I’m a straight grandmother in my seventies. I knew the moment that man stepped out of that office that he was going to commit suicide. Had gay friends at university and lived through the 80’s and beyond in a city pretty open to gay culture. I cry after every episode of this series. It breaks my heart. But I’m also happy that young men and women of your generation can love who they love, at least in this country. I’m always hopeful, maybe naively, that we continue to move forward and see the person standing in front of us without bias of any kind. Love you guys.
I'm in NYC and binged the first 3 episodes alone in bed, then at 9 am the next morning walked straight into Jelani Alladin, who plays Marcus. I just stammered and got teary eyed and said how much the show means to me (cishet girl with a very gay and never happily out or partnered dad, who deserved to be happy and true to himself!). Jelani was SO kind and gracious and now I love the show even more. Also I wish I could watch it with friends as insightful and joyful as you two.
It's also a reminder that Hawk isn't in the dominant controlling position anymore. Cruising at 60 ish yrs old isn't being "careful". They're gonna make you do what they want to do, not the other way around...
You asked how non-queer people view this series, so I’ll tell you. 😌 I see it exactly the same as you. I’d like to think anyone with a heart would, regardless of sexuality. Just like you, I knew the distraught man at the beginning was going to kill himself. And just like you, I find this whole series difficult (but necessary) to watch. Unlike you, it’s not history for me, it’s part of my past. I was born during the “McCarthy era,” so too young to remember, but it was fresh enough when I was in school that we were taught how wrong it was-McCarthy was vilified (rightfully). As for the 80’s, I know people who died of AIDS, one being my neighbor, the other a (female) friend’s husband. (She stayed with him & took care of him.) One of things I enjoy about you two, besides your wonderful humor, is how you frame your thoughts. And while it’s usually from the perspective of the LGBT community (which it should be), I often (nearly always, like 99% of the time) find what you’re saying is actually applicable to the wider world, i.e., to people in general. I’m not sure I’m saying this right, but in a nutshell, I think your views and thoughts have a far more wide-reaching, universal appeal than you realize. Oh, as an aside, I’ve had a polygraph. I actually had trouble with it, and I’m about the most open and law-abiding person ever. It’s all about physiological reactions. This was the most realistic one I’ve seen for a film.
as a straight person I gotta say I haven’t cried this much during a show in years. it’s too powerful and the cast is just sublime. I feel empathy for Hawk and Tim and just wanna hold my gay friends closer than ever after watching. Even though now gay people have more rights than back then there are still many smallminded people like that out there who want to make lgbtq+ people as miserable as possible. that’s why I find it so important that we show how they are just like us - they want to freely love like everybody else.
Just going to say it, this may be a bold statement, but I think “Fellow Travellers” is one of the smartest (if not THE smartest), engaging, well produced gay themed TV shows I’ve ever seen! It’s a masterpiece.
Alex focusing on the hotness of the men in question = homosexual Josh focusing on the patterns chosen for their clothes = gay Two sides of the queer male coin... lol 😉
Just FYI, the homophobic “secretary” who reported Hawke is actually a queer TH-camr (and has been in several series and movies) and I instantly recognised them. Much like the homophobic brother and king in red white and royal blue, both played by gay actors, I thought it was once again very interesting to cast a queer actor in a homophobic role. It feels almost more okay in a way, like we’re reclaiming our own history or something. I don’t know how to explain
As a non-LGBTQ person (at least til now), I feel so much empathy for Tim and partially for Hawk. I feel like their choices and feelings, while very much a product of their (sexual, religious, political) identities and their time, are sort of universal. Choosing to pursue a path that brings you love but can be extremely challenging and could destroy your whole life plan or choosing the status quo and ultimately being unhappy (Hawk), remaining pure-hearted and trying to do the right thing despite how many awful challenges life throws at you (Tim), and battling with toxic, addictive, once-in-a-lifetime love (both of them). I absolutely love this series and will definitely be rewatching it once it's over
Hello! I'm in VA and just discovered your channel. I love it! I adore your take on this series so far. I'll try to find your take on Red, Blue Royal. When I watched this series, I binged it all at once... all night. I loved this depicted telling of life as a gay going back to the 50s all the way to the 70s, 80s till today. The actors were great without a doubt. You asked about someone straight seeing this and their take... I was not born in the 50s, but I did live through the late 60s, 70s, and definitely the 80s as a young straight person. I was aware of the freedom in the 70s for gays and the struggle for blacks as well. As you pointed out, both were a minority group they tried to control. I don't remember much about Washington's witch hunt, but I remember gay bashings. I was front and center during the whole AIDS epidemic, and it was scary! It affected everyone because, like these characters, you had men on the low taking it back to the hetero communities. It was everywhere on TV and in the news and horrible seeing loved ones die. Even people that had come out were almost forced to go back in! It was kinda like with COVID... if someone coughs long or hard, you're side eyeing them. Well, if someone lost a bunch of weight or had a sore or lesion... they had to have AIDS! Bad times! So this movie takes me back to life in those eras. This is how my cousins lived... always hiding, going out of town for hookups or clubs. Dating women and never bringing anyone home when visiting. Great angle of those years from the political, black, and gay aspect. We even experience the women's side for loving and protecting the men. It is a little piece of history made clear. Can't wait to view the rest of your reactions. Cheers!
"You've gotta laugh at the bits where you can laugh, 'cause otherwise you'd just cry." Sooo true of this series. This just got nominated for 3 Critic's Choice Awards the other day! The polygraph in the book is WILD. Like holy shit. If you're only going to read one chapter, read that one! Your faces during the sex scene. LOL I was laughing so hard. And Hawk escorting Tim to the meeting wouldn't necessarily be outing himself. All he'd have to say is, "I knew Tim when I worked at the State Department. I thought he was dating my secretary. She and I were catching up, and I learned Tim was ill. She couldn't come, so she asked me to be here." He wouldn't even have to stay in the meeting. It's a plausible explanation without outing himself.
15:32 my face exactly. That he finally gave him head came at a high price. I think I read somewhere that Hawk had vowed not to ever do that after the humiliation he suffered when his dad caught him servicing Kenny. He would have still been able to convince Skippy to run the errand for him though so I take that as a testimony of his feels for Skippy
This show is just incredible. I think it's my favorite TV show I've watched this year, even above Heartstopper Season 2. I've watched all the way up to episode 7 already and it's so damn good and incredibly heartbreaking. The later episodes hit hard because we had the build up between the two of them early on. I love the way it weaves in real historical events into the story.
Hi guys! Im a bi person from Brazil and I love your chanell ! I think that since Angels in America I dont see a gay content so good, so sensitive and so raw like FT ! Is the best serie of the year so far! I love it! 💋🇧🇷
It feels as if I might be missing the point, but I think Tim is the strong one in this story. Hawk is just floundering? God but they’re beautiful together.
hey :) straight girly here, and I can say that it's still so painful for me to watch. If you have the slightest bit of empathy and understanding for your fellow human, it *should* be painful to watch. (also, can't speak for everyone, but yea, I knew that man was going to commit suicide 2 seconds after he stepped out that room. also, also, Hawk one hundred thousand million percent has a ton of internalized homophobia (he'd be the type of guy who would think bottoming (or wearing pink or something) is "too gay" and he's not "one of those gays")
Have you seen "The Normal Heart"? 2014 HBO movie, set between 1981 & 1984-ish, about the AIDS crisis. Matt Bomer, Mark Ruffalo & others...I'd love to see you react to that.
I had a different (more cynical) take on the cufflinks. I saw it as Hawk didn't get Tim anything so he had to find something, i.e. his own cufflinks, in his closet to give him. Whether that was a genuinely sweet gesture or just buttering him up to ask him to do his dirty work...I'm undecided. Maybe, optimistically, a bit of both.
I lean towards sweet gesture. It's the early 50's. Men exchanging gifts whether gay/straight/ everything in between isn't a common occurrence. For Skippy to gift Hawk a tie after what went down in episode 3 😜 In less than 24hrs Hawk's name, reputation & career may be ruined. He has to give Skippy that envelope now. He's getting his affairs in order. The cufflinks are a statement to "Who do you belong to?"
Ron Nyswaner said this scene was about "unstated feelings." Hawk was to take the polygraph test the next day and wasn't confident that he would pass it so he had his Skip over on what could've been their last night together. I'm fairly convinced that had Hawk not passed, he would have offed himself as he couldn't have dealt with all the ruin if he were outed. He indulged Tim on what they would do if they could spend Christmas together, (The Rockettes) he gave Tim a blow job and the snowball kiss. The cufflinks were important to Hawk, we see him wear them in many previous scenes. He wanted to give something of himself to Tim, his initials/name and to Tim, it was a sign of him belonging to Hawk. It wasn't meant to be a Christmas gift. Love how these boys love! Again not knowing if he would pass the test, he enlisted Tim to get that envelope to David Schine. What lay in that envelope was the end of The Lavender Scare and Hawk wanted to make sure it got to the right people. It was for the greater good, it could save alot of innocent lives. Hawk had got very moved when listening to that boy's story in Rehoboth Beach. Hawk kissed Tim and then pulled back and looked at him so sad for a moment and then rubbed noses. "So you'll remember me!" No, in that episode, the jewelry that held all the ulterior motives was the bracelet. Notice too that Hawk wore Skips' tie to both the polygraph testing and to the Smith's party when he gave Lucy that bracelet!!
@@sherrimast8525 Thought Hawk was the most sincere when interviewing that soldier at Rehoboth Beach. He was thinking how easily this could have been him if not for Senator Smith taking care of him when he returned from war..
I love the way how they tread Hiv and Aids in this show. And also it is difficult to me to watch this. Thinking my beloved best friend and I were living in the 80s, he was going to die being affected by Hiv after something like 7 years.
Sorry your analysis of Hawk’s reaction in the SF back room during ‘86 is too simple. Yes, he wants to remain in control. That’s been well established. However at the time, the fear of AIDS permeated the gay scene. It was already understood that unprotected, passive anal was the riskiest behavior for gay men. My early 20s in NY overlapped with the time period. Gay Men’s Health Crisis had capacity crowds at their Eroticizing Safer Sex workshops because guys were desperate for information and a means to escape the feeling that every hookup was a game of Russian roulette. Anyone who has come of age since the development of antiviral cocktails in the mid 90s can’t understand what it was like living with the specter hanging over you.
Yes, your comment is right on the mark. I was in my 30s during the 1980s, mainly in New York City but occasionally in San Francisco, and it was exactly as you said. Thank you.
hope you are prepared for this episode, WE'RE NOT!
I’m a straight grandmother in my seventies. I knew the moment that man stepped out of that office that he was going to commit suicide. Had gay friends at university and lived through the 80’s and beyond in a city pretty open to gay culture. I cry after every episode of this series. It breaks my heart. But I’m also happy that young men and women of your generation can love who they love, at least in this country. I’m always hopeful, maybe naively, that we continue to move forward and see the person standing in front of us without bias of any kind. Love you guys.
You are such a sweet grandmother
I'm in NYC and binged the first 3 episodes alone in bed, then at 9 am the next morning walked straight into Jelani Alladin, who plays Marcus. I just stammered and got teary eyed and said how much the show means to me (cishet girl with a very gay and never happily out or partnered dad, who deserved to be happy and true to himself!). Jelani was SO kind and gracious and now I love the show even more. Also I wish I could watch it with friends as insightful and joyful as you two.
😍😍😍
that's so sweet🥲 reminds me of the fan mail they read out in on of the interviews
I think he recounted this in one of FT interview session
Hawk is 100% the kind of man who thinks that bottoming is “too gay”. So that’s why the bar situation turned so bad
Marcus as well.
It's also a reminder that Hawk isn't in the dominant controlling position anymore. Cruising at 60 ish yrs old isn't being "careful". They're gonna make you do what they want to do, not the other way around...
You asked how non-queer people view this series, so I’ll tell you. 😌 I see it exactly the same as you. I’d like to think anyone with a heart would, regardless of sexuality. Just like you, I knew the distraught man at the beginning was going to kill himself.
And just like you, I find this whole series difficult (but necessary) to watch. Unlike you, it’s not history for me, it’s part of my past. I was born during the “McCarthy era,” so too young to remember, but it was fresh enough when I was in school that we were taught how wrong it was-McCarthy was vilified (rightfully). As for the 80’s, I know people who died of AIDS, one being my neighbor, the other a (female) friend’s husband. (She stayed with him & took care of him.)
One of things I enjoy about you two, besides your wonderful humor, is how you frame your thoughts. And while it’s usually from the perspective of the LGBT community (which it should be), I often (nearly always, like 99% of the time) find what you’re saying is actually applicable to the wider world, i.e., to people in general. I’m not sure I’m saying this right, but in a nutshell, I think your views and thoughts have a far more wide-reaching, universal appeal than you realize.
Oh, as an aside, I’ve had a polygraph. I actually had trouble with it, and I’m about the most open and law-abiding person ever. It’s all about physiological reactions. This was the most realistic one I’ve seen for a film.
Just watched E7, I'm absolutely in love with Jonathan. This series has been so intense and continues to be so.. They deserve awards.
as a straight person I gotta say I haven’t cried this much during a show in years. it’s too powerful and the cast is just sublime. I feel empathy for Hawk and Tim and just wanna hold my gay friends closer than ever after watching. Even though now gay people have more rights than back then there are still many smallminded people like that out there who want to make lgbtq+ people as miserable as possible. that’s why I find it so important that we show how they are just like us - they want to freely love like everybody else.
Just going to say it, this may be a bold statement, but I think “Fellow Travellers” is one of the smartest (if not THE smartest), engaging, well produced gay themed TV shows I’ve ever seen! It’s a masterpiece.
Alex focusing on the hotness of the men in question = homosexual
Josh focusing on the patterns chosen for their clothes = gay
Two sides of the queer male coin... lol 😉
I mean, together we make a statement haha
Just FYI, the homophobic “secretary” who reported Hawke is actually a queer TH-camr (and has been in several series and movies) and I instantly recognised them. Much like the homophobic brother and king in red white and royal blue, both played by gay actors, I thought it was once again very interesting to cast a queer actor in a homophobic role. It feels almost more okay in a way, like we’re reclaiming our own history or something. I don’t know how to explain
As a non-LGBTQ person (at least til now), I feel so much empathy for Tim and partially for Hawk. I feel like their choices and feelings, while very much a product of their (sexual, religious, political) identities and their time, are sort of universal. Choosing to pursue a path that brings you love but can be extremely challenging and could destroy your whole life plan or choosing the status quo and ultimately being unhappy (Hawk), remaining pure-hearted and trying to do the right thing despite how many awful challenges life throws at you (Tim), and battling with toxic, addictive, once-in-a-lifetime love (both of them). I absolutely love this series and will definitely be rewatching it once it's over
“What’s in it for her?”
Securing her whole future through marriage
Tea!
Plus how hot Matt Bomer is! I would be a beard for him!!!
This show just gets me! Every episode I am like Skippy "Hit me!...Again!"
Hahaha Here wo go Skippy
Hello! I'm in VA and just discovered your channel. I love it! I adore your take on this series so far. I'll try to find your take on Red, Blue Royal. When I watched this series, I binged it all at once... all night. I loved this depicted telling of life as a gay going back to the 50s all the way to the 70s, 80s till today. The actors were great without a doubt. You asked about someone straight seeing this and their take... I was not born in the 50s, but I did live through the late 60s, 70s, and definitely the 80s as a young straight person. I was aware of the freedom in the 70s for gays and the struggle for blacks as well. As you pointed out, both were a minority group they tried to control. I don't remember much about Washington's witch hunt, but I remember gay bashings. I was front and center during the whole AIDS epidemic, and it was scary! It affected everyone because, like these characters, you had men on the low taking it back to the hetero communities. It was everywhere on TV and in the news and horrible seeing loved ones die. Even people that had come out were almost forced to go back in! It was kinda like with COVID... if someone coughs long or hard, you're side eyeing them. Well, if someone lost a bunch of weight or had a sore or lesion... they had to have AIDS! Bad times! So this movie takes me back to life in those eras. This is how my cousins lived... always hiding, going out of town for hookups or clubs. Dating women and never bringing anyone home when visiting. Great angle of those years from the political, black, and gay aspect. We even experience the women's side for loving and protecting the men. It is a little piece of history made clear. Can't wait to view the rest of your reactions. Cheers!
“I just want to be sandwiched between them!” 😂😂😂 Relatable, Alex! I feel you!
"You've gotta laugh at the bits where you can laugh, 'cause otherwise you'd just cry." Sooo true of this series. This just got nominated for 3 Critic's Choice Awards the other day! The polygraph in the book is WILD. Like holy shit. If you're only going to read one chapter, read that one! Your faces during the sex scene. LOL I was laughing so hard. And Hawk escorting Tim to the meeting wouldn't necessarily be outing himself. All he'd have to say is, "I knew Tim when I worked at the State Department. I thought he was dating my secretary. She and I were catching up, and I learned Tim was ill. She couldn't come, so she asked me to be here." He wouldn't even have to stay in the meeting. It's a plausible explanation without outing himself.
15:32 my face exactly. That he finally gave him head came at a high price. I think I read somewhere that Hawk had vowed not to ever do that after the humiliation he suffered when his dad caught him servicing Kenny. He would have still been able to convince Skippy to run the errand for him though so I take that as a testimony of his feels for Skippy
This show is just incredible. I think it's my favorite TV show I've watched this year, even above Heartstopper Season 2. I've watched all the way up to episode 7 already and it's so damn good and incredibly heartbreaking. The later episodes hit hard because we had the build up between the two of them early on. I love the way it weaves in real historical events into the story.
Great reaction. Um... "feeding the penguin"? I think that term is "snowballing", which also is holiday appropriate.
🤣🤣🤣
Hi guys! Im a bi person from Brazil and I love your chanell ! I think that since Angels in America I dont see a gay content so good, so sensitive and so raw like FT ! Is the best serie of the year so far! I love it! 💋🇧🇷
after watching them freak out at *the* scene I can't wait for them to watch episode 8
It feels as if I might be missing the point, but I think Tim is the strong one in this story. Hawk is just floundering? God but they’re beautiful together.
Hahaha you guys are hilarious! Alex is all about the sex & Josh is all about the clothes! "It's like feeding a penguin" LMAO
Been looking forward to this reaction! 👏🏽
Come along, we need the emotional support!
I was having a sip of tea and Josh goes "It's like feeding a penguin"
I looked like a fountain 😂
I’m late to the party but I’ll rewatch soon.
Josh and the fashion!! 😂
Yay!
@@AStoryWorthTelling you know I don’t stay away very long
hey :) straight girly here, and I can say that it's still so painful for me to watch. If you have the slightest bit of empathy and understanding for your fellow human, it *should* be painful to watch. (also, can't speak for everyone, but yea, I knew that man was going to commit suicide 2 seconds after he stepped out that room. also, also, Hawk one hundred thousand million percent has a ton of internalized homophobia (he'd be the type of guy who would think bottoming (or wearing pink or something) is "too gay" and he's not "one of those gays")
Have you seen "The Normal Heart"? 2014 HBO movie, set between 1981 & 1984-ish, about the AIDS crisis. Matt Bomer, Mark Ruffalo & others...I'd love to see you react to that.
Come on guys!!
I literally cry watching every F... episode!
But when I watch it with your reaction😂😂😂😂😂😂
I love how Josh looks at Alex when he’s talking. I can see ppl falling in love with just by that alone.
I had a different (more cynical) take on the cufflinks. I saw it as Hawk didn't get Tim anything so he had to find something, i.e. his own cufflinks, in his closet to give him. Whether that was a genuinely sweet gesture or just buttering him up to ask him to do his dirty work...I'm undecided. Maybe, optimistically, a bit of both.
I thought this too
That was my interpretation too
I lean towards sweet gesture. It's the early 50's. Men exchanging gifts whether gay/straight/ everything in between isn't a common occurrence. For Skippy to gift Hawk a tie after what went down in episode 3 😜 In less than 24hrs Hawk's name, reputation & career may be ruined. He has to give Skippy that envelope now. He's getting his affairs in order. The cufflinks are a statement to "Who do you belong to?"
Ron Nyswaner said this scene was about "unstated feelings."
Hawk was to take the polygraph test the next day and wasn't confident that he would pass it so he had his Skip over on what could've been their last night together. I'm fairly convinced that had Hawk not passed, he would have offed himself as he couldn't have dealt with all the ruin if he were outed. He indulged Tim on what they would do if they could spend Christmas together, (The Rockettes) he gave Tim a blow job and the snowball kiss. The cufflinks were important to Hawk, we see him wear them in many previous scenes. He wanted to give something of himself to Tim, his initials/name and to Tim, it was a sign of him belonging to Hawk. It wasn't meant to be a Christmas gift. Love how these boys love!
Again not knowing if he would pass the test, he enlisted Tim to get that envelope to David Schine. What lay in that envelope was the end of The Lavender Scare and Hawk wanted to make sure it got to the right people. It was for the greater good, it could save alot of innocent lives. Hawk had got very moved when listening to that boy's story in Rehoboth Beach.
Hawk kissed Tim and then pulled back and looked at him so sad for a moment and then rubbed noses. "So you'll remember me!" No, in that episode, the jewelry that held all the ulterior motives was the bracelet. Notice too that Hawk wore Skips' tie to both the polygraph testing and to the Smith's party when he gave Lucy that bracelet!!
@@sherrimast8525 Thought Hawk was the most sincere when interviewing that soldier at Rehoboth Beach. He was thinking how easily this could have been him if not for Senator Smith taking care of him when he returned from war..
I love the way how they tread Hiv and Aids in this show. And also it is difficult to me to watch this. Thinking my beloved best friend and I were living in the 80s, he was going to die being affected by Hiv after something like 7 years.
Hawk taking a polygraph test I was like holy shit
I just finished my port, I'm ready for anything... 🤦🏻♂️😂
🤣🤣🤣
Prepare guys . Episode 8 gonna break everyone 😢
Thank you for posting!! I love your recaps and have been dying for you to post. 💕💕
8:30 IM CRYING
Ahh so excited for this reaction ❤❤
❤❤❤
I was literally thinking of Austin Powers in this episode 🤣🤣
This show is ruining me 🙃 love you guys’ reactions. Can’t wait to see more!
Josh is about the clothes and alex is just like he's daddy
Can't wait to see your reaction to episode 7 🥵🥵🥵🤩
Well. Any rich gay need a beard, you got an ally here 😂
I love your videos, greetings from Colombia
Greetings from the UK!
"What a hideous jumper!"😂
Which one did he mean hope he didn’t mean skippys reindeer one
I might be thick but what’s the idea of the catwalk across the room?
Your not ready for the next episode and the next two ep after the 5th.
Pls keep tissues ready.
NOT THE PINGU!!!!
14:31 YOU DID NOT….. 💀
I feel like after episode 3 it started to get a little too see and say.... I dropped off at episode 5.
❤❤❤❤❤
Sorry your analysis of Hawk’s reaction in the SF back room during ‘86 is too simple. Yes, he wants to remain in control. That’s been well established. However at the time, the fear of AIDS permeated the gay scene. It was already understood that unprotected, passive anal was the riskiest behavior for gay men. My early 20s in NY overlapped with the time period. Gay Men’s Health Crisis had capacity crowds at their Eroticizing Safer Sex workshops because guys were desperate for information and a means to escape the feeling that every hookup was a game of Russian roulette. Anyone who has come of age since the development of antiviral cocktails in the mid 90s can’t understand what it was like living with the specter hanging over you.
Yes, your comment is right on the mark. I was in my 30s during the 1980s, mainly in New York City but occasionally in San Francisco, and it was exactly as you said. Thank you.
What did antiviral cocktails do?