Why You Should Be Watching ‘High Maintenance’

by Adam Freelander

First of all, sorry, because I hate articles that start this way. “Why You Should Be” watching this or reading this or following this person or using this ding dong app. Like, GIVE IT A REST internet. We’re all trying our best out here.

That said. I think you would really enjoy “High Maintenance” if you gave it a try.

“High Maintenance” is a web series on Vimeo. There are 19 episodes; the first 13 are free. Some episodes are very short (3 minutes) and some are very long (20 minutes). The central character is a weed dealer, but in some episodes he appears only briefly. Each episode features one of his clients.

You may have come across one or two or 40 articles praising “High Maintenance” for “breaking new ground.” A lot of these pieces came out last fall and dealt with the fact that the show is Vimeo’s first foray into “original programming.” A NEW FRONTIER IN PAID ON-DEMAND CONTENT okay okay okay. This to me is not interesting. This is not why you should watch “High Maintenance.”

You should watch “High Maintenance” because it’s joyful, accessible, but also truly unlike anything else on TV — or the internet. It’s funny, but it isn’t very broad and it’s not “weed comedy” either. It’s often kind of sad. And where most shows unravel a plot, each episode of “High Maintenance” is a little puzzle box built around one or two new characters.

The key to making that work is casting. BORING I KNOW. But: “High Maintenance” is about as effective a tribute to the importance of solid casting as anything. Good casting is hard as hell, and as a result most web series end up starring the creator’s friends or improv teammates. And “High Maintenance” is well-made, but co-creator Katja Blichfeld’s background coming up in New York casting departments is the real machine driving the show. Every one of its characters, most of whom only appear in one episode, feels full and real and honest.

And this is what makes it compulsively watchable. You click play on the next episode not to see what happens next, but to find out who you’re going to meet.

The six most recent episodes of “High Maintenance” cost $2, or $8 for the full set. But I recommend starting from the beginning and watching the free ones first. After that, the eight bucks is a goddamn steal.

Support The Billfold

The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.