Very few shows can tell a non-linear story well, but Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 6 was a shining example of the captivating history of Hawk, Tim, and everyone in their orbit.

Progressing the action to the 1960s was a significant tonal shift that felt far removed from the 1950s arc because everyone is in very different places.

Sadly, none of our characters are where they want to be, which means they're destined for heartbreak unless they find a way to move on.

Welcome to the Cabin on the Edge of My Property

Tim joining the Army on Fellow Travelers Season 1 Episode 5 was either a good or bad decision.

Unfortunately for him, it was the latter, but I loved how Jonathan Bailey introduced us to this hardened version of Tim as he was on the run from the cops.

Who would have thought the sweet, innocent man we met at the beginning of Fellow Travelers would face a 12-year sentence?

It's so out of character, but it is a testament to how his life was changed forever after he was sent to Fort Dix to begin his journey.

Knowing that he didn't want to accept help[ from Hawk added an element of mystery to what happened in the years between his leaving Washington and being arrested.

Even at that, though, the crime wasn't bad.

Tim has always wanted to help those in need, and burning the draft forms was the only way he could help some people avoid seeing what he saw during his time in the Army.

Suits LA: Everything We Know

It must have taken a lot to accept help from Hawk after their past.

Hawk has been the drug that Tim has struggled to quit. We've witnessed countless times how he's ashamed of his feelings for him but can't bring himself to move on.

There's always been that element of "what if?" with them in that how would their relationship have flourished had they met in a different time and location where they weren't forced to hide their relationship.

The saddest part is that even though Hawk's actions are both infuriating and manipulative, he does have a lot of love for Tim.

He understands that prison isn't the right place for Tim, which perfectly explains why he found a way to get Tim into the cabin at the Country House.

Even after all those years apart, their deep love for each other is heavily present, even if Tim would rather believe it isn't there.

But some people are good at acting like they can live without what they need the most, which was perfectly illustrated in Tim's reactions to Hawk at the cabin.

Tim isn't the man he was when we met him at the beginning of Fellow Travelers Season 1.

He isn't as easily manipulated, and he was surprisingly well put together for someone facing a decade-plus stretch in prison.

Is Jackson the Child that Hawk and Lucy Lost?

The last person I expected Tim to form a bond with at the cabin was Hawk and Lucy's son, Jackson.

Jackson has been lingering over the show like a dark cloud because the 1980s storyline has confirmed Hawk and Lucy lost a child.

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After seeing the dynamic between Hawk and Jackson, it's not easy to see how there's a good chance that Jackson will follow a career path far removed from his parents' wants.

Jackson is more of a free spirit and doesn't get along with his father because of their differing personalities, but the big kicker here is that Hawk didn't have a great relationship with his own father.

You'd think he'd bend over backward to form a bond with his son and be there for him.

It's something Hawk never had, but it's another shining example of his selfishness.

Yes, Hawk has shown he can be compassionate and caring, but more often than not, it's only when it benefits him.

He doesn't understand how to be a father to Jackson, and it was a real shocker that Tim gave him the food for thought and drive to be a better father.

Jackson has been acting out purely because he doesn't feel he fits in with his family.

Hawk would have recognized the disconnect between him and his son if he observed his actions and feelings.

I hope that Tim's words of wisdom about being a parent and listening to Jackson will rub off on Hawk and help the father and son carve out a strong bond before the unthinkable happens.

I say it's unthinkable because it's going to hit Hawk and Lucy like a tonne of bricks when they lose one of their children.

Everything will be pushed into perspective, and I expect a lot of finger-pointing about who was there and who wasn't.

Is Hawk and Lucy's Relationship as Solid as They Want People to Believe?

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To onlookers, Hawk and Lucy are this power couple with a beautiful family, but behind closed doors, the distrust has been manifesting into something else that I'm surprised they managed to bounce back from in the 1980s timeline.

Lucy's admission about cheating on Hawk highlighted that their extra-marital affairs are what could be holding them together.

The frustrating thing about Hawk is that he looked almost mad the night of the party when he clocked Lucy coming back from a tryst with the husband of one of the partygoers.

Lucy: Are you the only one who matters?
Hawk: What?
Lucy: Your children are here, I'm here. How dare you bring that man into our lives?
Hawk: Look, it doesn't mean anything.
Lucy: Don't insult my intelligence. He's on the run from the law.
Hawk: He's not a criminal, he's an activist.
Lucy: He's wanted by the police, and you helped him hide, Hawk! Do you know what you've risked? All we've built together, your career, my life, our children's lives. You married me. If you can't give me all your love, give me enough respect to keep whatever this is out of our home.

• Permalink: He's wanted by the police, and you helped him hide, Hawk! Do you know what you've risked? All...

It shows that he thinks it's okay for him to have sex with other people but starts to get jealous when the shoe is on the other foot.

Lucy's reaction to Hawk having a man on the run from the law in the cabin, a quarter of a mile from their home, was warranted.

Lucy probably doesn't know the ins and outs of why Tim was arrested, nor does she care, but the notion that her husband is housing a fugitive on their property while their kids are there is too much for her to comprehend.

Even if he never admits it, Tim will always be Hawk's weakness. You can see it in his eyes and his actions.

A part of Hawk thought that being Tim's knight in shining armor and hiding him like his dirty little secret in the cabin would lead to them rekindling their relationship.

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Tim's coldness toward Hawk was warranted because of his actions.

Why Did Lucy Burn Tim's Letter to Hawk?

But Tim, hearing that Lucy burned the letter he wrote confessing his love to Hawk, seemingly made Tim realize that he'd wasted good quality time with the man he loved.

Dear Hawk, I went into the Army to get away from you. I thought time and distance would help. But it hasn't. Hawk, I still love you. But I'm hoping to find something else. Maybe a deeper faith someday. Tim.

Tim

• Permalink: Dear Hawk, I went into the Army to get away from you. I thought time and distance would help....

Tim cast a specific look at Hawk as he was going away in the cop car, which made him realize that Hawk may not be the heartless man he thought he was.

If that's the last time they see each other before Hawk rocks up in San Francisco in the 1980s as Tim's health declines, that's pretty sad.

Reflecting on the past can be therapeutic for many, but these two are destined for more heartbreak.

Tim was so convinced that his life was over thanks to his seizures, but what does he have to look forward to now?

Hawk: Nice toss, bud. How you feeling?
Jackson: Did your friend tell you?
Hawk: Yeah. Don't do that again. I hear you're a poet.
Jackson: He tell you that, too?
Hawk: He did. Question is why you didn't.
Jackson: You'd think it's stupid, and it probably is.
Hawk: It isn't. I'd like to read some of your writing. If you'd let me. Jackson. Do you know that I love you? I do. I love you beyond measure. I'm not gonna tell your mom about the acid or the other stuff. Just... Do better, okay? Okay?

• Permalink: It isn't. I'd like to read some of your writing. If you'd let me. Jackson. Do you know that I...

His health is still getting worse, and he's lived a life of regret primarily driven by his love of Hawk.

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It's heartbreaking, and it's hard to be upbeat about where their story will go from here.

How do you be happy about a show like this, knowing how it will end?

Amidst the Darkness, Marcus and Frankie are Poised to Prevail

The only people who will probably find some semblance of happiness in the end are Marcus and Frankie.

Witnessing the hurdles they went through as they both took their lives in different directions has been interesting, mainly because we know they're together in the present timeline and that Marcus' book made it to shelves.

In life, we make sacrifices we hope will be worth something in the end, and for these two, it's nice that they were worthwhile.

Their story juxtaposes the darkness infused in the others, and I hope that we end the series with them happy and healthy.

That's all I got, Fellow Travelers Fanatics.

What are your thoughts on Hawk bringing Tim to the Country House? Do you think he crossed a line?

Frankie: I don't have a lot of time. Come in. How's your father?
Marcus: He's hanging on. I'll be there as long as he needs me.
Frankie: And then?
Marcus: Go back on the road. Chicago, Detroit, then down South. I wanna see if anything's changed in this country since Dr. King's murder. If anything's ever gonna change. When do you leave for San Francisco?
Frankie: Day after tomorrow.
Marcus: (singing) Be sure to wear...
Frankie: A flower in my hair. Baby, I'm gonna be wearing nothing but flowers. Marcus: How about a kiss goodbye?
Frankie: I don't like goodbyes. And you said goodbye a long time ago.
Marcus: How about a kiss, then?
Frankie: Marcus. Marcus, Marcus.
[Marcus hugs Frankie.]
Frankie: Guess we're both growing up.
Marcus: I feel like I'm 100 years old.

• Permalink: I feel like I'm 100 years old.

Are you surprised about his inability to form a bond with his son?

What's your take on Lucy burning the letter and criticizing Hawk for bringing his lover to their home?

What are your thoughts on Marcus and Frankie's storyline?

Hit the comments.

Fellow Travelers continues on Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime. Episodes are available on Fridays on Paramount+ With Showtime.

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.