Jump to content

Looking (TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looking
GenreComedy drama
Created byMichael Lannan
Based onLorimer
by Michael Lannan
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes18 plus special (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerKat Landsberg
Production locationSan Francisco
Cinematography
Editors
  • Jonathan Alberts
  • Andrew Dickler
Camera setupSingle
Running time30 minutes
86 minutes (2016 special)
Production companyFair Harbor Productions
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseJanuary 19, 2014 (2014-01-19) –
July 23, 2016 (2016-07-23)

Looking is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on HBO from January 19, 2014, to July 23, 2016. It was created by Michael Lannan, with Lannan, Andrew Haigh, David Marshall Grant, and Sarah Condon serving as executive producers. The show stars Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, Murray Bartlett, Lauren Weedman, Russell Tovey, and Raúl Castillo. It centers on the lives of Patrick, Agustín, and Dom—three gay men living and working in modern-day San Francisco. Looking marked HBO's first television series focused primarily on the lives of gay men.[1]

The series received critical acclaim for its writing, direction, and performances, as well as for its grounded, nuanced portrayal of LGBTQ life. Ten of the show's eighteen episodes were directed by Andrew Haigh, whose naturalistic filmmaking style drew comparisons to his 2011 film Weekend and to the mumblecore movement in independent cinema.[2]

Despite strong critical reception, the series struggled with viewership. The second-season finale drew just 298,000 viewers,[3] which led HBO to cancel the series after two seasons. To provide closure, the network commissioned a feature-length television film, Looking: The Movie, which premiered at the Frameline Film Festival on June 26, 2016, and later aired on HBO on July 23, 2016.[4]

In retrospective rankings, Looking has been recognized for its cultural impact and storytelling. In 2019, The Guardian included the series in its list of the "100 Greatest TV Shows of the 21st Century".[5] In 2022, Esquire ranked it #21 in its list of "The Best HBO Series of All Time".[6]

Premise

[edit]

Set in contemporary San Francisco, Looking follows the lives of three close friends as they navigate relationships, careers, and personal growth in the city's vibrant LGBTQ community.

Patrick Murray, a 29-year-old video game designer, lives with his friends Dom and Agustín. Patrick is well-meaning but often naïve, and has had limited success in his romantic life. His circumstances begin to shift when he meets Richie, a charming and grounded barber from the Mission District, and is simultaneously drawn to his new boss, Kevin, who is attractive but in a committed relationship.

Dom, an aspiring restaurateur, works to realize his dream of opening his own establishment. With support from his loyal roommate, Doris, and the unexpected guidance of Lynn, a successful older entrepreneur, Dom begins taking steps toward professional independence.

Agustín, who works as an artist's assistant, struggles with the stability of his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Frank, his creative stagnation, and his growing reliance on recreational drugs.

The series explores the interconnected lives of the three men as they confront questions of love, ambition, friendship, and identity in a rapidly evolving urban landscape.

Cast and characters

[edit]

Main

[edit]
  • Jonathan Groff as Patrick Murray, a 29-year-old[7] video game designer[8] who grew up in suburban Denver in a rather conservative family who initially had a hard time accepting his sexuality when he came out to them on Thanksgiving back in 2005 while in his second year of college.
  • Frankie J. Alvarez as Agustín Lanuez, 31,[7] an artist's assistant and Patrick's best friend since their college days at The University of California, Berkeley.[8] Agustín is from Coral Gables, Florida, outside Miami, and grew up in an affluent Cuban American household from which he is estranged due to the emotional and physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his alcoholic father as a child.
  • Murray Bartlett as Dom Basaluzzo, 39,[7] a sommelier in a gastronomic restaurant.[9] Dom was raised by a single father who died when Dom was in his early twenties.
  • Lauren Weedman[10] as Doris (season 2, recurring season 1), Dom's best friend since their high school days in Modesto, who now works as a nurse; she and Dom dated during high school before he came out. Doris grew up with a father who was very loving as well as a mother who was emotionally abusive due to mental illness.
  • Russell Tovey as Kevin Matheson (season 2, recurring season 1), Patrick's boss, a "video-game wunderkind". Kevin has feelings for Patrick—though he is in a long-term relationship with Jon.[11] In season two, Kevin becomes Patrick's new love interest.
  • Raúl Castillo[10] as Ricardo "Richie" Donado Ventura (season 2, recurring season 1),[12][13] a barber and Patrick's part-time romantic interest. Richie grew up in a large working class Mexican-American family in San Leandro just outside of San Francisco and is currently estranged from his father due to his father's refusal to accept his sexuality.

Recurring

[edit]

Production

[edit]

HBO ordered an eight-episode first season of Looking on May 14, 2013.[16] The pilot episode was written by series creator Michael Lannan, based on his 2011 short film Lorimer, and directed by Andrew Haigh. Principal photography for the first season began in the San Francisco Bay Area on September 16, 2013, and concluded on November 7, 2013.[17] The series premiered on January 19, 2014.[10][18][19]

In February 2014, Lannan confirmed that the writers were already exploring ideas for a potential second season. This was supported by Nick Hall, HBO's director of comedy, who noted that the network was not focused solely on initial live viewership, emphasizing that total audience metrics—including On Demand and HBO Go—were also considered indicators of performance.[20]

On February 26, 2014, HBO officially renewed Looking for a second season.[21][22] The second season premiered on January 11, 2015.[23]

Despite critical acclaim, the series was canceled following its second season due to declining ratings. In response, fans launched an online petition advocating for the continuation of the show.[24] HBO later confirmed that a feature-length film would be produced to provide closure to the series.[25] Cast member Raúl Castillo revealed in an interview with Vulture that filming for the film was scheduled to begin in September 2015 and that the runtime would be approximately two hours.[26] The film premiered on June 2, 2016, at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco and was subsequently broadcast on HBO on July 23, 2016.[27][28]

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Looking episodes
Season Episodes Originally aired
First aired Last aired
1 8 January 19, 2014 (2014-01-19) March 9, 2014 (2014-03-09)
2 10 January 11, 2015 (2015-01-11) March 22, 2015 (2015-03-22)
The Movie June 26, 2016 (Frameline Film Festival)
July 23, 2016 (HBO)


Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Looking received critical acclaim throughout its run, with praise directed at its nuanced portrayal of gay life and the performances of its cast. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 90% approval rating based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Funny without being obnoxious, Looking provides authentic situations that feel universal with its subtle details and top-notch performances."[29] On Metacritic, the first season has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[30]

The second season received similarly positive reviews, earning a 77/100 score on Metacritic and an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[31][32]

Early comparisons of the series by both critics and audiences likened it to Girls and Sex and the City due to its focus on urban friendships and relationships. However, critics later highlighted distinct tonal differences. Emily St. James of The A.V. Club noted that "the differences between the two series go beyond the surface".[33] Series star Jonathan Groff acknowledged the comparisons but emphasized the show's unique tone, writing style, and visual approach: "To be in the same breath as those shows is exciting... but the tone and writing and the style of the show is very different. And people will notice that when they see it."[34]

Keith Uhlich of the BBC described the show as "one of the most revolutionary depictions of gay life ever on TV – and that's because it makes it totally ordinary".[35]

Looking: The Movie, which served as the series finale, was also well received by critics.[36][37] Rotten Tomatoes summarized the consensus as: "Touching and profound, Looking: The Movie puts a bittersweet conclusion to the too-soon-gone HBO series with humor and hopeful tenderness, even if its structure is slightly wobbly."[37] Sonia Saraiya of Variety described the film as "moving and beautiful",[27] while Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter called it "essential viewing".[28]

In 2019, The Guardian ranked Looking among the "100 Greatest TV Shows of the 21st Century".[5] In 2022, Esquire placed it at #21 in its list of "The Best HBO Series of All Time", stating, "The series never gained a massive audience, but its reverberations are still being felt."[6]

Ratings

[edit]

Looking premiered to modest viewership. According to Variety, the pilot episode drew 338,000 viewers, with total viewership rising to 606,000 when encore broadcasts were included.[38] Despite the initial low numbers, the series experienced growth over the season. The sixth episode achieved a then-series high with 519,000 viewers, marking a 50% increase compared to the premiere.[39][40] As of February 23, 2014, the series averaged approximately two million viewers weekly across all platforms.[39]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2014 Attitude Awards TV Show of the Year Looking Won [41]
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Lauren Weedman Nominated [42]
EWwy Awards Best Actor in a Comedy Series Jonathan Groff Nominated [43]
Imagen Awards Best Actor Raúl Castillo Nominated [44]
Best Supporting Actor Frankie J. Alvarez Nominated
Gold Derby TV Awards Best Comedy Actor Jonathan Groff Nominated [45]
NALIP Awards Breakthrough Performance Raúl Castillo Won
NewNowNext Awards Best New Television Actor Jonathan Groff Won [46]
Best New Television Series Looking Won
OUT100 TV Show of the Year Looking Won
2015 Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Television Pilot Comedy
  • Carmen Cuba
  • Nina Henninger
  • Bernard Telsey
  • Wittney Horton
  • Abbie Brady-Dalton
 Nominated [47]
Dorian Awards LGBTQ TV Show of the Year Looking Nominated [48]
TV Director of the Year Andrew Haigh Nominated
Unsung TV Show of the Year Looking Nominated
EWwy Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Lauren Weedman Nominated [49]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Looking Nominated [50]
Gold Derby TV Awards Best Comedy Actor Jonathan Groff Nominated [51]
Imagen Awards Best Primetime Television Program – Drama Looking Nominated [52]
Best Supporting Actor Raúl Castillo Nominated
NAMIC Vision Awards Best Performance – Comedy Frankie J. Alvarez Nominated [53]
Raúl Castillo Won
Screen Nation Film and Television Awards Male Performance in TV O-T Fagbenle Nominated [54]
2016 Dorian Awards LGBTQ TV Show of the Year Looking Nominated [55]
Unsung TV Show of the Year Looking Won
Wilde Artist of the Year Andrew Haigh Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Looking Nominated [56][57]
2017 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series Looking: The Movie Nominated

Broadcast

[edit]

Looking premiered internationally in coordination with its U.S. debut on HBO. In Canada, the series aired simultaneously on HBO Canada. In Australia, the series premiered on Showcase on January 20, 2014.[58] In New Zealand, it debuted on SoHo on January 23, 2014.[59] The United Kingdom and Ireland saw the series premiere on Sky Atlantic on January 27, 2014,[60] where it opened to 67,000 viewers. The third episode recorded the highest ratings of the season in the region, drawing 129,000 viewers.[61] The second season premiered on Sky Atlantic on February 5, 2015.[62] In South Africa, Looking premiered on M-Net on May 6, 2014.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lawson, Richard. "Why Looking Earned the Third Season It Isn't Getting". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Yoshida, Emily (January 12, 2015). "Shows about nothing: Togetherness and HBO's Sunday night mumblecore block". The Verge.
  3. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (March 25, 2015). "HBO to End Comedy Looking With Special". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 25, 2015). "HBO's Looking Gets Finale Special – No Season 3". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Seale, Jack (September 16, 2019). "The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century". guardian.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  6. ^ a b Kirkland, Justin (January 13, 2022). "The 35 Best HBO Series of All Time". Esquire. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "About Looking". Retrieved October 26, 2014.
  8. ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (February 8, 2013). "Glee's Jonathan Groff to Star in HBO Comedy Pilot (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  9. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (August 23, 2013). "Scott Bakula Joins HBO's Michael Lannan Dramedy Series, Now Titled Looking". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d e Bibel, Sara (December 13, 2013). "New Drama Looking to Premiere January 19 on HBO". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  11. ^ Abramovitch, Seth (August 29, 2013). "Russell Tovey Joins Gay-Themed HBO Dramedy Looking". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  12. ^ Castillo, Raúl (January 30, 2015). "A look at HBO's Looking with Raúl Castillo". So Popular! (Interview). Interviewed by Janet Mock. New York: msnbc. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  13. ^ "Q&A with Raúl Castillo". Answers.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  14. ^ "Mean Girls' Daniel Franzese Lands Looking Role — Who Will He Court?". TVLine. August 28, 2014. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  15. ^ a b "Looking Finds Season 2 Gigs for Crossbones Co-Star, Late Night Comic". TVLine. August 30, 2014. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  16. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 14, 2013). "Michael Lannan & Andrew Haigh's Gay Friends Dramedy Gets Series Order At HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Mission restaurant becomes set for new HBO series Looking". Oakland, CA: KTVU-TV. October 22, 2013. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  18. ^ "HBO Sets Debut Dates For True Detective, Looking & Girls Season 3". Deadline Hollywood. October 16, 2013. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  19. ^ Ausiello, Michael (October 16, 2013). "HBO Announces Dates for Girls Season 3, Jonathan Groff's Gay Dramedy Looking". TV Line. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  20. ^ Hernandez, Greg (February 19, 2014). "Creator of HBO's Looking hopeful the gay dramedy will get a second season". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  21. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (February 26, 2014). "Looking Renewed for Second Season by HBO". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  22. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (February 26, 2014). "HBO Renews Dramedy Looking for Season 2". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  23. ^ Lash, Jolie (November 6, 2014). "Looking Second Season Premiere Date". AccessHollywood. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  24. ^ "HBO Cancels Looking; Can A Petition Keep The LGBT Comedy On The Air?". ibtimes.com. March 26, 2015. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  25. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (March 25, 2015). "Looking Cancelled by HBO After Two Seasons, Special Final Episode to be Filmed". Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  26. ^ Rami, Trupti (April 7, 2015). "The Looking Wrap-Up Movie Will Film This Fall". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  27. ^ a b Saraiya, Sonia (July 11, 2016). "TV Review: Looking: The Movie". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
  28. ^ a b Frosch, Jon (July 23, 2016). "Looking: The Movie: Outfest Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  29. ^ "Looking". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  30. ^ "TV Show Releases by Score". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  31. ^ "Looking: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  32. ^ "TV Show Releases by Score". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  33. ^ St. James, Emily (January 17, 2014). "Looking reaches beyond simply being "the gay Girls"". The AV Club. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  34. ^ "Jonathan Groff & Raul Castillo: Is Looking The New Sex & The City?". Access Hollywood. January 16, 2014. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  35. ^ Uhlich, Keith. "Looking: A new way to break a TV taboo". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  36. ^ "Looking: The Movie". Metacritic.
  37. ^ a b "Looking: The Movie - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.
  38. ^ "HBO's Looking Off to Slow Start; True Detective Down Vs. Football". Variety. January 22, 2014. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  39. ^ a b O'Connell, Michael (February 25, 2014). "TV Ratings: HBO's True Detective Is Averaging 10.9 Million Viewers". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  40. ^ "HBO's True Detective, Looking Uncover Series Highs Sunday". Variety. February 25, 2014. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  41. ^ Rigby, Sam (September 7, 2017). "Attitude Awards 2014: The winners in full". Attitude. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  42. ^ ACAMH Awards 2022 Nominees Longlist (Report). ACAMH. June 22, 2022.
  43. ^ "EWwy Awards 2014: Meet Your Winners". EW.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  44. ^ Foundation, Imagen. "2014 Imagen Awards Winners & Nominees". Imagen Foundation. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  45. ^ Derby, Gold (March 7, 2016). "2014 GOLDDERBY TV AWARDS". GoldDerby. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  46. ^ "Who Will Take Home The Gold At This Year's New Now Next Awards?". HuffPost. November 13, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  47. ^ DKC/O&M (September 22, 2014). "CSA Announces Artios Award Noms. Rob Marshall and Ellen Lewis to Be Honored at Ceremony, 1/22/15". DKC/O&M. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  48. ^ "GALECA'S 2014/15 Dorian Award Nominees and Winners". Awardsdaily. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  49. ^ "EWwy Awards 2015: Meet Your Winners". EW.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  50. ^ GLAAD (January 20, 2015). "GLAAD announces nominees for 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by Delta Air Lines, Hilton, Ketel One Vodka, and Wells Fargo | GLAAD". glaad.org. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  51. ^ Derby, Gold (March 28, 2016). "2015 GOLDDERBY TV AWARDS". GoldDerby. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  52. ^ Foundation, Imagen. "2015 Imagen Awards Winners & Nominees". Imagen Foundation. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  53. ^ NAMIC. "ESPN, Lifetime, OWN And Showtime Top Winners Of NAMIC Vision Awards Honoring Achievements In Original Programming Diversity". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  54. ^ "JASMINE'S JUICE – 10th Screen Nation Film & TV Awards 2015. "we're not 'diversity'-we're mainstream!". – Jasmine Dotiwala OBE". February 17, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  55. ^ Holt, Kirby (January 26, 2017). "MOVIE DEAREST - Cinematic Views and Reviews for Gay and Gay-Friendly Movie Fans". MOVIE DEAREST - Cinematic Views and Reviews for Gay and Gay-Friendly Movie Fans. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  56. ^ Staff, T. H. R. (April 3, 2016). "GLAAD Media Awards: The Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  57. ^ Reporter, The Hollywood (April 2, 2017). "GLAAD Media Awards: Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  58. ^ "Looking: EP1 Looking for Now". Showcase.
  59. ^ GayNZ.com Daily News staff (January 19, 2014). "New gay show coming to Sky's SoHo". GayNZ.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  60. ^ Drewett, Meg (December 16, 2013). "Jonathan Groff, Russell Tovey's Looking gets UK airdate". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  61. ^ "Weekly Top 10". BARB. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  62. ^ Munn, Patrick (January 21, 2015). "Sky Atlantic Sets UK Premiere Date For Looking Season 2". TV Wise. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Looking.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Looking_(TV_series)&oldid=1285192338"