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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Isobel Lewis

The Time Traveler’s Wife viewers ‘haunted’ by ‘disturbing’ episode 2 sex scene

HBO

The Time Traveler’s Wife viewers have been left “disturbed” by a “wild” sex scene in the new series.

In episode two of the HBO drama, which is based on Audrey Niffenegger’s book of the same name, Henry (Theo James) explains to love interest Clare (Rose Leslie) how his father discovered his time-travelling abilities.

In a flashback scene, a 16-year-old Henry (played by Brian Altemus) uses his powers to travel back in time and perform oral sex on himself.

Young Henry (Brian Altemus) is in the middle of this when his father walks in, to find two versions of his son naked in bed together.

In a review for Decider, Meghan O’Keefe called the moment, which also features in Niffenegger’s book, “the most baffling blowjob scene in TV history”.

“I can’t quite put my finger on why the scene is so disturbing, but it will haunt me for the rest of my goddamn life,” she wrote.

On social media, fans also shared their thoughts on the “wild” scene.

“I owned and read The Time Traveler’s Wife for many years and the way I courageously blocked out any memory of this scene,” one tweet read.

The Time Traveler’s Wife is truly wild,” one commenter wrote. “Just straight up jumping from an incredibly depressing scene to ‘Of course I time travelled to suck myself off, wouldn’t you?’”

Another Twitter user said: “THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE on HBO Max continues to impress, aside from one disturbing-but-brief scene (that does makes some sense story-wise, despite its shudder-inducing ickyness).

However, some viewers said that the clip had swayed them to watch the show.

“I had no intention of watching The Time Traveler’s Wife on HBO Max but then I saw this clip where the lead character goes back in time to give himself head and now I’m like.... maaaybe they have some good ideas I should check out?” one viral tweet read.

You can readThe Independent’s review of The Time Traveler’s Wife here.

The Time Traveler’s Wife continues Mondays on Sky Atlantic and Now.

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