Stop LOOKING For Now

Article first published as Stop LOOKING For Now on TheTVKing.

HBO's Looking has semi-accurately been dubbed Girls with gay men. Both of the half hour dramedies feature authentic, unique voices, profiling personalities of a generation that haven't made in onto TV all that much yet. They're realistic-ish, or at least the characters are, and the episodes do draw the viewer in quite effectively, whether because we're seeing ourselves or someone we know in the parts.

Looking, which aired its first season finale, "Looking Glass," this week, has a little more self-awareness, playing a bit to sitcom tropes, but acknowledging it does so. When one of the guys on Looking identifies themselves as a woman from The Golden Girls or Sex and the City, we can see this. It is also clear that Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Richie (Raul Castillo) view themselves as Ross and Rachel from Friends.

This latter parallel is mentioned in an earlier episode, then shows up again in the finale when Patrick and Richie are on a break and Patrick has a sexual tryst before they get back together. Frustrated fans will surely be screaming at the screen "They were on a break!" when the news comes out and Richie gets mad, which has to happen.

I don't think Looking completely rips off Friends, though. For one, Patrick's affair is with his boss, Kevin (Russell Tovey), someone more integral to his life than a random copy girl. And while the timing is a bit too coincidental, there's no way the dynamic will play out the same way moving forward, with Patrick and Richie alternately pining for one another while the other tries to move on for the next nine years.

This is because the guys in Looking are aware of their television predecessors and are influenced, but not defined, by them. Patrick may be more likely to end up in a Ross situation because he knows who Ross is and identifies with him. But real life isn't TV, and Looking strives for that real life aspect, so while the scenario may begin the same as on the beloved sitcom, it likely will quickly branch out into something else.

Let's hope the love triangle isn't resolved too quickly, though. Should Patrick be with Richie or Kevin? We've seen an entire installment of Patrick and Richie just being happy together, and that was fantastic. We've also seen emotional moments between Patrick and Kevin, and there is definitely a strong connection there. Plus, Patrick is able to bottom for Kevin, something he struggles with for Richie, though Kevin already has the boss relationship with Patrick, so that may have something to do with it. I'd really like to see how they get along as a couple before making a decision. I hope Looking keeps both men in Patrick's life around long enough to explore this fully, and since Patrick and Kevin will be series regulars in year two, that seems likely.

Dom's (Murray Bartlett) new beau, Lynn (Scott Bakula), should also stay, though Bakula hasn't been contracted to do so. Dom's pop-up restaurant succeeds because of Lynn, even as Dom drives Lynn away from the event. Yet, Dom is able to realize this by the end of the half hour, and when Lynn says he doesn't want to work together any more, Dom pursues the older man romantically. Mixing business and pleasure is messy and that may not work for them, but Lynn does seem to bring out the best of all sides of Dom, helping him find his potential, so Lynn would be welcome to stick around for awhile in some capacity.

One of the best moments in "Looking Glass" is when Doris (Lauren Weedman) fights for Dom to Lynn. Doris has been a relatively small supporting character up until now, but this scene will make any viewer instantly fall for her. She has also been upgraded to main player for the sophomore run, and after seeing this side of her, I am anxious for more from Dom's bestie.

The third couple in the show, I am completely done with. Frank (O.T. Fagbenle) kicks out Agustin (Frankie J. Alvarez) after only living together a short time. Agustin completely deserves it, acting like a total ass all season, going behind his boyfriend's back and whining about his art instead of making something. Perhaps the creative types are just this unstable and it's needed for great work, but it makes them nearly impossible to be around.

I'm surprised Patrick takes Agustin back in so easily. After all, Agustin has been a jerk towards Patrick, too, especially where Richie, whom Patrick still loves, is concerned. Yet, there's definitely a lot of history between the two prior to Looking's start, so that must play into Patrick's willingness to forgive without an apology being offered. If Agustin is sticking around, and he is one of the leads, unlike Frank, we need to start seeing the elements in him that Patrick and Dom like. They have been in short supply in year one.

The fact that eight short entries can suck fans in so fully to these characters shows quite a bit of skill in the acting and writing departments. Looking is a compelling, intelligent series that is both enjoyable and fresh. If you missed this initial run, check it out on HBOGo or when it inevitably reruns. You'll want to be caught up before the second round, which will presumably air early next year.

Hot in Cleveland just lukewarm

    TVLand is trying their hand at making a sitcom instead of just airing old ones from the other networks.  Their first project of the type, Hot in Cleveland, feels incredibly dated.  Which may not be a bad thing.  Considering who TVLand's target audience is, Hot in Cleveland should fit in nicely.  Perhaps it's the humor, or the bottled laugh track, or the "filmed in front of a life studio audience" line at the beginning.  There isn't just one element, but the show definitely feels like it aired in the 1980's, or maybe the early 1990's at the latest.

     The cast is charming.  Melanie (Valerie Bertinelli, One Day at a Time, Touched By an Angel) is the one who fits best in the old mold, even though each of the four main actresses has already had success in the sitcom medium.  She is also the catalyst for the series's main plot.  Recently divorced, she is with two friends on a trip to Paris when their plane is held over in Northern Ohio.  Stopping at a local bar, Melanie and her friends soon realize that they are quite attractive when compared with the local women, and much more valued than they are in their home city of Los Angeles.  It is a premise that teases at our country's divide.  Plenty of L.A. and New York City denizens see the entire country between them, to borrow a phrase from a well known comedian, as one giant red state.  Different culture exists outside of those two large cities, and it's fun to see it acknowledged the way it is.

     Melanie's friends decide to stay with her when she rents a house in Cleveland.  Joy (Jane Leeves, Frasier) is a mess, in the second episode dating a young man that she thinks might be her son.  Victoria (Wendie Malick, Just Shoot Me!) recently had her long-running soap opera canceled, so she has nothing better to do.  The first episode was all about the set up, but as the characters get more fleshed out, we find their true vulnerabilities.  Such as Victoria pretending to like the giant supermarket because fans fawn over her when she goes.  Why doesn't L.A. or NYC have big chain stores?  Why would these women not shop at them?  Again, cultural divide.

     Rounding out the cast is the 'caretaker' that came with the rented house, Elka (Betty White, The Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore, Boston Legal, etc.).  Despite the odd name, Elka has no accent.  She's just a grandmotherly type in a track seat with no obvious family around.  Elka gets all the good jokes, and let's be honest here.  Despite the talent and credentials the other three women bring to the show, most viewers will tune in for White, an American comedy legend.

     The chemistry is charming.  It's no Golden Girls, but it'll do for now.  It's television fast food: comfortable, tastes good, but without a lot of substance.  Yet, there is not necessarily anything wrong with that, and Hot in Cleveland does better than most at fulfilling the empty calorie content.

     Hot in Cleveland airs Wednesday nights at 10pm on TVLand.

Betty White: hotter than ever

     And by hotter, I mean in demand.  No offense to the former Golden Girl, and sure, she looks great for her age, but senior citizens aren't really my thing.  :)  However, big news on the heels of her Superbowl commercial success:  Betty White may soon be hosting Saturday Night Live!  This is more than a rumor, but it's not yet a done deal, either.  Yet, being the key word, as talks are currently in progress.
     The hub bub started with a facebook group. which at the time of this writing, had over 425,000 fans and is steadily climbing, started petitioning for her.  The 88 year old actress has surprisingly never hosted the long running sketch comedy.  However, with SNL in a slump, and White as amazing as ever, when would be a better time for the two to unite?  To help the aging star handle the workload of hosting the 90 minute program, it has been suggested that she bring out other Ladies of Comedy to assist.  Rumor is that former SNL cast members Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, and the fantastic Tina Fey would be on board as her entourage.  As giddy as I would be for a White-hosted episode, imagining all of these wonderful comediennes together seems even better.
     White, who starred in such comedies as The Golden Girls, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Boston Legal certainly has the comedic chops to pull off such a project.  Fey (30 Rock) has been reportedly thinking about bringing back the hugely popular Sarah Palin impersonation.  Poehler's Parks and Recreation may easily be the most improved show this year.  And despite the failure of last season's Kath & Kim, we all know Shannon can handle the laughs.