High Maintenance

Looking for a nice study break? Creators Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld (a married couple with considerable talents) bring you High Maintenance, a web series based on a character known only as “The Guy,” who delivers weed to customers in New York City on his bike. There is no extended plot between the episodes, and each stands alone as an individual entity. There is some repetition in characters, but for the most part all of the conflict and resolution happen within each episode. The plot is actually secondary to the web series’ magic; the key resides in the characters. Each episode focuses on the client, not The Guy, and we see an acutely accurate representation of different people in the city. The characters are believable, familiar, substantial, relatable and amusing. They are the unbearably annoying friends, the scrambling for rent so they turn to subletting their spare room, the overworked and anxious assistant. But each comes with an added surprise: the stay at home dad likes to cross-dress; the man who orders weed every week has a secret crush on The Guy; the amazing new girlfriend is actually homeless. As the new character information appears, so too does our interest and investment peak. These are really high quality videos with superb editing, wonderful character development, astonishing visuals of the city, and a hilarious, heart-warming main character. The ultimate allure to this series is that we grow to love and admire The Guy, a drug dealer with a clear conscious, true morals (that may or may not align with the law) and a big heart. Watch a few below and see the rest for yourselves!