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Apple’s new dark comedy High Desert, starring Patricia Arquette, is a hit with viewers

Published May 19th, 2023 5:40PM EDT
High Desert on Apple TV+
Image: Apple

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Following her memorable turn as the terrifying middle manager Harmony Cobel in the critically acclaimed Severance, Patricia Arquette is back in an all-new Apple TV+ release that’s proven to be an immediate hit with viewers and adds another quirky dark comedy to the streaming service. High Desert, which will have 8 episodes in all, also stars Brad Garrett, Bernadette Peters, and Rupert Friend. And its first three episodes are available to stream right now with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Below, we’ll tell you everything about the new show, one of a string of new titles to hit Apple TV+ lately (Drops of God and Silo, being two others) that keep reiterating for me why the iPhone maker’s service is such an excellent streamer to subscribe to.

What to know about High Desert, Apple’s latest release:

High Desert, by the way, currently has a near-perfect 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is almost reason enough to make me want to check it out (coupled with the kooky trailer).

The story: Arquette plays Peggy, an “on-again-off-again” addict who lives with her mother in the desert town of Yucca Valley, California. After her mother dies, Peggy decides to make a new start by becoming, of all things, a private investigator.

The director: Peter Roach, whose filmography also includes directing comedies like the Austin Powers films and Meet the Parents, is the director here. This series is also a reunion of sorts, on multiple fronts. Ben Stiller and Arquette, for example, worked together on Severance (Stiller was an executive producer and director). Stiller and Roach, meanwhile, collaborated on the big screen for Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Little Fockers.

High Desert on Apple TV+
Patricia Arquette in “High Desert” on Apple TV+. Image source: Apple

Watch High Desert if you enjoyed: Bad Sisters, The Afterparty, and Physical, all three of which are also available on Apple TV+.

“This is one of those shows that is so different and unique it you can’t wait to see where it goes, what the characters do, (and) where the mystery lands,” one Rotten Tomatoes audience review raves. “3 eps in and I am ALL IN. Such great, inventive writing with lots of surprises, tons of laughs, and a big heart, too. Patricia Arquette is SO good!”

Andy Meek Trending News Editor

Andy Meek is a reporter based in Memphis who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and he’s written for BGR since 2015. Andy's coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming.

Over the years, he’s interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.