Looking

Have watched this show multiple times, and still love it. It's very natural and entertaining, was happy when it at least was a movie to be seen regarding the ending. I really enjoy that it's about the gay scene, which I don't think there is enough good series and movies about.

Looking follows a trio of friends in San Francisco as they deal with various dating conundrums and relationship drama. The first season consists of just eight, 30-minute episodes – which sucks, because this series is great and addictive.

Some people have called Looking the gay(er) version of Sex and the City, although that doesn't do the newcomer justice. There are funny bits, sure, but these flow naturally from everyday, believable situations. The tone is more documentary, far less exaggerated, and there isn't a new hook or theme each week. It's just a continuing story that is soap-like without getting soapy. The series doesn't rush, giving intimate scenes – with engaging, natural dialogue – room to breathe. Andrew Haigh's influence as a director is clear. He previously made the well-received movie Weekend, which has the same style. (Though not he but Michael Lannan is the main writer and creator of Looking.)

The cast is charming and convincing. And fairly hot, which doesn't hurt, as there is some not-too-crude nudeness. The three main players are Patrick Murray (Jonathan Groff) a twinky game designer who has awkward sexual tension with his boss, Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez) a scruffy artist who has trouble finding his inspiration and Dom (Murray Bartlett) a mustached, beefcake waiter with ambitions of opening his own restaurant. Supporting are the scruffy artist's boyfriend (O.T. Fagbenle), Dom's business partner and potential love interest Lynn (Quantum Leap and Enterprise's Scott Bakula), Patrick's aforementioned boss (Russell Tovey of Being Human), Dom's best girl-friend Doris (Lauren Weedman) and last but not least; Richie (Raúl Castillo), Patrick's hot and sincere love interest. An entire, sweet and sexy episode simply follows Richie and Patrick on their first date.

It's great to see a group of characters who are representative of gay life without trying too hard. They aren't caricatures and the series doesn't strain something trying to check all the boxes of all the sub-scenes within the gay scene. It doesn't run screaming from gay stereotypes but also doesn't overly sashay towards them. The Big Gay Issues have yet to take center stage – marriage, adoption, discrimination – the show being less militant than something like Queer as Folk. (Opinions may differ on that being good or bad for the gay cause.) Though there is barely a straight person in sight, and only one recurring woman in the cast, anybody watching the series could easily relate to the emotional turmoil these characters go through, regardless of their own orientation.

I generally prefer quality over quantity, but Looking is too high- quality for me to not want more quantity. So it's good that a second season is in the works, due late 2014 / early 2015. I guess that it will feature a love-triangle (or two) and I hope that it will show a bit more of the origin of the 'main three'. You don't see them together a lot and their dynamic with each other hasn't really been explored. As long as it stays this good, I will certainly keep Looking.

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Some folks are complaining that the show seems "too slow" or "is boring". I disagree completely. I'm much more invested in the characters precisely BECAUSE it's not "Hollywood slick". The lines are utterly natural and real to me. Nothing seems "forced" or "acted". The sex-scenes are frank, but very tasteful and more is implied than ever shown, anyway. The humor is genuine and seems completely spontaneous. I really appreciate this more methodical approach. No, it doesn't represent every single facet of the gay community, but it isn't trying to either. Just the lives and loves of a few guys in San Francisco...that's all. It can't be everything to everyone...and shouldn't try. I love it so far. Hoping it's renewed!!!

For the very first time, I feel like there's something on TV oriented for the gay public worth of my time. I immediately became hooked up on this show because the characters are not shallow or mechanical (as it usually happens in gay movies and TV shows), but deep, alive and fun - in great part due to the amazing actors. Also, the stories in every episode are incredibly compelling and don't make me feel ashamed of the "gay world" as it usually happened when I watched Queer as Folk or many other shows where characters only preocupation is to have sex. The three main actors certainly are doing a great job and I couldn't have chosen better ones to impersonate each character. Thirty minutes episodes are way too short. I absolutely love the show.

This series was ahead of its time; there is no other way to describe such this amazing show that could have given way more that it was given the chance to. HBO shouldn't have let it go that easily, even though they gave it a proper ending it feels like you want to watch more and more. Patrick and all the characters are well played and every single taboo among the gay community is discussed or mentioned in a very smart, classy and way we all can learn about them.