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[RatskyWatsky]

'Looking' offers up the unfiltered experiences of three close friends living -- and loving -- in modern-day San Francisco.

The trio's stories intertwine and unspool dramatically as they search for happiness and intimacy in an age of unparalleled choices -- and rights -- for gay men. Also important to the ‘Looking' mix is the progressive, unpredictable, sexually open culture of the Bay Area, with real San Francisco locations serving as a backdrop for the group's lives.

'Looking' was created by Michael Lannan and is executive produced by Sarah Condon ('Bored to Death') and Andrew Haigh, who wrote and directed the critically-lauded 'Weekend.'

Cast

• Aspiring artist Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez), 31, is questioning the idea of monogamy amid a move to domesticate with his boyfriend.
• Patrick (Jonathan Groff) is the 29-year-old video game designer getting back into the dating world in the wake of his ex's engagement.
• The group's oldest member -- longtime waiter Dom (Murray Bartlett), 39 -- is facing middle age with romantic and professional dreams still unfulfilled.

Rounding out the ‘Looking' world are a bevy of dynamic gay men including Kevin (Russell Tovey), Lynn (Scott Bakula), and Richie (Raul Castillo), as well as a wide-range of supporting characters like Dom's roommate Doris (Lauren Weedman), Agustín's boyfriend Frank (O.T. Fagbenle), and Patrick's co-worker Owen (Andrew Law).

Videos

Looking Season 1: Trailer #1
Looking Season 1: Trailer #2
Looking Season 1: Tease
Looking Season 1: Character Spot

Reluctant Gay Dude's Guide to Modern Gay Vernacular for HBO's Looking

Looking Season 1: Invitation to the Set
HBO's "Looking" Through the Eyes and Mind of Costume Designer Danny Glicker
HBO "Looking's" Production Designer Todd Fjelsted: Set Inspirations & Keeping San Francisco Authentic

Reviews

I really liked Looking - It's so sweet and funny. I have not been a Jonathan Groff fan before, but he's so, so good in Looking that he converted me. - Alyssa Rosenberg, Think Progress

After the four episodes we've seen, this is already a front-runner for our favourite telly show in 2014. If you want a modern gay show that tries to be real, this could be exactly what you're Looking for. - Gay Times Magazine

LOVE this show. Don't believe the "gay version of Girls" description, they're very different beasts. - Laura Prudom, Huffington Post

With True Detective, Looking, and Girls, I'd make the case HBO has a—strong—Sunday lineup devoid of comedies (if not comedy). - Memles

New TV obsession: HBO's Looking. It's so good. - Boyd Hilton, Heat Magazine

I’ve seen the first four episodes, and I’m anxiously awaiting the fifth. - Michael Ausiello, TV Line

 

[Replicant]

They all look similar. None of them are my type....

Oh wait, Murray Bartlett is if he shave that porn-stache.

 

[royalan]

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Spoiler

Of course I'll be watching.

 

[JDSN]

Moustaches.

 

[Tucah]

I am all about this show, hope it's good.

Spoiler

will watch either way

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Spoiler

Of course I'll be watching.

All the more problematic for a show set in San Francisco. I've never been there, but by from what I've read about it, the "gay scene" there is extremely diverse.

 

[Yoshiya]

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Spoiler

Of course I'll be watching.

they're not all white, but the main three are, yeah. that considered, i think these criticisms are only helpful when they're true.

 

[Bladenic]

Hope it's good. Kind of looks like a straighter version of Gurlz, so here's hoping it turns out better quality wise.

And I definitely saw non-Caucasians in the trailer. So more diverse than Girls, at least.

 

[Cosmic Bus]

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Hah, this was my thought, as well. I don't plan on watching -- wasn't really a fan of Weekend, and these trailers aren't inspiring much interest -- but if after the first season the reviews [from people I trust] remain quite positive, then I may check it out.

Kind of weird seeing Scott Bakula in the main cast list.

 

[Grizzo]

I'm really curious about this show and oh my, I didn't hear about Scott Bakula since the Quantum Leap days ! Takes me back.

HBO is on fire right now so let's hope they're gonna knock it out of the park once again with this.

 

[fernoca]

Nice reminder, thanks!
Will be watching!

Spoiler

And since it's HBO, hopefully either Raul Castillo and/or Frankie J. Alvarez will be naked at least once....please!!

 

[Cornballer]

Nice work on the thread, Ratsky. I'm excited to check this out and hope they can pull it off. It'll also be interesting to see how they shoot San Francisco.

 

[Terrell]

I'm eagerly awaiting to see how another TV show fails my subculture once again. Should be an entertaining trainwreck.

 

[Fantastical]

It's partially about a gay video game developer so it seems right up alley.

 

[Replicant]

Wait, Laura Prudom likes this? Then it may not be as bad as I thought it'd be. She likes Nikita and Arrow and I find her view on TV series tend to be similar to mine.

 

[lunch]

I was about to make a serious comment until I saw the Teletubbies gif. Thanks Ratsky.

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Spoiler

Of course I'll be watching.

This sums up my thoughts as well. The show seems to have a rather homogenous cast of characters.

Hah, this was my thought, as well. I don't plan on watching -- wasn't really a fan of Weekend, and these trailers aren't inspiring much interest -- but if after the first season the reviews [from people I trust] remain quite positive, then I may check it out.

Why did you dislike Weekend?

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Why did you dislike Weekend?

Very good movie, I should see it again.

 

[lunch]

Very good movie, I should see it again.

Have you seen Blue is the Warmest Color? I think you'd like it quite a bit.

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Have you seen Blue is the Warmest Color? I think you'd like it quite a bit.

I haven't, but I'm looking forward to it.

 

[wenis]

This has the same color palette as Weekend. I may enjoy it.

It'll just be nice seeing Bay Area locales again. Such a criminally underused city nowadays.

 

[lunch]

I haven't, but I'm looking forward to it.

You'll have to tell me what you think of it. It's admittedly not a high bar, but it's my favorite gay film so far, and deals with some of the same themes of group identification that I enjoyed from Weekend. It was the right film at the right time, and I walked out of the theater feeling completely intoxicated.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I'm eagerly awaiting to see how another TV show fails my subculture once again. Should be an entertaining trainwreck.

C'mon, that's no way to think! Early impressions have been positive, especially from the gays!

I was about to make a serious comment until I saw the Teletubbies gif. Thanks Ratsky.

I wasn't sure if anyone would find that XD

 

[hateradio]

Hah, this was my thought, as well. I don't plan on watching -- wasn't really a fan of Weekend, and these trailers aren't inspiring much interest -- but if after the first season the reviews [from people I trust] remain quite positive, then I may check it out.

Kind of weird seeing Scott Bakula in the main cast list.

I feel almost the same way, except I will be watching it.

I don't know if it'll be as good as the series you've linked to which I really liked: The Outs and Whatever This Is.

 

[Mystic Theurge]

I don't know if I'm going to like it, but Russell Tovey means I'll give it a chance.

 

[Mercury Fred]

I read and absolutely loathed the pilot script. I found it colorless, dull, charmless and pretty insipid overall. I don't think I laughed once either. Here's hoping the actual pilot is much, much better.

Fun fact: the show was originally set in Brooklyn but HBO had them relocate the story to San Francisco so as not to infringe on Girls-country.

 

[lunch]

I read and absolutely loathed the pilot script. I found it colorless, dull, charmless and pretty insipid overall. I don't think I laughed once either. Here's hoping the actual pilot is much, much better.

Is the script publicly available?

 

[Sai-kun]

Hm. I'll give this a shot, I suppose!

 

[Terrell]

C'mon, that's no way to think! Early impressions have been positive, especially from the gays!

Well, unfortunate as it may be, what some gays will call a "win" for the subculture isn't always a good thing. Many of them had similar things to say about Queer As Folk, and I don't need to tell you how THAT turned out.

 

[Rootbeer]

I'll be watching. I'm gay and living in San Francisco so how could I pass on this? Looks like the usual HBO quality, bout time we had a show like this where we have a group of gay characters examined from their perspective, not as a supporting role or as a comedic thing in the sidelines. After 'Ellen' we began to see plenty of gay characters on TV, but not many shows have made it a focal point for a series.

Recognized so many locations from the trailer... still surreal to me when I see a movie or show shot in places I go to often. Glad I grew up in a small town, it really humbled me in that way.

I see they had one of the characters eating a burrito while walking down the street. At least they are shooting for authenticity. Clearly 'Girls' has a lot of detractors, but personally I adore it. Hoping this show can match it in its own way.

 

[anaron]

Yeesh, so much pre-mature negativity in hur.

Great OP, Ratsky! Heard good things about this from people I trust so besides it being the rare gay drama, I'm more than willing to give this a chance.

 

[TheOddOne]

Subbed for my irrational love of Ratsky.

Wait, I will deny that this post happened.

 

[Rootbeer]

Another thought... being that this is set in SF they better amp up it up on the Asian characters. Not only are they underrepresented on TV overall, but San Francisco is FULL of asians. Roughly 33% actually (by comparison, african americans are 6%, whites are 48%) They can't do a show set here and not acknowledge that. Plus, they are hot.

#NeedsAnAsianBFBadly

 

[neojubei]

Doesn't sound like a show I could watch. Who am I kidding I miss Noah's arc

 

[Galang]

Doesn't sound like a show I could watch. Who am I kidding I miss Noah's arc

Me too

 

[alternade]

Would it kill them to put just one POC in the show? And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

 

[neojubei]

#NeedsAnAsianBFBadly

I need one more so.

Would it kill them to put just one POC in the show? And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

It's like the gay life in real life no one wants us POC.

 

[lunch]

Yeesh, so much pre-mature negativity in hur.

Great OP, Ratsky! Heard good things about this from people I trust so besides it being the rare gay drama, I'm more than willing to give this a chance.

Ratsky and anaron behind a new HBO show? This better fill the Enlightened shaped hole in my heart.

 

[Hours Left]

Murray Bartlett & Russell Tovey~ <3

I'm looking (heh) forward to this. Thanks for putting the OT together Ratsky.

 

[Yoshiya]

Would it kill them to put just one POC in the show? And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

do you just mean they're not ugly because they look like pretty regular guys to me

who'd want to watch that?

 

[Mercury Fred]

Is the script publicly available?

Not that I know of...

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Many of them had similar things to say about Queer As Folk, and I don't need to tell you how THAT turned out.

I haven't seen QAF yet, so I can't comment on its quality, but you can't deny that it was at the very least a major milestone for LGBTelevision that ultimately left a positive impact.

Subbed for my irrational love of Ratsky.

Wait, I will deny that this post happened.

It's okay I know how you feel you don't have to say anything

And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

Welcome to the USA, where practically everyone in every TV show, movie, and commercial looks a beautiful model.

Ratsky and anaron behind a new HBO show? This better fill the Enlightened shaped hole in my heart.

At this point I'm behind it only insofar as I'm excited for it, but I haven't seen it yet so it hasn't received the Ratsky Seal of Approval. It could turn out to be garbage but I'm obviously really optimistic.

 

[TheOddOne]

-New Yorker review.

“Looking” is a whole different ball of wax. Sneaky-funny instead of brassy, it is interested not in extremity but in small-bore observation.

- Red Eye review.

With its strong performances, subtle details and believable situations, "Looking" presents a convincing portrayal of everyday life—either gay or straight. Strip away their sexuality and these men aren't much different than anyone looking for love, direction and happiness. Here's hoping they don't find all of it for several seasons.

 

[Matt_]

Trailers look pretty god and the reviews have been decent, will definitely be tuning in

 

[sparkzero]

Will watch only for JGroff <3

 

[.GqueB.]

Oh, look - another show billing itself as a progressive and unfiltered look at real life with a cast of all white people who look like they came straight out of instagram.

Spoiler

Of course I'll be watching.

One step at a time. One step at a time...

 

[p_xavier]

Would it kill them to put just one POC in the show? And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

Really? I told myself, finally a show with normal looking people.

 

[Father_Brain]

Would it kill them to put just one POC in the show? And they all look like models :/ so much for a "real" look at gay life.

At least two of the regulars (including the character who seems to be Groff's main love interest) are Latino. Could definitely use more blacks and Asians, though.

As for the looks thing... outside the handful of bear-themed films/series, the cast is about as far removed from the male model look as "by gays, about gays, primarily for gays" projects get. Not that that invalidates that criticism (it wouldn't hurt to have at least one character who doesn't look like he hits the gym regularly), just that it could be a lot worse.

 

[Cornballer]

They had the premiere party at the Castro Theater here in SF last night:

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Entertainment Weekly -

Looking's naturalism, resonant sexual themes, and winsome performances lead to wise, appealing entertainment that can get even better and more real the deeper the show digs into its characters.

NY Times - Looking Again at That Mars-Venus Thing ‘Girls’ Returns and ‘Looking’ Will Debut on HBO

Looking has a premium-cable mandate to be daring, and is indeed sexually unbound. But almost everything else, including dialogue, plotting and humor, is muffled.

 

[ivysaur12]

Didn't love the pilot. Still...

LOOKING!