I have to agree with you, @
East, I didn't like that party episode very much, except that it set Patrick (Jonathan) in a very awkward situation where he couldn't enjoy his party, and it was supposed to show that getting drunk - because feeling sorry for yourself - can make you let the cat out of the bag if your mates are not around watching out for you. While the situation is quite a realistic one, I didn't think the writing was very genuine, to be honest, and didn't like that episode, thinking they were still
LOOKING for whatever it was their message was supposed to be. It was a weak episode, in truth, but then it did show such fragilities as Patrick's (definitely undecided) character might have. He doesn't really want to decide anything for himself and is quite happy to be thrown into a situation and then have to deal with it, but he doesn't always do well with the head-on taking of decisions for himself. A bit wishy- washy, maybe? But also trying to get some more experience where experience is lacking, and tackling the difficulties of wanting to be in love while taking into account the "baggage" that his boyfriends have and bring to the relationships. He could be a less interesting character if he were the one who's smooth and falls in love with someone who can be fallen in love with (i. e. unattached). No, this double-dating situation makes him have to deal with all of his preconceptions of what a relationship should be. Let's say that he does have some morals, but they are tossed about on the ocean of complicated love stories and relationships that are difficult to handle smoothly and effectively. In the meantime, he's not even sure that his relationship IS a relationship, per se, and he's probably wondering whether he shouldn't just chalk these up to fuck-buddy relationships, or just opportunities to experience male on male sex (also known as just "having-no-strings-attached sex").
We can understand that Dom has been happily indulging in NSA sex up to now, it's been part of his lifestyle. Patrick has not had that yearning, but the clock is ticking for him too and he knows that getting older will also mean he'll have fewer opportunities to score, but scoring is not his game, from the start. He's basically romantic, and is looking for that kind of relationship. Dom's at that point in his life where he's realised the vacuity of NSA sex encounters and is now craving that
something else in terms of relationships... building something together, which Lynn thinks he might not be able to provide with the same depth as with his previous deceased partner.
Basically LOOKING is really about being tossed about in this new world of relationships where (finally) men who love men, are allowed NOT to be forever condemned to one-night stands and non fulfilling relationships. For some this is quite a new notion. They are all looking (seeking) for that elusive happiness (the one promised in the American Constitution) while still trying to define just what that happiness might be. Dom wants a restaurant outlet, he's about to get it. Patrick wants a stable relationship, but he'll have to come to a decision about who with. AgustÃÂn has been a mess, so far, but he's about to become something else while re-orienting his energies. Maybe he shouldn't try to be a painter, and he'll be a better counsellor for young LGBT kids thrown out of their homes.