Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Television Review: Looking, Episode 1, Pilot)

I had been looking forward to the new series "Looking" (Sundays at 10pm, HBO) because it is being touted as the gay version of "Girls," and while there are lots in "Girls," that I don't like, over all I respect that series. Plus, "Looking" is helmed by Andrew Haigh, who did the great movie "Weekend" which I loved.  Looking mostly centers, on the first episode anyway, around Patrick, played by Jonathan Groff. Patrick is looking for love. The title is a reference to a word used by men on social networking/hook up apps when hey are "prowling."  The show is set in today's world: there are pointed references involving Grindr, Instagram and OkCupid, so it does feel current. However the atmosphere is very dark and 70s - San Francisco is barely lit giving it an "edgier" feel. Groff is the guy with a heart of gold, who is just looking for the guy of his dreams out there (You know, sort of like Carrie Bradshaw of Lena Dunham) but Groff has such abundant charm that you still cannot understand why someone like he is still looking. Of course, this is just the first episode, and we hopefully will get a glimpse of some kind of neurosis in his character. There is a very funny scene where he has a date with a doctor, and you get a glimpse of Patrick' imperfection - though Groff still comes off adorable in it.  We get introduced to two other major characters, Augustin, who just starts to live in with his new boyfriend and Dom, a bitter unfulfilled waiter. The pilot is barley scratching the surface (how I wish this was an hour show instead of only thirty minutes) and I myself am looking forward to see this flower's petals unfold.