Make It Easy – As the finale of Fellow Travelers begins, Lucy (Allison Williams) calls Hawk (Matt Bomer) who tells her it has been a rough 48 hours. Lucy reveals she is in San Francisco because she was worried when she didn’t hear from him. She goes on to say the movers are on hold. Lucy wants to talk. As Hawk makes it to the hospital, he finds Tim (Jonathan Bailey) watching a news report about California Governor George Deukmejian being pressured by gay rights advocates to sign legislation aimed at preventing AIDS patients from being fired or denied housing. Tim asks Hawk to turn it off when he learns the Governor isn’t eager to sign the law.

Hawk says he is seeing his friend this afternoon with the governor’s chief of staff. Tim woke up last night and didn’t know where he was or who he was. He can’t believe Hawk has been drinking vodka at ten in the morning. Hawk tells Tim he’ll let him know how it goes with his friend. Tim hands him a do-not-resuscitate order since he could come out of the next seizure on life support. Before Hawk leaves to get him a popsicle, he tells Tim that Lucy is in town and she wants to see him. Hawk meets with Marcus Gaines (Jelani Alladin) who turns down alcohol. Hawk tells him that his wife is at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Marcus believes Jerome has the virus.

He wonders why Jerome won’t tell him. Hawk says boys never want to talk about what’s eating at them. It is up to Marcus to make the first move before it is too late. Marcus argues that it isn’t fair because the kid was just figuring himself out when it was spreading. Hawk admits his test was negative. Marcus is surprised to learn he is still bulletproof.

Past – Hawk gets settled into his new study while listening to the game between Army and Navy. When Lucy asks him about it, he says it’ll always be her father’s study. Hawk receives a telegram from Tim asking him to do something about the Hungarian refugees. Once Lucy leaves the room, Hawk begins writing a letter to Tim. When they meet, Tim tells him he broke his promise that he wouldn’t write. They discuss the Hungarian refugees and Tim’s telegram. Tim admits he didn’t expect a job offer. Hawk tells him he doesn’t have the job yet.

Tim goes inside the office where they’re working to process as many Hungarian refugees as possible. He has a better-than-average chance of being selected because he’s been recommended by Hawk. Tim confirms he worked for Senator McCarthy. His coworker believes the cowards who censured him were wrong and history will show that McCarthy is a great American. In the hallway, Tim tells Hawk that getting a security clearance is McLeod’s department.

Hawk tells him not to worry about McLeod since he is going to be the ambassador of Ireland. After Tim says he is excited about the time, Hawk believes he knows a few ways Tim could thank him. Tim reminds him that he had to join the army to get away from him the last time. Before Tim leaves, Hawk tells him he’ll let him know when he hears from Osborne (Scott Beaudin). At home, Lucy tells Hawk she believes she is pregnant with a boy. Tim meets Mary Johnson (Erin Neufer) who is writing speeches for Representative Sullivan. Mary intends to run for her seat someday. Since she is no longer on the government’s payroll, she doesn’t have to worry about the FBI raiding her underwear drawer.

As for Tim, he has applied for a position in the Refugee Relief Office and Hawk recommended him. Tim claims Hawk changed. Tim has since he has stopped worshipping false idols. Mary reveals she got a letter from Caroline who’s married and living in Ohio with her husband. Tim looks at a picture of Caroline’s baby. Mary wonders what would’ve happened if she had offered to leave DC with Caroline when it happened. She talks to him about The Catcher in the Rye.

Present – Lucy goes to the hospital to see Tim. The receptionist tells her she doesn’t have to worry about wearing gloves. Tim tells her he has KS, recurring seizures, and his hair is falling out. Lucy thinks the government could do a lot more about this. Her father used to argue for a national healthcare system because he thought the government should take care of its citizens. Tim says this is the only hospital in the country where people with AIDS are treated like human beings. Lucy says Tim means something to her husband so she had to see him. She wants to know how much he means to Hawk. Tim knows asking Hawk wouldn’t get her anywhere.

Tim says his time with Hawk was rushed with years in between. Lucy believes he was always there. She didn’t leave him because they had a good life and children. When Jackson died, it was unbearable. The only comfort she had was knowing that Hawk understood that suffering and felt the same way. She doesn’t think she would’ve lived through it if she was alone. Tim thanks her for coming to see him. Hawk meets with his friend to try to get Tim a meeting. Howard suggests AIDS is killing the right people depending on how you look at it. Hawk says no one chose that before reminding Howard that he had a lot of action back in the day.

Howard admits it is a big ask because no one wants to talk about AIDS. He flirts with a woman nearby before telling Hawk he likes it tight. Hawk blackmails him and threatens to tell Linda about a past fling. Howard agrees to see what he can do, but he tells Hawk not to get his hopes up.

Past – Tim goes to the funeral of Joseph McCarthy who died of hepatitis. Miss Addison comes over to Tim. She tells him he doesn’t belong there and curses him. Hawk takes him away. He shows Tim the new place he is staying after Lucy made him give up his apartment. They talk about what Hawk does there before he says he is happy within reason. Tim says he saw McCarthy for what he was in the end so he doesn’t know he feels like he lost someone. Hawk says it is because he is a decent person. Tim believes he used to have passion like McCarthy had. Hawk claims he’d be the first man he brought there, but Tim doesn’t believe him.

They end up having sex. Once they finish, Hawk says he’ll check with Osborne about the application. Tim knew this would happen the moment he opened his letter. He asks Hawk to leave a message for him at the Y. He’ll meet her there whenever he wants. Hawk will leave the key on the frame above the door so he can come when he likes. At home, Lucy quickly realizes Hawk has been up to something.

Present – Hawk visits Lucy at her motel. He apologizes for being away for so long. Lucy says she isn’t moving to Italy. She knows that he has to go to Italy, but she isn’t going with him. Hawk says he can put in for retirement. Lucy says he came out there because he deserved a chance to say goodbye to Tim. She thought it would be over when Tim dies. Now, she realizes it will never be over. Lucy argues he has unfinished business there and needs to see it through. He can come home when he is ready although Lucy isn’t sure she’ll be there. Hawk thinks they can work it out because they always do. Lucy tells him goodbye.

Marcus tries to get Jerome to open up while playing basketball. Jerome eventually blurts out that he is positive. He blames himself for messing around, but Marcus says he is young and has a right to explore. Marcus goes on to say he is innocent. Tim’s roommate Roger talks to him about Paul who is a terrific dancer. Hawk enters and tells Tim the meeting doesn’t look good. Hawk lays down and listens to them talk before he begins thinking about his time with Tim. In the past, Tim tells Hawk it’ll be funny when he gets the job and they’ll be colleagues. They’ll see each other every day.

Hawk checks on Tim in the middle of the night because he was making noises. Tim isn’t going to sign the do-not-resuscitate order. He wants them to bring him back. He wants to fight. Hawk offers to get the nurse, but Tim pleads with him to stay. As Hawk cuddles with him in bed, Tim says he feels like he’s fading away. Hawk calls Dave to plead with him to get Howard Lonigan (Jeffrey Wetsch) to meet with his friend. Dave offers to get him a couple of tickets to the fundraiser gala. He can arrange for him to have a few minutes with Howard.

Hawk asks Tim if he owns a tuxedo. Marcus watches a news report about the passing of Roy Cohn. Frankie helps him pick out an outfit for Tim. Marcus believes Frankie has always been the stronger one. Marcus doesn’t want to let Jerome down. Frankie says he won’t. Tim and Hawk arrive moments later.

Past – Hawk visits Lucy because he heard she has been ill. She insists she is fine and it is a woman’s job to worry about the baby. She sends him back to the office. Hawk gets up early, apologizes to Tim, and leaves the souvenir for him. Hawk visits Fred Treband to tell him Tim has a few problems in the area he once questioned him about. Tim gets a letter from Osborne’s office saying he doesn’t satisfy their security considerations. He tells Mary who believes Hawk told them. She says he came to see her last night and he wanted her to tell him. Hawk wanted to do it before he got to the job so there wouldn’t be an investigation.

Mary says Tim has become inconvenient. Tim doesn’t think Hawk is like that, but Mary insists he is. He can’t see Hawk because Lucy went into labor.

Present – Hawk takes Tim to the fundraiser gala. They speak to Dave about meeting Howard. Hawk wants to push the matter, but Tim says it is fine and they’ll wait. In private, Dave says Howard is going to veto the bill anyway so it’s a waste of time. Hawk grabs his hand and tells him that Tim is his friend and he just got out of the hospital. He says he climbed into his bed and held him. Hawk follows Tim outside to talk about hurting him a long time ago. Tim spent most of his life waiting for God to love him until he realized it only mattered that he loved God. It is the same with Hawk. He was his great consuming love and most people don’t get one of those.

Tim insists he has no regrets. Hawk kisses him. Marcus arrives because Tim knew Lonigan would refuse to see them. Hawk realizes he has been used before asking Marcus for a minute with Tim. Hawk offers to wait for Tim who says he needs to go home. Tim has to fight this fight and that means letting go of everything else. If Hawk is around, he won’t be able to let go. He pleads with Hawk to go home and make it easy for him. Hawk asks him to promise he won’t write before he goes. Marcus goes inside and lets the others in through the back. They take over, protest, and demand AIDS funding. In the past, Tim goes to the hospital to see Hawk.

He sees Jackson. Hawk goes home and finds the souvenir on the desk, but it appears Lucy is gone. Footage of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is shown.  Hawk sees Roy Cohn’s name before finding Tim’s. Kimberly (Brittany Raymond) comes over and tells Hawk it is beautiful. Hawk says Tim wasn’t his friend. He was the man he loved.

 

Fellow Travelers Review

This was a fitting conclusion to Fellow Travelers even if it didn’t reach an emotional peak. The episode still did a good job of covering the past events when Hawk betrayed Tim and how he eventually worked to redeem himself. Hawk also came clean with his daughter Kimberley after Tim’s passing.

Despite possibly being the highlight of the season, it still feels like Fellow Travelers could’ve hit the target more often. The early half of the season was pretty tedious with all the Senate hearings that didn’t always pan out effectively. The series was bogged down in spots and could’ve been slimmed down if it focused more on what mattered the most.

In the end, what drove the story was Tim and Hawk’s relationship. Nothing was ever going to become more important than that, but it sometimes only received a quarter of certain episodes. While this aspect of the story was integral, many of the senate hearing scenes weren’t impactful and just seemed to take away from the core relationship.

The finale really showed what the series could’ve been and how emotionally impactful it could’ve been before the end. If anything, the series should be credited for creating easily one of the most sympathetic figures in Tim Laughlin. Overall, this was a good finale that didn’t quite reach the level it could’ve.

The finale scores a 6.5 out of 10. Recaps of Fellow Travelers can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here. Discuss this series and others at the Reel Mockery Forum.