S01.E05: Promise You Won't Write

[secnarf]

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Roy Cohn's obsession with David Schine leads to the televised Army-McCarthy hearings and national scandal as McCarthy's allies attack Senator Smith, threatening to expose family secrets. Hawk tries to protect Smith while hiding his secret life from Lucy, although a tragedy brings them closer. Marcus must decide between his love for Frankie and his new job at the Post. Exposed to McCarthy's – and Hawk’s – true natures, Tim makes a life-changing decision about his future.

 

[Snazzy Daisy]

Fellow Travelers Episode 5 Promo | SHOWTIME

[AngieBee1]

Frankie and Marcus' relationship is a great balm to Hawk and Tim's relationship.

This is the only episode where I nearly didn't side with Hawk with his machinations. I thought he would pay off the hospital to not admit the Senator's son. Or say they admitted him and Hawk would set him up with a place somewhere. I didn't think that Hawk would even want this guy subjected to electroshock therapy.

[Snazzy Daisy]

Marcus and Frankie’s coffee date in the park. So sweet these two! 💕

David Schine is truly a parasite and Cohn (for a DC politician) is stupid for believing that he’s into him.

Tim has shown a lot of growths in this episode, from an idealist to a realist. He finally knows what he needs to do. DC politics isn’t for him and he doesn’t have a future with Hawk.

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TIM: ”You know, you’ve been rather sweet lately.”

ME: Don’t fall for it. Don’t fall for it. It’s his MO.

Don’t you think the tower scene will be more meaningful if they make Hawk comforting Tim instead? That scene is supposed to be about Tim and his last night with Hawk, not Hawk grieving the death of his father figure and struggling with guilt for failing to bury Leonard’s arrest story. We need to see Tim internalizing the proposal news that Hawk casually sprang on him the night before.

Lucy telling Hawk the story about “the look” on traveling companions she met in Madrid, I wish she’d say she recognizes that look on Hawk’s face, not Leonard. 😆

What pushes Hawk to finally go through with a plan to make Lucy his official beard? Seeing how easy for Leonard getting exposed OR Senator Smith’s repulsion re who Leonard is? Hawk cannot afford to have another father being disappointed in him and to reject him, again.

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HAWK: “I’m not gonna wait for you.”

ME:

Edited November 24, 2023 by Snazzy Daisy

[Bill1978]

Marcus and Frankie continue to bring the feels, while Hawk continues to act in a way that makes me want to go all Rapunzel on him and hit him with a frypan whenever he opens his mouth. 

I doubt it will happen based on what we are seeing in the 80s, but I truly hope Tim finds someone willing to love him unconditionally at some point. I mean Hawk was happy to throw Lenny into conversion therapy (happy to see I was right in picking up that Lenny was a fellow traveler a couple of episodes back) to save his boss' career. It's like the only gay person Hawk truly cares about is himself and is now (1980s) realising how wrong that approach was.

I know Hawk thought he was helping Tim, but man it was cold when Hawk told Tim he won't wait for him.

Quick question about David Schine. While I've read up on him via Wikipedia (which is not conclusive for what happened in real life) from a show point of view, what is David's relationship with Cohn? I mean are we to assume it has gotten physical (and David is pretending it hasn't) or that David just sees it as a friendship to get out of army service and nothing has happened, and Cohn has unrequited attraction and David used it to his advantage? 

[Irlandesa]

22 minutes ago, Bill1978 said:

Quick question about David Schine. While I've read up on him via Wikipedia (which is not conclusive for what happened in real life) from a show point of view, what is David's relationship with Cohn? I mean are we to assume it has gotten physical (and David is pretending it hasn't) or that David just sees it as a friendship to get out of army service and nothing has happened, and Cohn has unrequited attraction and David used it to his advantage? 

I think the show is ambivalent about it.  For a long time, I thought it was Cohn's unrequited obsession, but I do think Schine hinted at maybe engaging in some adult activities in the last episode.  So I think the show is hinting at it but not committing because historically, no one really knows.  The impression I'm left with is that they're maybe lovers but it's a love match for Cohn but more convenience for Schine. 

Historically--

Spoiler

Schine never spoke about his relationship with Cohn.  He ended up marrying a Miss Universe so I guess it'll remain a mystery just how much he gave.  

This episode was sad as people came to realizations.  Tim realized he couldn't lie and had to get away from Hawk.  Hawk realized he had limits to his power and decided it was time to give himself extra protection by marrying Lucy.  Leonard went to a conversion therapy place and Senator Smith died.  I have to admit that I was waiting for the suicide but I expected it to be Leonard and not Senator Smith.

[Bill1978]

2 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

  I have to admit that I was waiting for the suicide but I expected it to be Leonard and not Senator Smith.

I can't remember the line exactly, but when he spoke to Lucy I knew where his storyline was going to go. Probably because a similar moment just happened in the episode of The Gilded Age I just watched prior to viewing this episode.

So is Leonard no longer required to be cured, now that his dad isn't a senator?

With only 3 episodes left, I'm hoping for a bit of a time jump into the 60s with the next episode.

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Bill1978 said:

So is Leonard no longer required to be cured, now that his dad isn't a senator?

Probably not but Leonard might still want to go through with it.  It sounded like he did when Hawk was dropping him off.  And perhaps he feels guilty over what happened and will give the therapy the old college try.

[Amethyst]

On 11/24/2023 at 12:30 PM, AngieBee1 said:

This is the only episode where I nearly didn't side with Hawk with his machinations. I thought he would pay off the hospital to not admit the Senator's son. Or say they admitted him and Hawk would set him up with a place somewhere. I didn't think that Hawk would even want this guy subjected to electroshock therapy.

That was how I felt, too.  Despite of his selfish ways, I can understand why Hawk has done most of the things he's done.  But this was too far.  It's bad enough that Leonard has to suffer through electroshock therapy, but he'll be completely isolated while doing so.  Why did Hawk request no visitors?  Was he worried that someone would try to smuggle Leonard out?

Poor Tim really got hit this week.  Dealing with Cohn and McCarthy was one thing, but hearing about Hawk's engagement had to be devastating.  You could actually see his eyes filling up with tears when he heard the news.  

Still, Tim showed some real growth this week.  It's true, he's not a natural liar and he doesn't want to be.  He finally realized that he won't survive the corrupt climate in DC.  And with Hawk getting married to Lucy, Tim needs a new direction in his life.  

I'm excited to see next week, because all of the characters are going in new directions; Hawk getting married, Tim joining the army, Marcus writing for Jet magazine (what a throwback, lol) and Frankie going on tour.  

[ahpny]

13 hours ago, Amethyst said:

Why did Hawk request no visitors?  Was he worried that someone would try to smuggle Leonard out?

That didn't seem entirely clear, but I read Hawk's "no visitor" demand as a an effort to minimize further evidence leaking that could blow back against the Senator and help McCarthy. If that's right, however aweful that still might be, it's relatively low on the overall list of aweful things done so far. 

[Snazzy Daisy]

The saddest scene in this episode... 😢😢😢

[Scarlett45]

On 11/24/2023 at 12:30 PM, AngieBee1 said:

This is the only episode where I nearly didn't side with Hawk with his machinations. I thought he would pay off the hospital to not admit the Senator's son. Or say they admitted him and Hawk would set him up with a place somewhere. I didn't think that Hawk would even want this guy subjected to electroshock therapy.

I cannot forgive Hawk for that. They SHOCKED people there and he knew it! He betrayed Leonard to save his own skin and keep up appearances. While yes it was nice of him to try to keep it away from Senator Smith, Hawk is so self righteous and acts as if he’s “above” other gay people (such as Leonard) because he’s been lucky enough to not get caught and be “straight passing”. Actually sending him into that horrid place was foul and nope not forgiving him. 

Also poor Leonard- no wonder he drinks.

I did not expect Senator Smith to die by suicide. I could understand the conflict of wanting to save his family yet not betray his oath of office/those that voted for him, but SUICIDE?!! I was shocked although when he started with the note I knew it was coming. 

On 11/25/2023 at 10:53 PM, Irlandesa said:

I think the show is ambivalent about it.  For a long time, I thought it was Cohn's unrequited obsession, but I do think Schine hinted at maybe engaging in some adult activities in the last episode.  So I think the show is hinting at it but not committing because historically, no one really knows.  The impression I'm left with is that they're maybe lovers but it's a love match for Cohn but more convenience for Schine. 

The impression I have been left with is similar to yours. That it has become sexual, but Cohn is actually in love with him, and Schine is just passing the time (for sexual fun and favors) fully intending to marry a woman when the mood strikes him. Hence the taunting we have seen in other episodes about “she is beautiful”, he knows Cohn is jealous of his interpersonal dealings with women. 

On 11/25/2023 at 10:53 PM, Irlandesa said:

I have to admit that I was waiting for the suicide but I expected it to be Leonard and not Senator Smith.

Yes me too.