Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Kevin (Russell Tovey) dress up nice on "Looking."

Credit: HBO

[Apologies for the 24 hour delay in this week's recap. There was this little event called the 86th Academy Awards that probably prevented even you from catching this episode on its first airing.]

If there is one thing we've learned seven episodes into "Looking," it's that no one is going to stay happy for long and each of our three heroes may have serious self-destructive tendencies.

Daniel Fienberg and Gregory Ellwood took a few minutes, with champagne glasses still in hand, to discuss the results of the 86th Academy Awards.  From "12 Years A Slave" beating the odds to win best picture to a number of contenders such as "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Nebraska," "American Hustle" and "Philomena" coming home empty handed to "Dallas Buyers Club" surviving the naysayers to win two major acting awards.

The 86th Academy Awards were handed out Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. A complete list of all the nominees and winners can be found below.

Looks like an Oscars promo picture doesn't it?  Nope, these three represent likely winners at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards.

It may be raining. It may be chilly. One thing is for sure, the drinks will be flowing and the giant tent that is the annual home for the Independent Spirit Awards will be buzzing.

Jill Scott performs "Happy" at the first Oscars concert Thurday night at UCLA.

Credit: Phil Gallo, Twitter, Billboard

The Academy held its first Oscars concert on Thursday night at Royce Hall at UCLA.  It better not be the last.

We're less than three days away from the 86th Academy Awards. If you've followed HitFix and In Contention over the past few months you may think we've told you everyting about this year's Oscars race. But, have we really?

The Operating System communication device from "Her."

Credit: Warner Bros.

If there is one unsung hero of Spike Jonze's "Her" its production designer K.K. Barrett. Well, as unsung as an Academy Award nominee can be. Barrett has collaborated on everyone of Jonze's films and his work on "Her" may be his best. From a futuristic Los Angeles to the intricate work to get Samantha's operating system just right, "Her" takes place in a world that is far more intricate than it may seem.  And much of that is due to the work of Barrett and his co-nominee, set decorator Gene Serdena.

The PGA Awards winning producers of both "Gravity" and "12 Years A Slave."

Credit: PGA

The polls are closed. The votes are being tabulated. Six months after "Gravity" and "12 Years A Slave" premiered within a few days of each other we still don't know for sure which film will win the most coveted film prize in the world, the Academy Award for Best Picture. After 86 editions of Oscar, this race will go down as one of the top 10 closest ever.

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

George Clooney, Sandra Bullock and Alfonso Cuaron at the October screening of "Gravity" in New York.

Credit: AP Photo

Alfonso Cuarón is on top of the world. Granted, he's not literally on top or above it like his characters in "Gravity," but when I spoke to him after the Oscars luncheon a little over a week ago, he was awash in the moment. In many ways, the long journey of his Oscar-nominated blockbuster is finally coming to a close, and like a marathon runner nearing the finish line, he's got his second wind.

Frank (O-T Fagbenle), Agustín (Frankie J. Álvarez), Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Rickie (Raúl Castillo) enjoy a sunny day in San Francisco's Dolores Park.

Credit: HBO

At first, "Looking in the Mirror" appears as though it's meant to focus on Dom's 40th birthday and subsequent party in Dolores Park, but the most compelling moments again center on Patrick (Jonathan Groff) and Richie (Raúl Castillo). The series has not been afraid to bluntly depict those uncomfortable moments when ethnicity and social class clash and, sadly, nothing that occurs during this half hour is out of the norm for the Gay community. There are two moments in particular that are clearly painful for Richie.