High Desert (TV series)
High Desert is an American comedy television series created and written by Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford and Jennifer Hoppe-House that premiered on Apple TV+ on May 17, 2023. In July 2023, the series was cancelled after one season.[1]
| High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Jay Roach |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Jeff Russo |
| Opening theme | "Talkin' to Myself" by Sarah Shook & The Disarmers |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Release | |
| Original network | Apple TV+ |
| Original release | May 17 – June 21, 2023 |
Premise Edit
The series follows Peggy (Patricia Arquette), an addict, who decides to make a fresh start after the death of her beloved mother with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California. She makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator.
Matt Dillon plays Denny, Peggy’s ex, and an undeniably charming parolee and a relentless operator. Rupert Friend plays Guru Bob, a local ex-anchorman, who, after a trauma, rebrands himself as a mystic desert personality. Weruche Opia stars as Carol, Peggy’s closest friend — the bored fiancé of an ER doctor, and a permissive new stepmother — who has a secret of her own. Brad Garrett plays Bruce, a private investigator whose business is circling the drain, and who becomes Peggy’s reluctant employer. Bernadette Peters has a recurring role as Rosalyn, Peggy’s complicated mother. Christine Taylor has a recurring role as Dianne, Peggy’s buttoned-up sister, who tries to make order of Peggy’s chaos
Cast Edit
Main Edit
- Patricia Arquette as Peggy Newman
- Brad Garrett as Bruce Harvey
- Weruche Opia as Carol
- Bernadette Peters as Roslyn / Ginger
- Rupert Friend as Guru Bob
Recurring Edit
- Crystal Coney as Mary
- Matt Dillon as Denny
- Christine Taylor as Dianne
- Eric Petersen as Owen
- Susan Park as Tammy
- Jeffrey Vincent Parise as Roger
- Eden Brolin as Jeannie
- Carmine Giovinazzo as Nick Gatchi
- Carlo Rota as Arman
- Alex Saxon as Ethan
Guest Edit
- Keir O'Donnell as Stewart
- Tracy Vilar as Tina
- Michael Masini as Leo Gatchi
Episodes Edit
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pain Management" | Jay Roach | Story by : Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe Teleplay by : Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford | May 17, 2023 |
| 2 | "Two Knockers and No Boyfriend = A Felony" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | May 17, 2023 |
| 3 | "I'm Getting Close to This Guru Bastard" | Jay Roach | Jennifer Hoppe | May 17, 2023 |
| 4 | "Get Judy off the Bed" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | May 24, 2023 |
| 5 | "Soul Retrieval" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | May 31, 2023 |
| 6 | "A Nod Is Not a Hello" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | June 7, 2023 |
| 7 | "This Doesn't Have to Be a Tragedy" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | June 14, 2023 |
| 8 | "I Need a Hero" | Jay Roach | Nancy Fichman & Katie Ford & Jennifer Hoppe | June 21, 2023 |
Production Edit
The series, created by Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford and Jennifer Hoppe-House, was given a greenlight in September 2020 by Apple TV+, with Patricia Arquette set to star in the series as well as executive produce along with Ben Stiller, who was set to direct the first episode.[2]
In November 2021, Matt Dillon, Rupert Friend, Weruche Opia and Brad Garrett were added to the main cast of the series, with Bernadette Peters and Christine Taylor cast in recurring roles. Stiller would no longer be directing the first episode, as Jay Roach had joined the series to direct all eight episodes.[3]
Filming began by November 2021 in Long Beach, California.[4] The show depicts a fictionalized Pioneertown, California shot on set with outdoor footage taken at Sable Ranch, as the actual town is an unincorporated landmark with separate private owners.[5][6]
Release Edit
High Desert premiered on May 17, 2023, with the first three episodes available immediately and the rest debuting on a weekly basis.[7]
Reception Edit
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 70% approval rating with an average rating of 5.90/10, based on 27 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "High Desert is so deliberately odd and scattershot that viewers may begin to suspect they're being bamboozled, but Patricia Arquette's whirlwind performance will be enough for many to just sit back and enjoy the ride."[8] Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 67 out of 100 based on 17 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[9]
References Edit
- ^ Murphy, J. Kim (July 2, 2023). "'High Desert' Canceled at Apple TV+ After One Season, Patricia Arquette Shares". Variety. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ White, Peter (September 22, 2021). "Patricia Arquette To Star In Apple TV+ Half-Hour Comedy 'High Desert', Latest Collaboration With Ben Stiller; Apple Studios To Produce". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
- ^ White, Peter (November 2, 2021). "Matt Dillon & Rupert Friend Set Among Cast Of Apple Comedy Series 'High Desert'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
- ^ Grobaty, Tim (November 13, 2021). "Queen Mary takes on the role of a ship (that works) in a pair of TV shows". Long Beach Post. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ Yarbrough, Beau. "Pioneertown in a showdown with San Bernardino County over its future". San Bernardino Sun. MediaNews Group. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ Sasic, Ema. "Yucca Valley gets spotlight in Apple TV+ show 'High Desert' starring Patricia Arquette". Desert Sun. Gannett. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
- ^ "Apple TV+ sets May 17 global premiere for "High Desert," and unveils a glimpse at new dark comedy series starring Patricia Arquette, Matt Dillon, Bernadette Peters and more". Apple TV+ Press (Press release). April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "High Desert: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "High Desert: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
External links Edit
- High Desert at IMDb