HBO likes what it sees in Looking.
The premium cable network has renewed the gay-themed comedy starring Jonathan Groff for a second season, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Production on the comedy about three friends (Groff's Patrick, Frankie J. Alvarez's Agustin and Murray Bartlett's Dom) exploring the options available to a new generation of gay men in San Francisco will resume later this year in the Bay Area.
As part of the renewal, HBO has promoted recurring players Lauren Weedman (Doris), Raul Castillo (Richie) and Russell Tovey (Kevin) to series regulars. Weedman plays Dom's roommate; Castillo is Patrick's love interest; and Tovey portrays Patrick's boss.
Looking, which did not have the strongest start in January when it debuted to 338,000 viewers, has improved significantly. After a few weeks of dips, the most recent episode (Feb. 23) averaged a series high 519,000 viewers. Like all HBO series, it has drawn its greatest audience in gross views -- that includes originals, replays, On Demand, HBO Go -- with a season-to-date score of two million weekly viewers.
Looking joins a roster of original scripted comedy at HBO that includes Girls, which has already been renewed for a fourth season in 2015; Getting On, Veep and the upcoming six-episode Emily Mortimer comedy Doll & Em. The cabler also recently picked up Jack Black and Tim Robbins comedy The Brink as well as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson-starrer Ballers. Up next for HBO is Mike Judge's comedy Silicon Valley, which premieres in April.
Meanwhile, a formal second season renewal for anthology drama True Detective -- which opens HBO's Sunday originals -- has not yet been announced, though it's considered a lock to return.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
