‘Looking’ isn’t really what I’m Looking for
This past Sunday we got to see the premiere of the new HBO series, ‘Looking,’ which is a show based on a group of gay friends living their lives in San Francisco. I wrote an article MONTHS ago about how I couldn’t stand people referring to this as the gay ‘Girls’ and I’m happy to say after watching it, I don’t see the connection.
However, I’m not really a fan of the show! I know, I know, it’s only been one episode. What can we really get away from that? I think what you can take away from a first episode is SOME kind of connection to the characters. Plus, I’m not a big fan of all the facial hair…
On a less shallow note I feel the show is speaking specifically to one group of homosexuals and of a specific age group. I would have liked to see a younger approach and present a scene that wasn’t filled with the background music to ‘Queer as Folk.’
The reason I say younger, is because with a platform like HBO there is a freedom to express opinion that one might not be able to do on a basic cable channel. Basic cable channels where we have the extremely attractive buff closeted football player go through his self discovery, self loathing, and self acceptance within a 5 episode story arc. Oh! can’t forget the soul mate who plays for the soccer team at the same school who happens to conveniently be gay too.
One of the stars of the show, Russell Tovey said once “The only thing I can give to young gay people is that when I was growing up there were no role models that were blokey, that were men. Everybody was flamboyant and camp, and I remember going, ‘That’s not me, so even though I think I am gay, I don’t think I fit into this world.'” I appreciated this comment and when I look at ‘Looking’ I don’t see what we’re LOOKING for!
I will give the show the points for casting real looking people, but I think this is headed down a road we have already seen. I was excited for this show because HBO really is about taking chances and presenting original stuff and I’m not sure I’m totally on board for this. I’ll wait until next week to see what we get.
