to one another almost 30 years later is hard.

Hawk: Maggie said we have to keep your weight up. Pasta.

Tim: What else?

Hawk: Peanut butter.

Tim: They didn’t have crunchy?

Hawk: No, I looked.

Tim: You said you know someone connected to the governor.

Hawk: Dave Holm. He’s a Republican fundraiser.

Tim: Okay, how well do you know him?

Hawk: Not well. You know, he’s…

Tim: What, he’s straight? The way that you’re straight? You can’t smoke in here.

Hawk: I know, I know. What do you want, Tim?

Tim: Call your friend. Ask him. Convince him to set up a meeting with the governor’s chief of staff.

Hawk: And why am I doing this?

Tim: To introduce me. There is an AIDS anti-discrimination bill sitting on the governor’s desk. I need to convince him to sign it. We’ve been waiting for this meeting for weeks. They’re ignoring us. They can’t ignore you.

Hawk: Of course they can.

_{🔗 permalink: Of course they can.}

Tim was taken aback by the cufflinks Hawk bought him for Christmas because he never envisioned being happy with a man due to his beliefs.

Slowly, Tim is realizing that he can be happy, even if he isn't telling his family about his love life.

You could tell it killed him to lie about the cufflinks to his sister. The only good about this tale is that Tim can live his authentic self all those years later, and his relationship with Maggie is in a good place.

Hawk rushing off at the first sign of an argument with Tim was typical. As I keep saying, Hawk likes to be in control, even if that means hurting those he loves.

The sad part is that it might take Tim dying for Hawk to realize how much he's hiding about himself.

It's even sadder that it took Hawk getting drunk to realize that speaking to his contact about passing the bill was right, even if it could have changed how people view him.

There's so much we don't know about these two men, but the severity of Tim's health hit Hawk like a ton of bricks when he returned to the apartment to learn Tim was in the hospital.

Hawk has been desperate to prove he's not the man Tim's sister believes he is, but he's single-handedly proven that he can't be trusted to care for Tim.

My hope is that if Tim is lucid in the hospital, he will be surrounded by the people who love him, including Hawk.

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The petty squabbles are worthless when someone is slipping away, but I don't doubt people will be looking for someone to blame, which will get ugly.

Hawk seems doomed to repeat past mistakes, and the only way for him to come to terms with those mistakes is to confront them head-on.

The best thing Hawk did in the episode was hand over the evidence to Tim for Schine and Cohn to expose McCarthy for who he is.

The timing was impeccable because of the increased scrutiny of Cohn's support of Schine. How did Cohn think he could call all of these shots about Schine being in the army?

Schine: Roy.

Cohn: He probably is a Jew hater. They’re all Jew haters until they need us. Schine: You need to look at this.

Cohn: What? Oh, I’ll be damned.

Schine: Uh, what does it mean?

Cohn: It means this is a time of nachas, Dave. A time of nachas indeed. That stupid, alcoholic fat Mick isn’t gonna fire Roy Cohn, and Gerard David Schine is not goin’ to Korea. Oh. Kick off your shoes and crack open the brandy, Dave. We’re not going anywhere.

_{🔗 permalink: It means this is a time of nachas, Dave. A time of nachas indeed. That stupid, alcoholic fat…}

It was only a matter of time before it led to a full-fledged investigation into McCarthy, but the poetic justice is that the same team he assembled will be the ones to investigate him.

It's hard to tell how Cohn and Schine will use this to their advantage without implicating themselves, but I feel the pair will be a formidable force with that evidence.

"Your Nuts Roasting On An Open Fire" was another stellar episode of this Showtime limited series. We're at the halfway point, and I can't wait to see what comes next.

What are your thoughts on Hawk being investigated? Are you growing tired of him bailing on Tim?

What are your thoughts on Cohn and Schine teaming up to take down McCarthy?

Hit the comments.

Fellow Travelers continues Fridays on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Your Nuts Roasting On An Open Fire appeared first on TV Fanatic.

In the present, Hawk reconnects with Frankie and Marcus and learns they take in teens with nowhere to go.

Tim wants to get a bill passed that will prevent discrimination against people suffering from HIV and AIDS.

Hawk says he has a contact he can speak to and then goes back on it because he's worried it will out him.

He goes to a bar to get drunk and returns, realizing he has to do this.

But Tim is nowhere to be found. He had a seizure and landed in hospital.

In the 1950s, Hawk gets a letter to attend a meeting. Someone reported on him and he's livid.

Mary says she has no clue who it was but that she hid the letter in his desk.

He goes to the first meeting and asks the man about whether people would try to kill the interviewer.

He tells Hawk to return for a polygraph. Hawk trains himself to pass the test and the man tells him there and then.

Hawk is brimming from ear to ear and gives Tim a birthday gift in the form of cufflinks. He also gives him a letter to give Schine.

Tim is at a meeting as Cohn is being dragged through the mud for his support of Schine.

We learn that McCarthy's office is being investigated and it's all thanks to Cohn.

Schine opens the letter and realizes it's the evidence to put McCarthy away.

The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Your Nuts Roasting On An Open Fire appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 3 added more depth to their decades-spanning relationship, leaving us with even more questions.

In the present timeline, it's becoming easier to see why Tim has this deeply rooted resentment towards Hawk.

Hawk was far too confident about making these big sweeping gestures despite having ulterior motives that Tim was never privy to unless he did some digging for himself.

Looking at the weekend away from Tim's perspective, he thought it was a time for them to work on their relationship.

While that was definitely on the agenda, he never anticipated that Hawk would be desperately trying to dig up dirt on Senator McCarthy to take back to Washington, D.C.

In Tim's defense, he must have felt used, and you could tell he took great pride in telling Hawk about him locking lips with the man at the bar.

Hawk: Listen, Skippy. I wanna spend the weekend with you. Go back to the office, tell Dragon Lady you don’t feel well. Meet me on the southwest corner of Independence and Third in 15 minutes.

Tim: Fifteen?

Hawk: Green Ford. Oh, and happy birthday.

_{🔗 permalink: Green Ford. Oh, and happy birthday.}

Realistically, what does Hawk expect Tim to do when he tells him he'll be gone 20 minutes and be gone for much longer?

Many possibilities were racing through Tim's mind, but Hawk's inability to communicate with this man he's supposed to love is proving to be the big divide.

Granted, I'm glad he left Tim for longer because it meant he played a part in saving Daniel's life. We'll come back to Daniel in a little.

Tim's struggle with Hawk telling him things on a need-to-know basis has got to be why their relationship goes so wrong.

In Tim's eyes, Hawk got him the job with Senator McCarthy to report everything back to him and, in turn, to aide Senator Wesley Smith.

What is Tim getting from this, aside from being made to feel like a dirty little secret?

You could tell on Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 2 that Tim was about done with Hawk's manipulation, but what keeps him returning to this man for the next 30 years?

Frankie: I don’t mean to sound like a prima donna, but where am I?

Marcus: I know.

Frankie: The bouncer called us fags. You forget that?

Marcus: Frankie… That’s not a fight I can win right now. No editor would run that story. I’ll always be a colored man first. It’s all folks see.

Frankie: When I was a kid, no one noticed me. Which was a good thing, because when they noticed me, it was with a curse, or a smack or a shove. But the first time I went full drag to a club, in a cheap Halloween wig and a borrowed poodle skirt… people noticed. They looked at me.

Marcus: I’m lookin’ at you.

_{🔗 permalink: I’m lookin’ at you.}

Unfortunately, choosing who you love is complex; sometimes, you fall harder for someone than they do for you.

But Tim wants a relationship with Hawk free of strings and sneaking around.

At that point in their relationship, it seems impossible because of the lack of tolerance towards the LGBTQ community.

My best theory is that there will come a point when it will be a possibility, and Hawk will put all of his attention on Lucy, starting a family, and leaving the U.S.

He's been vocal about leaving the country and not returning if he's called back, but in the 1980s timeline, Lucy's his wife, and they have two kids.

Does he plan on going to Milan and leading a double life?

It's unclear whether his priorities have changed over the years, but there was a specific look Tim shot at him when he talked about Milan, almost as though he was recalling their conversation from 30 years before.

Senator McCarthy's war on the LGBTQ community will undoubtedly lead to big changes in Washington, D.C., that will make it more difficult for Tim, Hawk, and the people in their inner circle.

Hawk: They know you?

Tim: I worked here. Before.

Hawk: You said your sister needs a break. I nursed my kids through measles, mumps. Broken arms. Hawk.

Tim: No.

Hawk: How long would she need?

Tim: No. No. It’s not a good idea.

Hawk: How long? What, a week? I can do that. Skippy, just… Will you give me a chance?

Tim: A chance to do what? To… To fսck it up again. Are you sure?

Hawk: No. I’m not sure of anything anymore.

_{🔗 permalink: No. I’m not sure of anything anymore.}

The situation with Daniel proved that McCarthy is hiding a lot about his past because of his power and influence.

People are scared to go up against him because of his connections. He and his team will go after people and tear them down, even if they've done nothing wrong, which doesn't bode well for anyone.

The final scenes with McCarthy's statement about investigating the Army while simultaneously revealing he's engaged to his assistant seemed more like his way of saying, "I have all my bases covered if you want to come after me for my crimes."

With Hawk being in the Army and racking up the evidence against McCarthy, there's a good chance they'll be in a collision course before long, and Tim will be brought into it for telling Hawk things.

Daniel's suicide attempt and then telling Hawk every despicable thing McCarthy did to him was heartbreaking because he wanted to be stationed closer to his mother so that he could look after her.

Hearing that McCarthy sent federal officers to his door for threatening him was difficult because Daniel didn't seem like he had a malicious bone in his body.

Instead, he wanted McCarthy to follow through on his end of the sordid deal.

It's harrowing that Daniel was pushed to a suicide attempt because of McCarthy's actions, so I hope that the evidence handed to Hawk will open the floodgates for more survivors to come forward.

A McCarthy takedown must happen before Fellow Travelers Season 1 ends.

Chris Bauer is killing it in the role. It's worlds away from Andy Bellefleur,  Deke Slayton, and Wild Bill Hancock.

He's a fantastic actor with this ability to make every single role different from what he's played before, and I hope he dominates the awards front for his portrayal of McCarthy.

Speaking of fine acting, I wanted more of Jelani Alladin after Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 2, and he got so much great material to work with on "Hit Me."

Marcus' tenacity to exist in Washington, D.C., has been tough. He's dealing with racism and homophobia while trying to get the stories that matter across to readers, but it seems like he's facing adversity at every turn.

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His relationship with Frankie is one of the best parts of the show because I believe they'll learn equal parts about the world through each other as their relationship progresses.

David: They said they were gonna tell my mother what I was. I begged them not to. She was sick. They told her anyway. She never looked at me again.

_{🔗 permalink: They said they were gonna tell my mother what I was. I begged them not to. She was sick. They…}

Frankie didn't feel seen in Marcus' article about how establishments are flouting the desegregation rules, but Marcus has conditioned himself to curate his articles in a way that will get them past editors and onto mainstream media.

It's upsetting that those are the measures he has to go to get his story across, but he knows he has to do this, or else his words won't make it out there.

We know that Marcus reached many career-long milestones in the 1980s, but I hope he works with Hawk to expose the underbelly of Senator McCarthy's operation.

"Hit Me" was a perfect hour of TV because it challenged expectations, took narrative risks, and not a single scene was wasted.

What are your thoughts on Hawk deciding to look after Tim for a week to give his sister a rest?

What's your take on Hawk moving to Milan with his family in tow?

Fellow Travelers continues Fridays on Showtime.

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The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Hit Me appeared first on TV Fanatic.

They have a chance encounter in the building and Hawk tells him he wants to take him away for his birthday and to meet him in 15 minutes.

They meet and head off. At the first bar, Hawk leaves and helps a man who's tried to kill himself.

We learn that Hawk is there to get evidence to take down McCarthy. This doesn't sit well with Tim who's left in a bar.

He rushes off, and Tim tells him he's done with him and tries to leave. He manages to get him back to the room and Tim tells him that he's kissed a man because he was left behind.

They have sex after an argument.

Hawk goes back to find out more about what happened to Daniel, and he tells him that McCarthy assaulted him and then promised him he would move his office to nearer to his mom. 

When he asked in a letter, McCarthy sent agents to his door who told his mother about his sexuality.

Hawk buys the evidence and leaves. As they're headed back to town, Tim realizes that going back to hiding their relationship is not for him.

McCarthy goes on the TV and says that they are going after army for deviants.

Marcus finds himself in hot water with Frankie when they are thrown out of the bar and Frankie wants to get his belongings.

They are thrown out due to the bar flouting desegregation rules.

Marcus writes an article about his experience but leaves out the homophobia.

Frankie is upset but Marcus tries to make him aware that he has to curate his articles so they get through editors.

The post Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Hit Me appeared first on TV Fanatic.