When people think of the Southern California desert, they often think of Palm Springs, with its grand mid-century mansions complete with smooth air blocks, teal atomic doors, and pool parties set under palm trees. The trees move all night against the mountain landscape. It is in such idyllic setting that we first meet Peggy (Patricia Arquette,Separation”), in his desert finery while hosting a Thanksgiving party for his extended family. The kids play in the pool while her husband and mom help prepare a lavish meal. Everything is the perfect Palm Springs dream; That is, until the DEA comes knocking.
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,high desertFrom the new AppleTV+ mystery-comedy Nancy Fichman ,nurse betty, jennifer hoppy ,grace and frankie“), And Katie Ford ,miss Congeniality”), follows the unstable Peggy down a rabbit hole of mysteries and desert weirdness. Ten years after the opening sequence, Peggy is now battling an opioid addiction while working as a barmaid at a western-themed park and restaurant in Pioneertown. her siblings Stewart (Keir O’Donnell, “Ambulance”) and Diane (Christine Taylor,search party”) want to evict her from the modest home in Yucca Valley she shared with her mother, Roslyn (Bernadette Peters,Zoey’s Paranormal Playlist”), who passed away a few weeks ago.
Gone is the dream of Palm Springs. It’s a real high desert made up of small communities right off the highway, full of tumbleweeds and cacti. This is where strip mall tanning salons are fronts for more nefarious businesses and the neon glow of tribal casinos illuminates the dark desert nights. Determined to keep her home like any good Southern California hustler, Peggy has found a new source of income. After hearing a tale of woe from her flighty co-worker Tammy (Susan Park,Briarpatch”) her fiancé Guru Bob (Rupert Friend,Homeland“), who was once a TV anchor, very public socialite, and a private eye named Bruce (brad garrett,everybody Loves Raymond”) to whom she owes $300, Peggy sees a golden opportunity. After collecting money owed to her friend, Peggy talks Bruce into letting her work for him, convinced that something is wrong with mentor Bob.
Throughout the series, Paige finds herself caught in a web of secrets raymond chandler The novel involves forged pictures, missing wives, talking birds, a former TV extra who looks like her mother, and a father and daughter hitman team out for blood. There’s a charming shaggyness to the storytelling of “High Desert” reminiscent of Chandler’s best novels, or even Paul Thomas Andersonadaptation of “inherent vicewith a la la of absurdist humor and violence coen brothers, And Patricia Arquette is superb as Peggy, whose heart is always right, though she can’t always overcome her worst instincts. While surrounded by a cast of sly characters, this is a showcase of Arquette’s unique energy. There’s a vulnerability at her core, but also the frankness of someone who’s spent most of her life working out a way to make a living.
Arquette’s performance at times was often reminiscent of the charismatic mess that was portrayed by Hank Moody. David Duchovny in the past show time comedy “the counter, In fact, the entire vibe of the show recalls that era of Showtime comedies, with its complex ensemble of characters who are borderline satirical caricatures of a certain type of Southern California. Everyone here is vaguely immoral, yet somehow endlessly lovable, though they’re probably more fun to watch than they are to actually hang out with.
Arquette strikes up an easy chemistry with co-star Matt Dillion ,wayward pines”), who flies out of prison with her ex-husband Denny. You feel their passion and tenderness, but they are also the nuclear couple who bring out the worst in each other. While Peggy attempts to save her home and solve the case, Danny continually draws her back into a myriad of illegal schemes. Yet he is the kind of guy who rescues a dog from a hot car. In one hilarious sequence, he attempts to rob a weed store as well as have a heart-to-heart with Peggy. Dillian’s irresistible charm makes Denny compelling, even when we know he’s up to no good.
then there is Rupert Friend As Guru Bob, the epitome of a desert grifter. After his Howard Beale moment — the reason for which is revealed at the end of the season — the one-time anchorman embraced psychotropic drug culture as synonymous with the Coachella Valley music festival that bears its name. Guru Bob, a self-styled spiritual leader, hangs by a very thin thread that Peggy slowly unravels as she uncovers the truth behind his wife’s disappearance. Dude is hilarious, oscillating between his faux-enlightened exterior and the screaming man-child he’s really inside.
Peggy finds solace from her chaotic life through long conversations, often on the phone and over FaceTime, with best friend Carol (verruca opia, ,i can destroy you”), who always seems to have a glass of wine in his hand. Carol has secrets of her own, though she now lives a comfortable life with a doctor whose teenage daughter is stuck on bored rebellion mode. While Opiah has an engaging screen presence, the lack of details regarding her character’s mysterious past ultimately leads past intrigue straight into the land of underdevelopment.
As Paige weaves in and out of these various storylines, and in and out of recovery, so too do her inner demons pervade the episode. The desert is a place where people come to transform, and over the course of eight episodes we get a glimpse of how Paige is moving forward with her life. These descriptions do not necessarily attempt to explain Peggy’s addiction problems or her chaotic life choices. Instead, they add an emotional texture to her hinterland and her relationship with the desert, especially the home she shared with her mother, and why she would work so hard to maintain it.
The season ends in its most absurd moment yet, with Paige in a new quandary of her own making. Some threads of mystery are tied up in a nice bow, while others are left hanging in the air while new ones are revealed. And if “High Desert” remains a one-season wonder, wrapping up on such a strange note propels Peggy’s story into the realm of the best desert tall-tales. [B]
