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At least when Jerry Seinfeld developed a show about nothing; it was with intention. I just finished watching episode #1 of Looking and disappointed doesn't describe how I feel. The story lines were plausible but as an audience I couldn't find anything remotely compelling to hang my hat on; no one particular character to carry me through the half hour. The show was rife with soapy writing and character arcs were thrown at you like after thoughts.
I'm not familiar with Jonathan Groff's prior work but found his perennial "Saved by the Bell" smile very distracting. I got the point that Murray Bartlett's Dom is a cynic and hurting; a one note performance if there ever was one. Frankie J. Alvarez on the other hand, served up a credible Agustin; a character with at least some dimension.
I sifted through the half hour desperately searching for any slim reason to tune in next week. Alas, I came up empty. From thin story lines and weak direction, the show left me "looking" through my TV guide.
And if this all weren't bad enough; you can add lack lustre camera work to the mix. I was left with no real sense of the world these guys lived in - all close ups and tight two shots. This is a story about 3 gay men - San Francisco should have been the fourth character in the show. There are other ways to create intimacy and engage the audience rather than tight camera work - good writing, solid direction and strong performances are three that come to mind.
Trust me, as a Gay man; I desperately wanted this show to work. It didn't.
score /10
reellook-537-582642 19 January 2014
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2945892/ |
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29-11-2020 12:25:20