The Inside Scoop On Fellow Travelers, Streaming Now On Paramount+
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6 months ago
Another TV show to add to your autumn watch list
Looking for a new TV show to binge this autumn? Try Fellow Travelers, a new historical thriller following a queer romance over four decades – starting in 1950s, during the height of McCarthyism. With Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey at the helm, here’s everything we know so far about the new series.
Everything We Know So Far About Fellow Travelers
One of the most hotly-anticipated series of 2023 has to be Fellow Travelers, the historical queer-romance-slash-political-thriller starring veteran actor Matt Bomer and Bridgerton‘s Jonathan Bailey. Since casting was announced in 2022, the series has been repeatedly praised for putting gay actors in gay roles – with many highlighting the fantastic chemistry between Bomer and Bailey (more on that later).
‘I think it’s important to have queer artists producers, writers, directors involved in telling our stories so they are rich, and nuanced, and as complex as any story,’ the series’ executive producer, Robbie Rogers, tells C&TH. ‘I am not saying only queer people can do this, but representation matters especially when telling these stories.’
What Is Fellow Travelers About?
Based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon, Fellow Travelers looks at the decades-long romance between Hawkins Fuller (Bomer) and Timothy Laughlin (Bailey). First meeting after a chance encounter in Washington D.C. in the 1950s, the two spark a volatile romance that shifts into the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the disco hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
‘The audience can expect an epic love story, that is filled with tension, passion, and danger,’ Robbie says. ‘A love story told over a time when being gay was incredibly dangerous and forbidden.’
And what will we take from it? ‘That love can be dangerous, but it’s worth risking everything,’ Robbie summarises.
Who Stars?
Golden Globe award-winner Matt Bomer (American Horror Story, White Collar, Magic Mike) and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Broadchurch) star as main leads Hawkins Fuller and Tim Laughlin, with a supporting cast featuring Allison Williams (The Perfection, M3GAN), Jelani Alladin (Tick, Tick… Boom!) and Linus Roache (Law & Order, Vikings). You can see the full cast list below:
- Matt Bomer as Hawkins Fuller
- Jonathan Bailey as Tim Laughlin
- Allison Williams as Lucy Smith
- Jelani Alladin as Marcus Hooks
- Noah J. Ricketts as Frankie Hines
- Linus Roache as Senator Wesley Smith
- 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
First Look
Is There A Trailer?
While a full-length trailer has yet to be released, a number of teasers give us a glimpse of what the show will be about. The first, released in June 2023, gives us a brief overview of the show’s premise:
While the most recent teaser has a spicier edge (oh, to be Matt Bomer’s boy). You can watch the clip below:
Release Date
The show is set to premiere on 27 October 2023 on Showtime via Paramount+. paramountplus.com
Images: Jonathan Bailey as Tim Laughlin and Matt Bomer as Hawkins Fuller in FELLOW TRAVELERS. Photo credit: Ben Mark Holzberg/SHOWTIME.
