"Looking" Gets a Second Season....

[Okliehomo]

The article is about what a big hit "True Detective" was for HBO, and how it had a huge lead in impact on "Girls" and eventually on "Looking";

 

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/09/did-true-detective-deliver-for-hbo.aspx

 

 

Okie

[+ WilliamM]

Good to know. On other sites, people on other sites have been very upbeat about how "Looking" got better and better as its season progressed (I agree) to the final episode last night. I am not so sure HBO was as close to not going with "Looking" for a second season as the article suggests. The rating slowly improved as "Looking" started to catch on with a niche audience (like "Girls"'s audience).

 

Apparently, the improvement in the "Looking" ratings were at least partly the result of the a very strong second-hand boost from "True Detective." I use the phrase second-hand only because, I now have trouble watching "Girls;" the novelty has ended.

[MrMiniver]

I agree that it got better as it went along and I actually enjoyed the last couple episodes. Although, I'll admit, that I long for a show with normal, well-adjusted gay men instead of drama queen neurotics but I may not live long enough to see that

 

But let's be real about the ratings. At most, they said that 500,000 people watched LOOKING. In a country of 330,000,000. Not a lot of people. TRUE DETECTIVE was interesting and I was expecting a big payoff in the last episode and it didn't happen.

 

I can't fathom how anyone could watch GIRLS. I find Lena Dunham unappealing on every conceivable level.

[maninsoma]

I just did a marathon viewing of Looking. I watched the first episode soon after it aired and hated it, so I was putting off watching it again even though my TiVo was still set to record every new episode. I have to admit that it improved significantly as the season progressed, though I still think the writing could be improved. I will echo MrMiniver, though, and state that it's disappointing that this show is filled with "drama queen neurotics." I realize that a TV drama has to have characters with some issues since simply watching people have ordinary lives wouldn't make for very compelling television, but a little more likability in at least some of the main characters would be nice.

[MrMiniver]

I just did a marathon viewing of Looking. I watched the first episode soon after it aired and hated it, so I was putting off watching it again even though my TiVo was still set to record every new episode. I have to admit that it improved significantly as the season progressed, though I still think the writing could be improved. I will echo MrMiniver, though, and state that it's disappointing that this show is filled with "drama queen neurotics." I realize that a TV drama has to have characters with some issues since simply watching people have ordinary lives wouldn't make for very compelling television, but a little more likability in at least some of the main characters would be nice.

 

I agree with you completely. The "wedding episode" is a case in point. The argument in the car was so silly and then the "pull over and let me storm off" stuff was just so over-the-top. Who really acts like that? No one I've ever known. I don't need to see a show about people just leading boring lives but there's a big difference between that and this kind of over-the-top stuff. But I think it got better and I'm hopeful that Season 2 might improve further.

[Mark450]

Ugh, I hated this show. Hung in there for 4 or 5 episodes then resigned myself to the fact that it was no good. "Looking for a plot" "Looking for a STD" "Looking for a decade"

Just a complete mess of a show.

[+ WilliamM]

I agree with you completely. The "wedding episode" is a case in point. The argument in the car was so silly and then the "pull over and let me storm off" stuff was just so over-the-top. Who really acts like that? No one I've ever known. I don't need to see a show about people just leading boring lives but there's a big difference between that and this kind of over-the-top stuff. But I think it got better and I'm hopeful that Season 2 might improve further.

 

I have met people like that and much worse, fortunately not many. It was no fun, and made me understand how easily domestic violence could happen. But, the truth is that couples (straight and gay) argue and act in a way that seems silly to others. I love the fact that "Looking" is only 30 minutes; it forces the writers and producers to really think about making a point quickly. But, it did not work in the Richie-Patrick car ride scenes.

[Doe Be Doe]

I don't have HBO but I think Jonathan Groff is "dreamy." Is "Looking" available on Netflix or something like that?

[TruthBTold]

MrMiniver, I also agree. I think the hard part of writing any television program is to take seemingly normal people and make some part of their life interesting, rather than having just loud, neurotic, for the most part obnoxious, people populating the show. Sure every show has to have one or two crazy characters for laughs or for drama. The reason, I think, that the writing for Girls works is because it makes obnoxious characters seemingly normal through laughs. We're not asked to take them seriously or to care about them but we relate to them on some level. 'Looking' wants us to actually care about the characters but makes it so that there is nothing appealing to care about (except the occasional good-looking guy), very, very little to laugh at, and almost nothing to relate to. (When was the last time you had two gorgeous guys fighting over your ass or your lover renting an escort that you met in a restaurant so that you could take pics to further your career in "art". It's not that the show is totally without redeeming features but certainly not enough to warrant the guys coming back for a second season. Sooner or later there will be quality gay lead characters and I am prepared to wait until then.

[instudiocity]

I don't have HBO but I think Jonathan Groff is "dreamy." Is "Looking" available on Netflix or something like that?

Jonathan Groff is quite doable. As to seeing "Looking" or any other HBO show, The Wire, Entourage, The Sopranos, find a friend who has HBO and borrow the friend's login so you can watch on HBOGO.

 

It's great on AppleTV, my iPhone and iPad or my computer.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

Looking explores some great themes, looking forward to Season 2. Be interesting to see how they handle The sex Wth your boss .......

[MrMiniver]

I have met people like that and much worse, fortunately not many. It was no fun, and made me understand how easily domestic violence could happen. But, the truth is that couples (straight and gay) argue and act in a way that seems silly to others. I love the fact that "Looking" is only 30 minutes; it forces the writers and producers to really think about making a point quickly. But, it did not work in the Richie-Patrick car ride scenes.

 

You have my sincere condolences. I would not want to know people like that. I thought the last 10 minutes of the last episode were about the truest, most realistic thing the show did. I suspect we have all been in the position of saying what Patrick's boss said to him (although not the employer part of that occasion) and I also thought the concluding scene with Richie and Patrick was also very good.

 

Someone else remarked to me -- and I quite agree -- that it was nice to see a show about gay men in which they were not all "model types." I also found it interesting that the fittest guy with the best body was the OLD GUY! lol.

[MrMiniver]

Jonathan Groff is quite doable. As to seeing "Looking" or any other HBO show, The Wire, Entourage, The Sopranos, find a friend who has HBO and borrow the friend's login so you can watch on HBOGO.

 

It's great on AppleTV, my iPhone and iPad or my computer.

 

Just download through a torrent or filesharing site. I can't imagine that anyone has cable or anything remotely like it anymore.

[EXPAT]

I was very disappointed in the series. There was nothing new that we haven't seen so many times before. And I guess Hollywood has to put in stereotypes of gay people in every gay oriented show. I really think it was crap and a waste of a show.

[Okliehomo]

So, given that logic, The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire were crap shows because they had stereotypes aboput gangsters? And Girls is crap because it is all about girls???

 

Well, I will give you that last one.

 

Personally, I think it is a "new thing" not to show gay men as the joke or the sissy or the suicidal fairy but rather as regular guys coping with regular problems like friends, family, work and boyfriends.

 

And Scott Bakula was the hot one??? While I agree he is still very sexy, he is no Russell Tovey, hot butt naked on top of Jonathan Groff.

 

Okie

[Diverdan]

I loved the show, but thought it got off to a slow start in the first two or three shows. I would prefer an hour format like Boardwalk Empire or the Sopranos. I agee with Okie, that seeing Russell Tovey with his hot butt naked on top of Jonathan Groff was pretty special. I also agree with Okie that this show attempts to deal with regular guys, albiet gay, that are dealing with the usual problems of life, like friends, family, work, boyfriends and the temptations of dealing with situations like the employer who lusts after the employee. I think that Scokk Bakula was perfectly cast in that part, and hope they bring him back in season two. I also found the final interaction with Richie to be pretty realistic based on friends that I have. It will be interesting IMHO to see how this moves forward in season two.

[+ WilliamM]

For Jonathan Groff fans-

 

Seven years ago Jonathan and Lea were the stars of the Tony Award winning musical "Spring Awakening" on and off-Broadway for two years. The two stars had a nude scene: Lea showed her tits; Jonathan showed his ass, or more accurately his very fine ass. He has also acted in other off-Broadway shows partially naked. When "Spring Awakening was off-Broadway, Groff said he was nervous the first he dropped his pants on stage, but from then on it was fine.

[MrMiniver]

So, given that logic, The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire were crap shows because they had stereotypes aboput gangsters? And Girls is crap because it is all about girls???

 

Well, I will give you that last one.

 

Personally, I think it is a "new thing" not to show gay men as the joke or the sissy or the suicidal fairy but rather as regular guys coping with regular problems like friends, family, work and boyfriends.

 

And Scott Bakula was the hot one??? While I agree he is still very sexy, he is no Russell Tovey, hot butt naked on top of Jonathan Groff.

 

Okie

 

I should have clarified. The guy with the best body was the oldest one of the 3 main characters (Bakula was a guest star). I don't know his name.

[MrMiniver]

Oh, and I think that Zachary Quinto (who is no prize in the looks or body department) is a total tool for dumping Groff who, apparently, wouldn't agree to an open relationship. Putz.