Every HBO Comedy Ranked From Worst To Best
23. High Maintenance
A web series that was snaffled up by HBO for four seasons, High Maintenance is a smart and charming anthology of sorts based on a fantastic initial idea. The show follows The Guy, a bike riding weed dealer played by series co-creator Ben Sinclair. He cuts around New York on delivery jobs, with each episode built around the bizarre situation his business brings him to.
It’s a show that celebrates the diversity and innate weirdness of New York City - the guy delivers to agoraphobic weirdos, politically charged rabble rousers, bohemians and tech millionaires. He also drops off the goods for some celebrity clients, with cameos from Lena Dunham, Rebecca Hall, and Hannibal Buress (as themselves) among others mixing things up.
The show is funny, sweet, and often genuinely poignant, with its unlimited set of characters reflecting every aspect of modern humanity. They’re often lonely people seeking a connection, or dealing with regret in their lives, and they seize any opportunity to engage in honest conversation with another person, even if he’s ostensibly just there to drop off their weed.
It’s a simple concept used to maximum effect. It was great in its web series format, but with HBO resources behind it, it’s better still.