Looking (TV series)

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 friend 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.

• Jonathan Groff as Patrick Murray, a 29-year-old^[7] video game designer^[8] who grew up in suburban Denver in a 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.

• Scott Bakula as Lynn, an entrepreneur who strikes a connection with Dom^[9]
• O. T. Fagbenle^[10] as Frank, Agustín's long-term boyfriend
• Andrew Law^[10] as Owen, Patrick's co-worker
• Ptolemy Slocum as Hugo (season 1), Dom's co-worker
• Joseph Williamson as Jon, Kevin's boyfriend
• Daniel Franzese as Eddie (season 2),^[14] Agustín's love interest who volunteers at a homeless shelter for LGBT youth
• Chris Perfetti as Brady (season 2),^[15] Richie's new boyfriend
• Bashir Salahuddin as Malik (season 2), Doris's love interest^[15]

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]

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]

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]