- Network: Apple TV+
- Series Premiere Date: May 17, 2023
Critic Reviews
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
We’re on the fence. At times, High Desert comes off as an overflowing sack of chaotic scenes passing for a story, but at other times, when it’s focused on where it’s going, it can be fun to watch.
-
“High Desert” takes an actor in the ensemble of a more high-profile Apple project and hands them the spotlight, with mixed results. Like Crudup’s used-car-salesman vibe, Arquette’s maximal commitment turns out to work better in small doses.
-
That it makes sense at all is down to Arquette, whose powerful charisma draws the whole thing together. ... Otherwise, High Desert is very much a case of style over substance. It looks gorgeous, there is an endless parade of side characters, each brighter and kookier than the last, and the New Agey energy and stupidity of southern California is at least as much a presence as they are. But there is too much going on to allow the viewer to care about any of it other than Peggy herself.
-
High Desert strives for the free-flowing zaniness of an acid trip – but can’t quite conjure the accompanying profundity. As an off-beat exploration of grief, addiction, and recovery, though, it’s refreshingly easy to digest.
-
There’s lots going on. If you are looking for a calm, measured drama, High Desert is not for you. But Arquette is well cast, and her charisma propels the series through its changes of tone.
-
As much as Roach gets the job done here, I wondered if Stiller might have pulled the pieces of this inconsistent effort together with a more needed flair. ... Arquette rocks here yet again, holding “High Desert” together even as it threatens to wander off into the barren TV landscape.
-
While the whole cast of High Desert does what they can to elevate the show, there’s only so much even the most competent actor can do when the material they have to work with is this weak.