Ok, who saw that coming?
This final 30 minutes of Looking had us cheering, and crying. A great ending to a show that has firmly found its feet. And it’s fair to say that most of the characters got the ending they deserved.
The episode starts with Patrick visiting Richie at his work place. The fallout from their argument in last week’s Looking for a Plus One is still having an impact. Richie’s ambivalence towards Patrick is heart breaking; you don’t get that defensive if you don’t have feelings for someone. The episode is book ended with Patrick and Richie, so we’ll come back to their storyline in a moment.
Ahhhh Agustin, what are we, and the writers, going to do with you? We can’t have been the only people that cheered for Frank when he served some hot steaming home truths to Agustin. If this was Drag Race, the library was completely open! Frank’s attitude towards Agustin wasn’t anger, the cold way it was delivered showed someone who has already started to come to terms with the end of the relationship, and is finally free to say all the things that being in love meant you could accept. We also really liked the way that the scene is filmed with Frank never stopping except to deliver his put downs.
Agustin takes the hint, some Class A’s and the subway. Again we’re shown the way that he will do anything not to face his problems, even taking a self-destructive path to avoid taking responsibility. Even when he is talking to Patrick later on he avoids talking about anything with him and Frank; he knows, and we know, that Frank is right. It’ll be interesting to see how the writers move his character forward for season two.
Patrick and Agustin’s talk comes at Dom’s NOT NANDO’S Piri Piri Pop Up. Which seems to go very well. Especially for Dom. As we said last week, we weren’t really sure if it would be a success or not, and when the tables are mostly half empty, we thought it was going to bomb, but hurrah the rich gays arrived, but without Lynn. The disappointment on Dom’s face when Lynn did finally arrive, but with another guy in tow was obvious to everyone. And for the first time it felt that Lynn was being mean. He knows that Dom likes him, so showing up at Dom’s opening night with another guy, even if they are just friends and then using words like ‘we’, and ‘us’ seemed a little cruel.
Doris’ little chat with Lynn, again has us loving Lauren Weedman. Her character could have come off as a horrible cliché, but even in the small amount of screen time she has had she’s shown she has a lot of potential which will hopefully be explored now she’s a main cast member for season two.
Another big cheer came at the end of Dom’s pop up when he finally got a kiss back from Lynn! This pop up had become an analogy for their relationship, and when Lynn said that he thought it should be the end of their ‘working’ relationship, it seemed to give Dom the nod that he should try again, and he did. Hurrah!
But let’s get back to the main story. Patrick and his love triangle. As we mentioned earlier his relationship with Richie was smashed against the rocks, and when he finally got to work he couldn’t have seemed any more less than fine with Kevin. It’s hard to tell if Patrick is genuinely annoyed, and avoiding Kevin, or if he just wants to be alone. He just figuratively pushes Kevin away.
Later on he literally pushes him away when he ends up back at the office late at night following a fake cry for help from Kevin. Now let’s take a moment to raise our hands if you melted a little inside during Russell Tovey’s speech to Patrick. Why don’t these things get said to us in real life??! The whole scene was over flowing with sexual chemistry, it was very reminiscent of the clubbing scene between Richie and Patrick in Looking for Uncut, but only this time it ended with sex.
On the floor, in the office where they work, Kevin and Patrick did it. Patrick also bottomed. And speaking of bottoms, we finally got to see Russell Tovey’s. For the American readers this will be a nice, and wondrous sight for you, for our UK readers, who had episode eight in the sweepstake? Mr Tovey does love getting his bum out, not that we’re complaining, but it’s always fun to see how long into a series it’ll take him to show it.
Also we’re guessing that as well as being over (or under fnarr-fnarr) his bottom shame, Patrick is also over his dislike for uncut? The majority of UK guys are uncut so it’s safe to assume Kevin would be too.
So they did it, and the come down from it was instant. Has Agustin’s comments in Looking for 220/hour come true. Has Kevin had his cake, and now goes back home to his boyfriend? Is Patrick the bit on the side?
His obvious guilt over the whole thing is made even worse when Patrick arrives home to find Richie waiting for him. Raul Castillo is amazing in this scene. The emotion, and the honesty, and the heartbreak are all firmly etched on his face. Patrick doesn’t even need to say a word as Richie explains their situation, and where they are. A single tear from Patrick, and a kiss on the cheek from Richie is all it took for us to get misty eyed.
So we reach the end of season one, and who knows what is going to happen next. The ambiguity with which two of the three storylines were resolved leaves Michael Lannan and the other writers a lot of room to maneuverer.
We have really enjoyed this first season; yes, it took a while to get going, but new shows always do. The show has grown in confidence, and in cast members so we’re really looking forward to seeing where they take it next. Especially with Raul Castillo, Lauren Weedman and Russell Tovey (and his bum) being promoted to series regulars! Now we’re off to watch The Golden Girls, see you next year!