HBO will premiere its long-awaited gay themed series Looking next Sunday.

Looking is about three friends in contemporary San Francisco,” creator Michael Lannan said of the series. “All gay men in their late 20s, 30s. It's about looking for authentic ways of being in the world.”

The three friends – Murray Bartlett (Guiding Light), Jonathan Groff (Glee, Boss) and newcomer Frankie J. Alvarez (Smash) – grapple with gay life in San Francisco, America's most gay-friendly city.

Patrick (played by Groff) has come to San Francisco to find love.

“Patrick is kind of at a crossroads in his life, where he's been looking for love,” Groff said.

“It's San Francisco,” Patrick says in the show's pilot. “It shouldn't be that hard to meet cool people in this town.”

Patrick's friends are also looking for something. Dom (Bartlett) is having a mid-life crisis, while Agustin (Alvarez) and his boyfriend are adjusting to living together. (The show's latest trailer is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.)

The 8-episode series' pilot was directed by Andrew Haigh, whose brilliant film Weekend about a 48-hour relationship between two men has collected numerous film festival prizes.

Looking premieres Sunday, January 19.