Looking Preview: “Looking for Gordon Freeman” 

We’re not going to lie. The drama gets scary during this week’s Halloween-themed episode of HBO’s Looking. 

Synopsis for “Looking for Gordon Freeman”: Patrick decides to be a “fun gay” by throwing a Halloween party, dressing up as his favorite video-game character. Agustín suggests that Eddie stay over after the party, but Eddie doesn’t want to move too fast. Forgoing her usual joint costume with Dom, Doris agrees to a couples costume with Malik (Bashir Salahuddin), though she’s hesitant to define their relationship. Eddie brings a friend to the party for Patrick, who’s distracted by Richie and his new beau, Brady (Chris Perfetti). Written by JC Lee; directed by Jamie Babbit.

Teases/Thoughts

We’re not going to tease too much this week because we just want you to watch and enjoy and be surprised.

-What we will say is that Patrick’s plan to be a “fun gay” doesn’t quite work out that way. There’s a section of the episode that’s going to be painful to watch. But the drama that erupts is really fascinating. Kudos to Jonathan Groff for this scene.

-Love the Halloween costumes. Agustín’s choice hopes to get him a little extra quality time with Eddie; Patrick’s requires an immense amount of explanation; and Dom’s is spectacularly pec-tacular.

-Doris’ story arc continues to develop. In “Looking for Gordon Freeman,” she angsts over her relationship with Malik.

Sneak Peeks

Agustín, Patrick and Dom shop for Halloween costumes

Agustín and Eddie talk Halloween night

Dom and Doris talk Halloween

Looking Business

–Heads up on a podcast that’s relevant to a conversation that goes on in “Looking for Gordon Freeman”

Looking: “Talking” PrEP in the Modern Gay World with Daniel Franzese, JC Lee & Dr. Michael Gottlieb

Podcast will be live on www.soundcloud.com/lookinghbo at 10:30 pm ET this Sunday.

This week’s podcast is all about PrEP, the hot-button HIV-prevention drug that comes up in Sunday’s episode. We’ve got Daniel Franzese and writer JC Lee talking about it with special guest Dr. Michael Gottlieb, who is a member of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation advisory board.  He discovered the first case of AIDS at UCLA Hospital in 1981, and co-founded amfAR with Elizabeth Taylor and Dr. Mathilde Krim. Daniel is also a spokesperson for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

–On Wednesday, February 25, The Paley Center for Media is presenting a panel with the cast and producers of Looking. 

Xfinity and TheBacklot‘s Jim Halterman is the moderator. The event will feature Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, Murray Bartlett, Raúl Castillo, Lauren Weedman, Daniel Franzese, Andrew Haigh (Executive producer), and Michael lannan (Creator, Co-executive producer)

The Paley Center for Media presents an evening with the stars and producers of Looking, HBO’s meditation on the lives of three friends living, and loving, in modern-day San Francisco. The show is in the midst of its acclaimed second season. With real-life Bay Area locations serving as a backdrop, the trio’s stories intertwine and unspool dramatically as they search for happiness and intimacy in an age of unparalleled choices — and rights — for gay men. As Collider noted, Looking is not easy to define, except perhaps to say that it is a series of vignettes about love, friendship, and life in one’s 30s. Though the men of Looking struggle to understand themselves, watching them do so is no struggle.  It is, in fact, an unhurried pleasure.” The Paley Center gathers members of the cast and creative team for a special screening and look behind the scenes. The conversation will also be added to the Paley Center’s LGBT Archive.

Looking airs Sundays on HBO at 10/9c.

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