Fellow Travelers is a historical drama (a miniseries with eight episodes) which premiered on US television (Showtime) in 2023.
The topic of this drama is the gay and lesbian community in the USA during the Cold War.
The story presented in the drama covers thirty-five years (1952-1987).
Here is some basic information about this drama:
** Creator: Ron Nyswaner
** Directors: James Kent, Daniel Minahan, and others
** Writers: Brandon K. Hines and others
** Based on the book Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon (2007)
** Language: English
** Subtitles: English
** Run time: 8 x ca. 55 minutes = 440 minutes
The cast includes the following:
The first group
** Matt Bomer as Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller – a World War II veteran - an official at the State Department who carefully hides the fact that he is a homosexual
** Jonathan Bailey as Timothy “Tim” Laughlin – a young and idealistic congressional staffer who becomes entangled with Hawkins
** Jelani Aladin as Marcus Gaines – a gay African American reporter who is opposed to the racial segregation which was used in Washington, DC, during the 1950s
** Linus Roache as Senator Wesley Smith – a father figure to Hawkins and an opponent of McCarthyism – this character is partly based on the politician Lester C. Hunt (1892-1954)
** Noah J. Ricketts as Frankie Hines – a drag queen who is in love with Marcus
Gaines
** Allison Williams as Lucy Smith – daughter of Senator Smith and a childhood friend of Hawkins
The second group
** Will Brill as Roy Cohn (1927-1986) – a lawyer who works with Senator McCarthy
** Chris Bauer as Joe McCarthy (1908-1957) – a Senator from Wisconsin
** Matt Visser as David Schine (1927-1996) – Roy Cohn’s assistant
The story in this drama is fictional, but it is placed in a historical context.
The main characters are fictional, but the secondary characters are real historical persons: Joe McCarthy, Roy Cohn and David Schine.
One of the fictional characters (Senator Smith) is partly based on a real historical person: Lester C. Hunt.
Here is some basic information regarding the era which is covered in this historical drama:
** The Cold War 1945-1990
A global conflict between East and West
** The Second Red Scare 1947-1957
A campaign in which real or alleged communists are persecuted, arrested and in a few cases killed
** McCarthyism 1950-1954
A campaign which was organized by a Senator from Wisconsin: Joe McCarthy
** The Lavender Scare
A long-running campaign to find and punish homosexual men and lesbian women in the federal administration
During the years when this conflict and these campaigns were happening, American society suffered from several contradictions:
# 1. The individual or the group?
One aspect of American culture is about the individual.
The individual is encouraged to stand out and to be special. You can be a hero or a star.
But another aspect of American culture is about the group.
You are encouraged to join the group. You should do and say the same as the people around you. Do not stand out. Do not try to be special.
# 2. Patriot or traitor?
One aspect of American culture is about freedom.
The US is regarded as the best and the greatest country in the world, because its citizens have more freedom than other people.
Many Americans are patriots.
They can say and do almost anything they want. They are even allowed to criticize the president if they do not agree with the political line of his government.
Another aspect of American culture is about dissidents and traitors.
If you complain about the government, you stand out as a dissident. Why do you complain so much?
You should be grateful that you have freedom and you should show your gratitude by putting an end to your complaints.
You are a dissident. Perhaps you are a communist? Perhaps you are a traitor? You should be a patriot and support your country.
Americans are under great pressure to conform. Dissidents are not wanted. Why not?
Because they might be communists!
Because communists are traitors!
# 3. Heterosexual or not?
A young man should get married and have children.
If a young man does not get married, there must be something wrong with him.
Perhaps he is gay?
We cannot accept this!
We must find every man who is gay and we must punish them!
A young woman should get married and have children.
If a young woman does not get married, there must be something wrong with her.
Perhaps she is lesbian?
We cannot accept this!
We must find every woman who is lesbian and we must punish them!
In this drama, the contradictions of American society are explored with special focus on the gay and lesbian community.
Reviews and ratings
What do reviewers say about this drama?
Here are some results:
82 percent = IMDb
91 percent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)
92 percent = Rotten tomatoes (the critics)
On Amazon there are at the moment 96 ratings of this product, including 34 with reviews.
The average rating is 4.9 stars, which corresponds to a rating of 98 percent.
As you can see, the ratings are very good. I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with many of them, but I cannot go all the way to the top.
This drama is good but not great.
I think the rating on IMDb is very appropriate. This product deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).
REFERENCES
# 1. Books
Coming Out under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two
By Allan Berube
(1990 = hardcover)
(2000 = paperback)
Homosexuality in Cold War America:
Resistance and the Crisis of Masculinity
By Robert J. Corber
(1997)
The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government
By David K. Johnson
(2004 = hardcover)
(2023 = paperback)
Fellow Travelers
A historical novel
By Thomas Mallon
(2007 = hardcover)
(2008 = paperback)
The Deviant’s War:
The Homosexual vs. the United States of America
By Eric Cervini
(2020 = hardcover)
(2021 = paperback)
# 2. Film and video
Stonewall Uprising
A documentary film which premiered on US television (PBS) in 2010. It is an episode of the long-running program American Experience.
The topic of this film is the LGBT community in New York, with special focus on the Stonewall Uprising in 1969 and events leading up this moment in time.
It’s a Sin
A historical drama which premiered on British television (Channel 4) in 2021
A miniseries with five episodes
The topic of this drama is the history of the gay community in Britain, more precisely the life of the gay community in London during the years 1981-1991
Riot
A historical drama which premiered on Australian television (ABC) in 2018
The topic of this drama is the gay and lesbian community in Australia
*****
Fellow Travelers
a historical novel
by Thomas Mallon
(2007)
*****
Quilt panel for
Roy Cohn:
Bully. Coward. Victim.
(1987)
*****
On this blog
My review of
Where is My Roy Cohn?
(2019)
My review of
Bully. Coward. Victim.
The Story of Roy Cohn
(2019)
*****
My review of
McCarthy:
Power Feeds on Fear
(2020)
*****
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