Fellow Travelers was a massive success with the fans, but it looks like that wasn't enough to get it some love in the Outstanding Limited or Anthology series category at the upcoming Primetime Emmy Awards...
The nominations for the 76th annual Primetime Emmys were just announced this morning, and although a lot of our queer faves are getting recognized for all of their hard work, one of our fave miniseries of the past year got no love in the category it was eligible for. Yup, Fellow Travelers, Showtime's heartstring-pulling gay-centered historical limited series surprisingly did NOT get nominated in the Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series category, losing out to nominees that included Baby Reindeer, Fargo, Lessons in Chemistry, Ripley, and True Detective: Night Country.
Starring out heartthrobs Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, Fellow Travelers follows the story of incredible couple through their decades long relationship as they face the challenges of being queer in the late '60s. It takes place during a dark period in American history when paranoia about communism was at a high and LGBTQ+ people were hunted. It's a story of forbidden love, but it's also a fight for identity in a time that demanded people to conform. The show took on a life of its own, making it a massive hit within the queer community. Not only are the characters gay men, but they are also portrayed by gay men. Fellow Travelers was created by and for the queer community, so it was a shock to see it be snubbed.
Although series leads Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey DID receive nominations in the Lead Actor and Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology categories respectively, we'd be lying if we said it's not even just a little disappointing.
Bailey reacted to the nominations, saying in a statement: "It is not lost on me that this sort of recognition is rare. I’ve grown up savoring the minimal queer television and film on offer whilst battling problematic media and societal criticism of queer life. I have loved so many award winning dramatic performances of gay characters but for Matt and I to be nominated together as gay actors feels like the sort of progress that would have made the world an easier place to grow up in. For that I am grateful and so unbelievably proud. Thank you to the TV Academy for this opportunity."
Fellow Travelers was incredibly well-rounded and the story was strong. It had all the makings for an Emmy nomination and yet... nothing. With an IMDb rating of 8.2 (based on over 11,000+ ratings), it shows the series has resonated well with its audience... but obviously not with the Emmy voters.
We will still be rooting for Bomer and Bailey, of course, so it's not a total loss. Still, queer stories by and for the queer community should have the right to earn recognition in the mainstream media!
Fellow Travelers is streaming on Paramount+.