Looking - Recap: Maybe I Do, Maybe I Do.
Looking took us to the Folsom Street Fair tonight with an episode that focused on trading in superficial compromising for taking honest risks in life and love.
HBO "Looking"
Episode 4 worked with the perfect setting. The Folsom Street Fair is the ultimate scene for freeing exhibitionism and leather-fueled personal growth. At least, on Looking it is. Patrick continued his strangely flirtatious relationship with his boss, Kevin (Russell Tovey), this week. The show opened with a very intimate Sunday at the office. Paddy gave Kevin a bit of tough love, criticizing the quality of their latest video game just before the Monday morning presentation they’d planned. The initial chemistry between these two during the start of Episode 4 was based around Patrick’s current sense of invulnerability after realizing that he can pretty much get away with anything, including innocently hitting on his boss at a corporate event as seen during last week’s episode. What was interesting was that it seemed like Patrick was most in control during the opening scenes that first focused on the nature of the Folsom Street Fair and then turned to Kevin’s boyfriend. Kevin’s boyfriend arrived in San Francisco spontaneously. It seemed that the long distance relationship had begun to take its toll on both members of this couple, and Patrick was there to witness Kevin ripe for the taking. Eventually, his boss scurried off to handle the man who’d been essentially reduced to this nagging task to deal with. Patrick, meanwhile, ended up joining his friends at the fair.
Augustín, Doris (Lauren Weedman), and her date were certainly in good spirits. There’s nothing quite like day drinking surrounded by leather daddies, I guess. Patrick’s initiation into the festivities was important because it highlighted his continuous efforts to maintain the conventional and traditional standards he’s had ingrained in his mind. Patrick is a gay man, so his world will always be unconventional and progressive as long as he continues to participate in society. Augustín is abrasive, in a sense, but he wasn’t entirely wrong in pointing out Patrick’s desire to hide his sexuality. To clarify, I don’t mean his homosexuality. What I mean is that Patrick was afraid to cut loose and throw on a leather vest, even surrounded by a crowd full of men doing the same thing, because he’s a character who’s essentially afraid to bare his soul in the bedroom. The Folsom Street Fair isn’t merely a f***-fest. Any public displays of sexuality in San Francisco will always serve as remembrance of what that city stands for in American culture, which is every human being’s right to his or her own body and, thus, sexual intimacy.
Intimacy was another topic of conversation during Episode 4. Augustín met up with CJ, the hooker we were introduced to last week, and CJ remained incredibly confident in who he is and his work. Augustín, on the other hand, is just as lost as Patrick is when it comes to recognizing what he wants. Of course, they want totally different things, but jumping into the world of prostitution during your efforts to find yourself is probably an awful idea, especially when you’re in a committed relationship of any kind. Augustín lured CJ in under the impression that he was looking to work on some sort of artistic project, but the artistry is dead in Augustín. The artistry we're looking at here is the innate human desire to paint the portrait of oneself. CJ is just looking to clock in and make a buck, and I’m guessing he finds Augustín attractive enough. Patrick witnessed this conversation along with the rest of us and basically acted as our on-screen emotional compass. What’s funny is that Augustín thought of his inquiry as simply being inquisitive and, of course, he’d like to sleep with the very attractive CJ. Patrick saw the damaging desperation of it all. For example, Augustín is a vegetarian, yet he ate a piece of meat during lunch because CJ was the one to feed it to him. Let’s be real; if you’re a grown man who knows what he wants, you’re confident enough in yourself to not eat meat as a vegetarian because you’re simply charmed to do so. I will say, though, that I liked that Looking had Augustín keep his beau Frank in mind while picking out leather clothes for Paddy. At least we know he does care about the man.
As all of this was transpiring, Dom decided to pursue a friendship grounded in faux romance with Lynn, the man we met at the bathhouse last week. Lynn is wise, Lynn knows what he wants, and Lynn is established. What was so interesting to watch here was that Lynn is probably exactly what Dom would like to be someday, but Dom still has this sense of entitlement that renders him incapable of seeing that. Dom lured Lynn into what was clearly a fake date, though Lynn was quick to call him out. What Dom really needs is money and business advice. He wants to open a Portuguese restaurant, but he has no funding, education, or experience aside from his work as waiter. What I most enjoyed about this arc was that Lynn picked up on the truth so quickly, but Dom was adamant in his refusal to give in to the fact that he’d been found out. Even after being called out, Dom was still planning a way in which he could then ask Lynn out on an “actual” date later that evening. In the end, Lynn simply asked him to propose a business plan, and Dom agreed to do so.
Dom is interesting because, like Augustín, he realizes that he is tremendously unfulfilled, but he almost blames the Universe for failing to deliver. It’s like he’s been dealt this poor hand in life and is forced to fight his way to success. Meanwhile, we know he spent the better part of the last two decades banging twenty-somethings for sheer pleasure. I think Dom was probably the kind of guy who screwed whomever he wanted to back in the day. I think in the present, he’s the kind of man who still screws younger guys because of the power trip. At his core, however, he’s totally unfulfilled, and Lynn will surely act as his mentor to true grown-up adulthood. There’s a difference between being an adult and being a grown-up. Dom’s an adult pushing forty, but he’s not really a grown-up yet.
Long story short, the meat shot straight through Augustín’s system and the whole crew was forced to head into Patrick’s empty office so that he could relieve himself. Blame God, I guess. Was Augustín being punished for hiring a prostitute? Patrick sure seemed to think so. The two subsequently had a conversation regarding the nature of prostitution, and I think both had great points. Patrick deemed Augustín’s recent actions to be, basically, superficial and felt this trivialized his relationship. Augustín, on the other hand, felt the primary purpose behind paid sex was the need for intimacy. Does paying for sex open the floodgates to intimacy? Probably. What it does more so, however, is point out a person’s need to simply suck it up and hire a legitimate therapist. People hate facing their own demons, especially when those demons are insecurities. I do think that there’s a psychological aspect to paying for sex that most people totally ignore. In fact, I do think most of it is driven by a mental or emotional craving, a desire to work through damage, but I also think that it is simply a cop-out to looking in the mirror. It’s a means of avoiding real world responsibility. "It’s not therapy! It’s just cool, raunchy sex with a hooker." In the end, though, no shame to the hookers from me, seriously. CJ knows what he’s doing, and he’s one of the most secure voices on this show. Later, we’d learn that Frank (O.T. Fagbenle) was aware of Augustín’s pursuit, though I presume he’s not fully in the know of his boyfriend’s true desires.
HBO "Looking"
Kevin returned to the office following what we were led to assume was an uncomfortable reunion with his boyfriend. I liked his commentary on the nature of long distance relationships. It’s true. You have to re-learn how to be with someone just as much as you have to get used to being apart from someone. Still, the final scenes between Kevin and Paddy alone in the office were laden with sexual tension. I loved that Looking decided that the nail in the coffin for Patrick would be Kevin admitting that he’s not allowed to eat fried food in his own home at his boyfriend’s command. Nobody deserves that nonsense! The internal conflict within Patrick here was the best part of Episode 4. You could feel him oscillating between realizing that he had Kevin where he wanted him and coming to terms with the fact that this scenario was not that which he truly desires. In the end, Patrick simply left and met his friends at a leather bar. There it was, folks! Growth.
Just like that, Patrick was rewarded for leaving Kevin, deprived of fried chicken, in the office. Richie (Raúl Castillo) returned this week, and Patrick finally got the opportunity to make amends for his poor showing during their first date. Richie is his guiding light. We’re still just getting to know Patrick, but we know that someone like Richie is exactly what his heart desires. Dammit, Looking, you had to close out Episode 4 with just a tease of a pre-kiss? I hate you. See you next Sunday.
What did you think of Looking Season 1 Episode 4, “Looking for $220/ Hour”? What will come of the “artistic” relationship between Augustín and CJ? Will Dom learn from Lynn? Are you happy that Patrick and Richie are back in action?
Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Looking Season 1 Episode 4, “Looking for $220/ Hour”!