High Maintenance Web Series (HBO)

About High Maintenance Web Series (HBO)

High Maintenance, first released in 2016, is an American anthology black comedy-drama television and web series created by Ben Sinclair and ex-wife Katja Blichfeld. It premiered on HBO on September 16, 2016, after originally premiering as a web series on Vimeo. The show follows a Brooklyn-based cannabis deliveryman known as The Guy, played by Ben Sinclair, as he delivers his product to a variety of colorful clients across the city, each with their own unique set of circumstances.

Making / Production

The High Maintenance web series was conceived by the then-married couple Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair. Both worked on the series for the initial web series with Blichfeld as the casting director and Sinclair as an editor. After a successful run on Vimeo, HBO picked up the show for continued creation and distribution.

Actors

• Ben Sinclair: Serves as the show's lead, playing the character The Guy. Sinclair physicalizes his role by imbuing the character with a distinct chill, humor and compassion.
• Katja Blichfeld: Besides co-creating the show, she has also made a guest appearance as an actor.
• Greta Lee: Plays the character of Homeless Heidi, she lends a bizarre charm to her character.
• Michael Cyril Creighton: Creighton brings a sense of vulnerability and relatability to his character Patrick.
• Hannibal Buress: Plays a comedian lending his distinct and unforgettable comedic voice to his character.
• Clem Cheung: Cheung played the poignant character of Zheng with much grace and depth.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series was originally a web series on Vimeo before being picked up by HBO.
• The character, The Guy, was based loosely on co-creator Ben Sinclair's experiences from his twenties.
• The series does not just focus on cannabis but also on social, economic and cultural environments of New York City.
• The creators of the show were formerly married but continue to work together professionally.

Quotes

• "Sometimes your well runs dry, or it rains too much, or a bunch of guys from Detroit piss in it."
• "I always connect with outsiders, people who feel uncomfortable in their skin."
• "I don't want to be swallowed up by this." "Then don't."
• "What you think of others is a reflection of you."

Music, Soundtrack

• The opening theme of High Maintenance is "Little Boxes," a 1962 Malvina Reynolds song.
• The soundtrack of High Maintenance encompasses a diverse range of music genres, featuring tracks from artists like Chilly Gonzales, Spoon, Lhasa De Sela, among others.