With episode three airing Sunday night in America, there’s been a lot of talk and speculation about HBO’s newest drama called ‘Looking’.  While people are somewhat enjoying the show, they are finding it boring and not very entertaining.  Previews leading up to the shows release had people likening it to a ‘gay version of Girls’ mixed with a bit of Queer As Folk.

In reality, Looking is less QAF and sits just on the mediocre side of where Girls never really visited.  Set in San Francisco, Looking follows three friends – Patrick (Jonathan Groff from Glee) who is single and is a game designer, Agustin (Frankie J. Álvarez from SMASH) an artists assistant and Patrick’s best friend and Dom (Murray Bartlett from Headland) a wine waiter in a gastronomic restaurant.

The series starts out in an attempt to shock the viewer…the very first scene has Patrick (Groff) trying to get a hand job in Golden Gate Park from a stranger.  It’s not something seen on television everyday, but does set the mood for how we are to look at Patrick for the rest of the episode.  He’s the type of guy who is single and hates it, but can’t understand why he is single.  Follow that up with a surprise three way involving Agustin, his boyfriend and another artist’s assistant and we’re beginning to get a feel for the tone of the show – or are we?  Like normal, the very first episode of a new series sets out to not only introduce new characters to us, but to also drag us in and ensure we’ll be back to watch episode two.

Though besides the gratuitous use of sex, there’s nothing really to make us not want to continue, but then again, nothing that really makes us want to continue.

Can’t say episode two fared much better.  The general response I’ve come across is that “nothing much happens” and “are we supposed to relate to these guys?”  Is it fair to call Looking boring?  To be sure, this show is not some high energy drama filled with plot twists and back-stabbing.  It’s not a Revenge type show, that’s for sure.  Looking however is a slow-burn show that seems to be allowing us to take our time getting to know these characters, their flaws (as many as there are) their new relationships and those of past (a story-line involving Dom and a very successful ex boyfriend plays heavily in ep 2)

Agustin and his boyfriend Frank have just moved in together and we get the feeling Agustin isn’t too keen on the ‘stay at home’ lifestyle he’s suddenly adopted while Dom, frustrated he hasn’t been able to hook up with a new waiter and a less than pleasant meeting with an ex leads him to have a quickie with a younger fellow in a lower apartment in his building.  While this is happening, Patrick is off with his latest love interest Richie and wondering if Richie is cut or not – deep stuff.

So is Looking worth watching or at least worthy of a continued watch?  I’ll keep watching.  It’s more real world than QAF ever was but don’t call me too invested – not just yet.  The fact no scene has taken place in a gym is promising but here’s hoping that’s not the only promising feature of the show.