Update: Nov. 15, 2013: The folks at HBO released a new trailer this morning, and although it’s just 10 seconds longer than the tease discussed below, it’s far more substantive. It includes actual dialogue, for heaven’s sake! Now we know that Looking will tackle the fractious San Francisco-Los Angeles rivalry, gay aging, open relationships, hot guys kissing, and, of course, the quest to find true love.
Original Post, Nov. 11, 2013: Looking, HBO’s forthcoming series about a group of gay friends in contemporary San Francisco, is the queerest thing to happen to television since Ryan Murphy discovered show choirs. The show’s roster of openly gay talent includes Weekend director Andrew Haigh, who directed the pilot, creator Michael Lannan, and actors Jonathan Groff and Russell Tovey. Outward would’ve been curious about this project whenever it had appeared, but since it comes at a time when, as Willa Paskin recently put it, “TV’s gay men hardly ever get any action,” it’s all the more welcome.
A 21-second tease released this weekend reveals that Looking’s characters work out, ride public transportation, shake hands, and kiss—and that they might do so to the sound of The 2 Bears’ “Take a Look Around.” That leaves a few loose ends still to be tied up when the series premieres at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014, right after Girls.
Disclosure: Slate deputy editor Julia Turner’s husband works on the show.
