Looking, Season 1, Episode 6: “Looking in the Mirror”
Directed by Joe Swanberg
Written by J.C. Lee & Tanya Saracho
Airs Sundays at 10:30 PM on HBO
Looking’s sixth episode, “Looking in the Mirror”, is a very pleasant surprise. There’s an energy and vitality in this half hour that had been missing from the show up until now. Maybe it’s because almost all the characters finally interact with one another, or maybe it’s because the editing and dialogue are paced less leisurely than usual. But a theme Looking has been exploring – going after what you want rather than what you should want – comes into focus and propels the stories forward in an exciting way.
Dom really likes Lynn. And with Scott Bakula’s smile and gentle charisma, who wouldn’t? But he’s older than Dom, and instead of that making Dom feel younger, it reminds him that he’s not too far off from the 50-something pompous opera lovers Lynn hangs out with. After Dom accepts his feelings and finally moves in for a kiss, Lynn rejects him. He claims he doesn’t want to start anything with Dom because they’re entering into a business relationship, but it’s really about trust. Lynn’s heart has been broken before, and Dom’s motives can’t seem clear when there’s money involved.
Lack of trust also plays a major role in Patrick and Richie’s dating speed bumps. While last week’s episode chronicled the idyllic beginnings of their courtship, this week we watch it crash down to earth at Dom’s birthday party. Agustín is a total asshole, and pretty stupid for insulting Richie, who is obviously within earshot. But the fact that Patrick doesn’t stand up to him reveals something about his character to Richie, who begins to have second thoughts. The mysterious sway that Agustín has over Patrick is crippling, and Richie can’t trust a boyfriend who won’t vocally defend their relationship.
Unfortunately Patrick, however much he won’t admit it, does think his terrible friend has a point about him “slumming it” with Richie. And it’s true, dating outside one’s educational and professional class is rare, probably now rarer than dating outside one’s race. Especially in an expensive city like San Francisco, a white video game designer dating a Latino hairdresser is fraught with complication. But Patrick’s hesitation doesn’t come from a worry that Richie isn’t ambitious or educated enough. It does seem to come purely from worrying what his friends and co-workers think of him, which is a really terrible way to feel, and something that Richie picks up on.
Joe Swanberg, the director of many indie films including last year’s delightful Drinking Buddies, takes the reigns from Andrew Haigh in this episode. It’s a great match – Swanberg’s improvisational style loosens up the actors and puts the focus on characters and conversations. Maybe some of Haigh’s beautifully framed shots go by the wayside, but Swanberg gets a naturalism and frankness out of the actors that Haigh hasn’t been able to, and certain moments – Lynn’s reluctant rebuke of Dom, Patrick’s inability to stand up for Richie in front of Agustín – are the most touching of the entire series.
“Looking in the Mirror” is a great step forward for this show and makes me look forward to the final two episodes in the season. I hope that creators continue to build on this momentum and stick the landing. HBO tends to give its low rated series a second season if they feel there is a passionate audience, however small it is. Perhaps Looking will deserve that chance.
Other thoughts:
Agustín’s hooker photography plot doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.
Richie can cook! Can he cook peri-peri?
“She’s so modest, my little Cindy Sherman.”
“You’re gonna be the black guy that brings Cheetos to the party?”
