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“Looking” Recap: “Looking for the Future,” Or The Fifth Date

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My oh my, but things have progressed quickly. Not just in a figurative sense, either: Patrick and Richie have had at least four sleepovers now, which puts us a couple weeks past the previous episode, assuming they’re not one of those together-every-night couples. Cleaving almost eerily closely to the vague conceit of these recaps, the show has actually provided us with a single date between the budding couple to observe. Ignoring other characters, plot lines, and constraints of reality, our little lovebirds have an uninterrupted day of togetherness: Patrick skips work so they can make a surprise trip to the planetarium, the park, the beach, the psychic, and then back to bed. And it’s not half bad.

Getting to Know You

As it turns out, a date is a terrific narrative tool because it gives your characters a perfectly good reason to ask and answer expository questions that would seem gratuitous in any other context. During their day together, Patrick and Richie reveal when and how they each lost their virginity, how they came out to their parents, and what they were like as kids. (The quick rundown: they both fooled around with hot older dudes, their parents are ok but not great about the gay thing, and they were both fat as kids.)

While date conversation is a little generic and it surprises me that they’ve gone this long without touching on some of these stories already, I was genuinely charmed by the tiny adventure they had by skipping work and wandering the city.

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby

This episode has some of the most direct depiction and discussion of sex we’ve seen from Looking yet. Beyond witnessing an orgasm and a rim job, we got to hear the boys review their HIV statuses, explain their top/bottom preferences on a scale from Rachel to Ross, and chat repeatedly about swallowing. I’m sure the other patrons at the diner were really excited to have their breakfast accompanied by the full-volume exploration of whether pineapple had helped Patrick’s robust flavor.

All in all, I think the boys (and the writers) handled the topic well. They covered even difficult points like disease honestly yet carefully, and they used appropriate humor to lighten the mood as needed. I mean, sex is serious, but it’s fun, too. Though if I can’t get Jennifer Aniston out of my head next time a guy is banging me, I’m going to be pretty angry at the creative team behind that metaphor.

We’re Real, But We’re Still Cartoons

The date was cute and all, but that doesn’t mean that these people are totally realistic. For instance, Patrick had his first sexual experience when he was 15, but since then he’s remained entirely naïve about interacting with men and has only had one boyfriend. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen, but I find it a little tough to fathom how someone who got his start in high school is now nearing 30 and still has to fan himself like a southern debutante when the topic gets even mildly racy.

By contrast, Richie is a little too perfect. Sure, he has a woman tell his fortune with eggs, but he remains totally calm about all of Patrick’s neuroses while displaying none of his own. Worried about getting HIV? He’ll date you anyway. Not so into bottoming? He’s totally vers. Plagued with doubt about the future? He’ll listen calmly and state his affection for you honestly. Wanna lightly mock his professional path and mystic proclivities? He’s never going to call you out on it. If he’s this fantastic, it’s possible that he can do better than Babyface.

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