Looking
Season 1, Episode 1: “Looking for Now”
Starring: Jonathan Groff, Frankie J Alvarez, Murray Bartlett, O.T Fagbenle, Raul Castillo & Lauren Weedman. (Absent this episode: Andrew Law, Scott Bakula and Russell Tovey)
“Looking” is supposed to be the gay male version of already-exisiting HBO show “Girls”. Instead of Lena Dunham at the helm, almost annoyingly so, it’s musical theatre actor Jonathan Groff, known to most TV viewers as Rachel rival Jesse St James from Glee. This is a review of the pilot episode of the show, which aired on the 19th January 2014.
The show begins with two of the characters in the park, giving him a handjob, kissing and having a cruise. Then Jonothan’s character – Patrick -‘s phone starts ringing and he drops it. Afterwards, he starts talking to his two best friends about the job (“You’re a pervert now! You gotta wear those colours with pride!” “I’m not taking me with you ever again”). Then they go on the bus, and then they are at the most empty club ever. Or is it a house? It’s a house, where they are smoking joints in the garden.
The next morning, Patrick wakes up to the sounds of sex. It’s one of the two guys from last night – Agustin – and his boyfriend Frank! They talk about vegan teachers and one of them is late. After sex, Agustin talks to Paddy about Instagram-filtered guys with lazy eyes. Then Dom is talking to his roommate about his ex-boyfriend being in real estate, then they agree to stay home and watch the view.
Patrick works at some CGI studio and he needs to find a roommate and boyfriend. Agustin’s a welder/artist-mabob and he has another boyfriend called Scotty. Dom is a waiter.
Later, Patrick has a date with a guy named Benjamin, and they chat. The same time, Agustin, Frank and Scotty talk about meeting at a Cinco de Mayo party, then Scotty shows his tattoo – Dolly Parton’s signature. It turns to a threesome. Patrick hops on the bus and goes to a party, and meets Richie, a club promoter who reminds me of the late Angel Melendez.
Dom gives his boyfriend some lamb (I’m hungry!) and Patrick and Richie introduce themselves on the bus. At the party, Patrick says he gave Benjamin the wrong card. Then Patrick talks to another guy at the urinal. Dom goes to the party too, and asks Pat about his moustache. There’s some guy in a jockstrap and bear mask dancing, and then there’s this show with the guy and the bear mask and jockstrap.
Lastly, Frank and Agustin smoke a blunt and Dom leaves a message to a guy named Ethan – the real estate agent. And Patrick goes to Richie’s party. So that’s that.
The episode is short and sweet, and Scott Bakula and Russell Tovey haven’t appeared yet, But Ann Magnusson – late 80s performance artist turned early/mid 90s actress – did as the lady in the art welding thing that introduces Agustin to Scotty. She only has two lines, even though she got a co-starring credit. We may see more of her in the future.
On a non-Looking related note, Miramax has a tumblr!
lyla becoming a woman 