Fellow Travelers
WARNING : SPOILERS ahead for Fellow Travelers episode 4 .
Summary
Fellow Travelersepisode 4 continues the beautiful and heartrending taradiddle of Hawk and Tim as they voyage the 1950s Lavender Scare , the pressures of McCarthyism , and the eventual AIDS crisis of the eighties . The epic Showtime serial acts as a thoughtfully retrace version of Thomas Mallon ’s 2007 historical novel by the same name , bring the rich and complex narrative to the screen with appropriate intricacy and profoundness . As one of Showtime ’s better miniseries of 2023,Fellow Travelerswill air four more episode before concluding on December 15th .
Fellow Travelersepisode 3saw the passionate Tim make bold yet sincere demands of his family relationship with Hawk , who is sagely more concerned about keeping the affair under wraps than allowing it to openly flourish . The imperativeness of McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare deepen for Hawkin unprecedented ways inFellow Travelersepisode 4 , as he discover himself subjected to the investigative eye of the United States State Department . The progressively frequent 1980s fanfare - forward scene boast an sickly Tim and a remorseful Hawk stay to add layers of poignancy to the decade - spanning family relationship between the two secret lovers .
10Tim & Hawk Visit Marcus & Frankie’s Home In 1986
Frankie & Marcus Represent What Tim & Hawk Could Have Been
Frankie and Marcus are show in 1986 for the first metre inFellow Travelersepisode 4 . By the appearance of it , the two have been happily together for years and partake an apartment in San Francisco whereTim inspires young scholars about the significance of the California Proposition 64 billin their life room . Seeing Marcus and Frankie free and happy together is a sodding demarcation to the inauspicious fate of Tim and Hawk ’s relationship which fell aside in about irreparable means . This setting further demonstratesHawk ’s unfitness to get go of his dressed , conservative personafor the sake of his career and at the expense of Tim .
9Hawk Receives A Summons To Appear Before The M-Unit
An Undisclosed Person Reported Hawk For Suspected Homosexual Activity
To Hawk ’s seismic disturbance and horror , he is givena ill-famed blue envelope at work that states he must appear before the M Unitafter being reported for suspected homosexual activity . One of his help , Mary , who both Hawk and Tim know to be a gay woman based on the events inFellow Travelersepisode 2 , spotted the letter of the alphabet and rushes into Hawk ’s part to discuss the situation . To Mary ’s noesis , Miss Addison , Hawk ’s other assistant , did n’t see the puritanic envelope and assured Hawk that their boss did n’t see it as well . Hawk , who is typically very poised and heedful , is stunned to have been caught but is forced to play along .
8Schine Gets Drafted & Asks Cohn For Further Protections
The Transactional Relationship Between Schine & Cohn Gets More Complex
David Schine is drafted into the United States Army despite Roy Cohn ’s good efforts to keep him out . Cohn continues to use his political social status and influence to gain advantages for Schineincluding weekend passes and even customs charge . The uninterrupted special treatment caused expectant warning signal from top member of the United States Army . They eventually accuse Cohn and Schine of having a special relationship , the same kind that Cohn and McCarthy ’s Subcommittee of Investigations were hypocritically working hard to expose within their rank . Schine clearly uses Cohn ’s apparent affection for him to get out of his military obligations as much as possible .
7Marcus Is Given A Trial Run At The Washington Post
Marcus Gained Attention For Writing About A “Desegregated” D.C.
After Marcus publishes his personal account of getting deny accession to a pop D.C. restaurant , his work gets notice by one of the most prominent newspapers in the country , The Washington Post . Marcus is brought in for a meeting which quickly turns intoa job offer to become a beat writer for The Post . Marcus meanly accepts , clearly majestic of the fact that not only his writing had received credit but also his stance on exhibit the so - called " desegregate " Washington D.C. After accepting the new role , Marcus quickly see that he would confront racial disadvantage at his newfangled workplacewhen it suggested he exclusively uses the bath on the fourth floor .
6Hawk Gets Interrogated & Returns For A Polygraph Test
Hawk Passes Initial Screening With Ease But Must Come Back For More
Hawk obey his bidding and attends the mandatory interrogation defend in Room M305 as part of the State Department ’s M Unit . Hawk is given a abbreviated screen background on the M social unit ’s unmistakable success rate in unwrap the " subverter " and " deviants " that they interview , an determent tactic that is unsuccessful in getting under Hawk ’s skin . huckster answers the similar serial of head that charge to instances of homosexual activity , denying all participation in any such encounters . He appear to have passed the initial test but offends the interviewer by bringing up the late end by self-destruction of a recent interviewee . As a result , Hawk is recite to devolve the next day for a polygraph mental test .
5Hawk & Mary Realize Miss Addison Reported Hawk
Miss Addison Had Discovered The Book Tim Gave To Hawk
At the bureau vacation company , Mary and Hawk look to be have a private conversation when the eavesdrop Miss Addison come near with a major promulgation . With a sinister grin on her face , Miss Addison reveals to Hawk and Mary thatshe discovered the book that Tim had given to Hawk and read the sentimental lettering that said,“Thanks for everything . You ’re wonderful . “Based on this information , Mary quickly project out that Miss Addison must have been the one to cover Hawk in the first place , which Hawk does n’t take kindly . Without making a scene , Hawk have her a abrasive message that Miss Addison likely wo n’t forget .
4Hawk Asks Tim To Hand Schine A Classified Envelope
Hawk Hopes His Evidence On McCarthy Will Silence Him For Good
Tim and Hawk have another romantic encounter inFellow Travelersepisode 4 , and Hawk take a shit it seem like it may be one of their last . Hawk give him a thoughtful yet meet present of epicurean cufflink with his own initials on them , which Tim later handle up as representing his college " Fordham " and his major " History” . distinctive of Hawk ’s two - tone character , the generous exchange is followed by an ask for a favour . Hawk expect Tim if he could hand - extradite a secret envelope to David Schine without thinking of how that could affect Tim ’s status at body of work . Tim does what Hawk asks and in doing so , provides grounds of McCarthy ’s distrust homosexual activity to Schine and Cohn .
3McCarthy & Cohn Are Charged By The United States Army
Cohn’s Suspicious Demands Have Finally Caught Up With Him
After McCarthy starts to crack down on Cohn ’s excessive privileges and favors for Schine , Cohn go to act erratic and borderline delusional . inflate by his ego and his business leader as drawing card of McCarthy ’s Subcommittee , Cohn imperil to essentially take down the United States Armyif they sent Schine overseas to Germany or Korea . Cohn ’s outrageous threats had reached a tipping item with the U.S. Army after the televised Army - McCarthy auditory sense , which resulted in bothMcCarthy and Cohn facing charge of using unlawful pressing on the Army to leverage reward for Schine .
2Hawk Passes The Polygraph Test Just In Time For Christmas
Hawk Escapes The M Unit Interrogation To Keep His Government Job
Hawk studies and trains for the polygraph exam the night before he is called back into the M Unit . After doing some research , Hawk figures out how to influence his center charge per unit when need inquiry about his homosexual activity . Through his disassociation techniques , Hawk is able-bodied to successfully pass the exam without any suspicion whatsoever . The M Unit interviewer finally check his grim , unreached part due to the " holiday spirit " and shares the effective news program with Hawk , who later reveals to Marcus at the Cozy Corner thatthe polygraph test was n’t searching for reactions to truth but rather guilt trip .
1Hawk Returns From A Bar To Discover That Tim Had A Seizure
Tim Was Rushed To The Hospital While Hawk Was Out Drinking
Back in 1986 , Hawk returns from his bout of escapist hedonism at a bar to Tim ’s flat in San Francisco . Hawk tries to excuse yet again to Tim until he attain that he is n’t there . He finds his methamphetamine and cane on the ground and realizes he ’s in Tim ’s empty apartment . bit afterwards , one of the scholar from Marcus and Frankie ’s apartment enters and tells Hawk some inauspicious news . Tim had been strike to the hospital after having a seizure . The terrific world sinks in as Hawk realizes he may be losing Tim for good at the end ofFellow Travelersepisode 4 .
