Apple TV+ orders High Desert from Stiller, Arquette
September 23, 2020
By Nik Roseveare
Apple has announced a series order for High Desert, a new comedic half-hour series to be produced by Apple Studios that will star Academy, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Patricia Arquette, who will alsoserve as executive producer.
The project reunites Arquette with Ben Stiller, who will direct the first episode and executive produce through Red Hour Films alongside Nicky Weinstock. Molly Madden and Tom Lassally executive produce on behalf of 3 Arts Entertainment.
High Desert follows Peggy (Arquette), a former addict who decides to make a new start after the death of her beloved mother, with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California, and makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator.
The series is created and written by Nancy Fichman (Nurse Jackie, Damages), Katie Ford (Miss Congeniality) and Jennifer Hoppe (Grace and Frankie, Nurse Jackie, Damages), who will also serve as executive producers.
High Desert marks Apple’s second partnership with Arquette and Stiller following the series order for Severance, an upcoming workplace thriller starring and executive produced by Arquette and Adam Scott, and directed and executive produced by Stiller. Arquette and Stiller both received Emmy Award nominations for their most recent, multi-award winning collaboration: the limited series Escape at Dannemora, for which Stiller won the DGA Award and Arquette won Golden Globe, SAG and Critics Choice Awards.
High Desert will be available globally on Apple TV+ on a date TBC.