Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gay friends search for sex and fulfillment in San Francisco.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Looking
What's the Story?
San Francisco-based friends Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez), and Dom (Murray Bartlett) might be navigating different stages of their lives against the backdrop of the city's thriving gay community. But they're all LOOKING for the same basic thing: a sense of fulfillment. While Patrick considers what kind of relationship he wants, Agustín agrees to move to Oakland with his longtime boyfriend, and Dom reluctantly faces the growing challenges of chasing his dreams in his 40s.
Is It Any Good?
Earning the label as a gay Sex and the City or Girls, this series strikes a common chord around friendship, belonging, and sexual exploration. Like the others, Looking follows a close-knit group of friends who are exploring their options when it comes to love and sex, and they tend to treat the cities they're set in—whether New York or San Francisco—as honorary characters. They also put forth leads with contrasting personalities, inviting viewers to find a little of themselves in each character's journey. Though they aren't always likable, the men of Looking are realistically flawed. The show's limited view could have been deepened by more gender and racial diversity in its cast, but it still explores some worthwhile questions when it comes to love and sex in modern gay culture.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the role sex plays in these characters' lives and how it compares to the lives of actual gay men. Does Looking play up the importance of sex for the sake of ratings, or is it striving for realism?
How does Looking's tone compare to that of other series centered on gay characters, and how well does it succeed at portraying their dreams and struggles? Teens: How have depictions of gay people in the media changed since your parents were born?
Is there one character you identify with more than another? How do Patrick, Agustín, and Dom measure up as role models?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 19, 2014
- Cast : Frankie J. Alvarez , Jonathan Groff , Murray Bartlett
- Network : HBO
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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