HBO's "Looking" Discussion (2014-2016)

[Tommy0807]

The first episode of HBO's Looking aired last weekend to less than stellar viewing numbers, but I liked it. I was surprised there wasn't already a thread started (unless I missed it, though, believe me, I searched before I started this one).

It's hard to tell from one episode, but I liked it, and it has a good pedigree (Andrew Haigh, writer/director of Weekend, and Michael Lannon who worked on I Want Your Love and Interior. Leather Bar). I've enjoyed their work in the past, so I'm certainly willing to give this new project a shot.

I hope the rating numbers pick up so that it stands a chance. The critical response has been pretty positive. Along with the positive, I've seen a fair amount of negative reaction online, mostly from gay viewers who are upset about what the show is not.

[Tommy0807]

Okay, so I'm clearly having this conversation with myself since I'm the only person who has posted to this thread, but did anyone else see tonight's episode? If you thought the show was "okay" up until this point, I think tonight's episode moved it into the "brilliant" category. This show had better get renewed for another season.

[djgeneral]

Originally Posted by Tommy0807

Okay, so I'm clearly having this conversation with myself since I'm the only person who has posted to this thread, but did anyone else see tonight's episode? If you thought the show was "okay" up until this point, I think tonight's episode moved it into the "brilliant" category. This show had better get renewed for another season.

I agree completely. Tonight was an outstanding episode.

[Tommy0807]

Good News! Looking has been renewed for a second season:

http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/look...-season-2-hbo/

[djgeneral]

Wow. Wasn't expecting that at all. Nice to hear!

[monorail91]

PHENOMENAL show. Took a couple episodes to get going but it sure turned out great. This Blu-ray can't come out soon enough!

[jaredofmo]

I have a preorder on Amazon, so they should update me when there's new information. Hopefully soon.

[Tommy0807]

Originally Posted by jaredofmo

I have a preorder on Amazon, so they should update me when there's new information. Hopefully soon.

It looks like the Season 1 Blu-ray now has a release date: January 6, 2015. I've had my copy preordered since January 31, 2014, so almost a year.

[Todd Tomorrow]

I loved this show and it just got better as it went along. I lived in San Francisco for a few years, went to a few bars featured in the series and it made my quite nostalgic. Can't wait for season 2.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Tommy0807

Along with the positive, I've seen a fair amount of negative reaction online, mostly from gay viewers who are upset about what the show is not.

I am interested in checking the show out. Could you expand on your comment above? I think that may help me figure out if this show is for me or not. Thank you.

[Tommy0807]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I am interested in checking the show out. Could you expand on your comment above? I think that may help me figure out if this show is for me or not. Thank you.

I wrote that comment several months ago, so I'm trying to remember the specific arguments--and I'm trying to remember where I read the responses--probably on various discussion boards and blogs. I remember lots of people liking the show, but there were about as many detractors. An argument I remember seeing more than once is that people didn't like the lack of plot. I remember comments about how nothing happened, which they saw as a negative. Honestly, I loved the characters and their development and the relationships between the characters developing over the course of the season, so I didn't care if they weren't solving a murder mystery or some other highly structured plot. If you liked Andrew Haigh's film Weekend, the series has a similar episodic feel with interesting, realistic characters living their lives.

[Tommy0807]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I am interested in checking the show out. Could you expand on your comment above? I think that may help me figure out if this show is for me or not. Thank you.

I just realized that I didn't directly address my comment about the criticism from gay viewers who were upset about what the show was not--which is what you had asked me about. That comment was because I also read reactions to the show criticizing it for not recreating their personal experience. It's not my exact experience either, but I can relate to the characters and to their feelings and to some of the situations they find themselves in, or at least I can empathize with their lives/situations, etc.

Unfortunately, when there are so few shows or films that depict gay life, gay audiences have huge expectations and want, understandably, to see their lives reflected back at them. It puts a big burden on individual shows and films to reflect our lives and to represent gay life. But they have to focus on specific characters in specific situations in order to create three-dimensional characters and not types. The more specific they are, the more universal they become, but it doesn't match every person's personal story, so we can get upset (or mostly just disappointed) when the lives depicted don't represent us or our personal experiences. I get that, but there is no one way to be or to live as a gay man/person, and I like that Looking comes across as real/genuine. And if it's successful, it can open the door for more depictions of our lives--both good and bad.

I also read criticism about a lack of diversity in the casting, but I think the show is quite diverse, but, again, I understand where the criticism comes from, and it's not an inappropriate criticism (or expectation).

[SquidPuppet]

^ Thanks

[jaredofmo]

Originally Posted by Tommy0807

It looks like the Season 1 Blu-ray now has a release date: January 6, 2015. I've had my copy preordered since January 31, 2014, so almost a year.

Yep. I saw it up there and did a little squee. Really enjoyed this show and look forward to getting this one and seeing Season 2.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by Tommy0807

I just realized that I didn't directly address my comment about the criticism from gay viewers who were upset about what the show was not--which is what you had asked me about. That comment was because I also read reactions to the show criticizing it for not recreating their personal experience. It's not my exact experience either, but I can relate to the characters and to their feelings and to some of the situations they find themselves in, or at least I can empathize with their lives/situations, etc.

Unfortunately, when there are so few shows or films that depict gay life, gay audiences have huge expectations and want, understandably, to see their lives reflected back at them. It puts a big burden on individual shows and films to reflect our lives and to represent gay life. But they have to focus on specific characters in specific situations in order to create three-dimensional characters and not types. The more specific they are, the more universal they become, but it doesn't match every person's personal story, so we can get upset (or mostly just disappointed) when the lives depicted don't represent us or our personal experiences. I get that, but there is no one way to be or to live as a gay man/person, and I like that Looking comes across as real/genuine. And if it's successful, it can open the door for more depictions of our lives--both good and bad.

I also read criticism about a lack of diversity in the casting, but I think the show is quite diverse, but, again, I understand where the criticism comes from, and it's not an inappropriate criticism (or expectation).

Yeah, I found these comments odd about the characters not being representative of their lives, especially as the series was probably closer to my life than most films or TV series about gay men I've seen. Having lived in San Francisco and worked in the digital industry, there was a lot I recognised. My group of friends was not too dissimilar from the guys in the series and haven't most of us had days ambling round their city with a guy they liked the day after?

[jaredofmo]

Today's the release date and a review is up on the site:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Looki.../94904/#Review

I am wondering, why did they go with two 25 GB discs when they could have put all the episodes on one 50 GB disc? Encoding and compression probably wouldn't have been a problem. It's probably so they could have a higher MSRP for the set. If it wasn't for the fact that I really want to be supportive of the show (and Jon Groff and Russell Tovey are some hotties), I would've let it sit in my wish list on Amazon until it got a nice markdown.

*EDIT* Just got my copy. Digital copy fans, it lets you redeem Ultraviolet AND either iTunes or Google Play copies.

*DOUBLE EDIT* This show looks great on Blu-Ray... I'm already rewatching episode 5 and I wasn't even planning on watching it all that soon.

[EricMontreal22]

Is anyone having the same problem as me? I'm not even sure if it's a problem.

I have a 2 year old Samsung BR/Home Entertainment system. I did have to upgrade it via a download last Spring when an X-Men box set would barely load (well it would get to the menu after 10 minutes and stutter.) I heard this was a prob with Samsung and Fox discs and downloaded the update and all was fine.

So everything's been fine since then, but I put in Looking and was worried--the first time disc one froze loading. I tried again --an illustration of the Golden Gate Bridge seemed to pause on my system for 30 seconds--and then it went to the FBI warning and the menu and I quickly checked all the episodes--absolutely perfect. The exact same thing (the golden gate bridge pause) happened with the second disc and then all fine.

Is this just something with the discs? I checked and don't see any further updates for my system. (I admit I'm VERY new to BR so pretty ignorant about this stuff and always worry something's going wrong.)

Nice to catch up with this great show though--bring on season 2!

[Tommy0807]

Originally Posted by EricMontreal22

Is anyone having the same problem as me? I'm not even sure if it's a problem.

I have a 2 year old Samsung BR/Home Entertainment system. I did have to upgrade it via a download last Spring when an X-Men box set would barely load (well it would get to the menu after 10 minutes and stutter.) I heard this was a prob with Samsung and Fox discs and downloaded the update and all was fine.

So everything's been fine since then, but I put in Looking and was worried--the first time disc one froze loading. I tried again --an illustration of the Golden Gate Bridge seemed to pause on my system for 30 seconds--and then it went to the FBI warning and the menu and I quickly checked all the episodes--absolutely perfect. The exact same thing (the golden gate bridge pause) happened with the second disc and then all fine.

Is this just something with the discs? I checked and don't see any further updates for my system. (I admit I'm VERY new to BR so pretty ignorant about this stuff and always worry something's going wrong.)

Nice to catch up with this great show though--bring on season 2!

I watched the first two episodes last night, and the Golden Gate bridge appeared for me, too, when the disc was loading. I didn't think it was frozen so much as the thing was loading. It didn't last long. I don't think it's a flaw.

[djgeneral]

Excited for season 2 tonight! And of course all the other big returns this weekend!

[benji888578]

The price has already gone up on the BD set, kind of high for 8 episodes, and, I am not sure I will really like it...someone referred to Weekend, while Weekend was well done, the two characters were flying high on drugs all weekend, not my thing, not at all. In fact, I'm kind of tired of seeing so many potentially great film/TV with gay characters, but, too heavy on the drugs. Believe it or not, we don't all do drugs.

Anyway, if you have the BD and don't want your DC, please let me know! Thx