HBO put the pilot on youtube (it plays here in Canada, so I assume is not region encoded) so why not give it a shot and see? It's completely different in style and tone from QAF (particularly the US remake--not sure which version you meant.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2QnA9bfFLA I will say that when the show feels a bit too scripted for me is during the scenes when all three, Patty, Dom and Augustin have group scenes together. The scenes with any pair of them don't have that issue for me, but...
One thing I have really appreciated is the camerawork/directing of the episodes (maybe no surprise since Haigh from Weekend directed the first three, though it looks like he's only directing two of the remaining ones--which is still a large amount of episodes for one series.) Often with these somewhat "mumblecore"/indie style shows I find the directing just sloppy (Girls suffers from this--and I say that as a fan.) But, while it looks fairly spontaneous, you can tell with Looking its meticulously planned.
The AV Club reviewer has perhaps emphasized this strength too much in his reviews, but I think he makes some good points about subtle techniques that really work (some may be due to scripting and editing too, like in the pilot when you're introduced to each of the three leads at sequential times in their morning -- ie one is just waking up in bed, next shot another is getting ready to leave the house, next shot the third is heading to work.)
Here's a bit from the episode three review about the different techniques:
"What’s really impressive is how each episode, all of which have been directed by Haigh, has a defining shot type. The first episode is about the two-shot, that hard-fought representation of two guys actually coming together. The second is about the long shot, those immersive sequences where the audience soaks up the moment. “Looking At Your Browser History” is about the rack focus. Even when two guys do share a shot, only one is clearly visible at a time. With the focus veering between Patrick and Kevin in one scene and Agustín and the escort the next (Dom and Lynn get good old-fashioned one-shots, but the effect is similar), you can’t help but feel the ping pong, the flirty back and forth of two strangers getting to know one each other. Patrick speaks, Kevin reacts, Kevin speaks, Patrick reacts. Everything else fades into the background."
http://www.avclub.com/review/looking-at-your-browser-history-107070
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