HIGH MAINTENANCE SEASON 2 EPISODES
Providing a peek into the cramped apartments, grinding routines and urban neuroses of New Yorkers, the hit comedy HIGH MAINTENANCE kicks off its ten-episode second season FRIDAY, JAN. 19 (11:00–11:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Ben Sinclair returns as The Guy, a bearded, pot-dealing deliveryman whose growing clientele is keeping him busier than ever.
Introducing new customers and revisiting familiar ones, the second season of HIGH MAINTENANCE weaves together a labyrinth of humor, poignant observations and heartfelt moments in stories that explore the lives of intriguing and colorful individuals from all walks of life. Created by Katja Blichfeld (Emmy®-winning casting director of “30 Rock”) and Ben Sinclair (“Home Again,” “Sisters”), HIGH MAINTENANCE is executive produced by Katja Blichfeld, Ben Sinclair and Russell Gregory.
A comedy of human interaction, the new season of HIGH MAINTENANCE delves deeper into the contemporary anxieties New Yorkers are experiencing, from political tension to soaring real estate prices, while emphasizing the importance of savoring the highs of life in this increasingly volatile world. Pulling back the curtain on The Guy’s personal life, the second season reveals a few more people and details of what happens when he’s not on the clock.
New guest stars this season include Danielle Brooks (“Orange Is the New Black”), John Gallagher, Jr. (HBO’s “The Newsroom”), Jessica Hecht (“The Forgotten”), Luzer Twersky (“Félix & Meira”) and Kate Lyn Sheil (“Girlfriend”), with Abdullah Saeed (“Bong Appétit”) and Yael Stone (“Orange Is the New Black”) returning.
Episodes include:
Episode #16 (season 2, episode 10): “Steve” (season finale)
Debut: FRIDAY, MARCH 23 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
On the day of the eclipse, two couples (Alexandra Fiber, John Gallagher Jr., Omar Shaukat, Anna Suzuki) head to the park and make new friends in the process. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) says some goodbyes and attempts to make a few life changes.
Written and directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Episode #15 (season 2, episode 9): “#goalz”
Debut: FRIDAY, MARCH 16 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
Deciding to embrace a life without the distractions of the Internet, a computer programmer (Neimah Djourabchi) tries out a tech-free night per The Guy’s (Ben Sinclair) advice. After a controversial tweet draws attention, a comedian (Kate Berlant) becomes inundated by Internet trolls. Attempting to match a world record, a fearless dancer (Alex Auder) struggles as the hours drag on and her dance partners fall by the wayside.
Written and directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Episode #14 (season 2, episode 8): “Ghost”
Debut: FRIDAY, MARCH 9 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
When a high-strung mother (Jessica Hecht) finds herself more involved in her college-aged daughter’s (Molly Brown) life than her own, her husband (Josh Pais) turns to The Guy (Ben Sinclair) to get a prescription for her stress, not to mention their underwhelming sex life. After a routine delivery, The Guy’s good deed helping out an elderly man (Stan Carp) turns into more than he bargained for.
Written by Eliza Hittman and Eric Slovin; directed by Eliza Hittman.
Episode #13 (season 2, episode 7): “HBD”
Debut: FRIDAY, MARCH 2 (11:00–11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
Emily (Gina Piersanti), an artistic teen, has her birthday spotlight stolen by her bohemian mother (Miriam Shor), her sexual, uninhibited friends and a delivery from The Guy (Ben Sinclair). Only her mother’s European friend (Cécile Delepière) gives her the attention she craves.
Written by Katja Blichfeld; directed by Eliza Hittman.
Episode #12: “Googie” (season 2, episode 6)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 23 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
Abdullah (Abdullah Saeed), a potential partner, takes over The Guy’s (Ben Sinclair) weed route while he attempts to take time off.
Written and directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Episode #11: “Scromple” (season 2, episode 5)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 16 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
The Guy (Ben Sinclair) tries to de-stress when he ends up in an uncomfortable situation. A freelance brand strategist (Kate Lyn Sheil) struggling with her latest assignment embarks on a desperate search for a weed fix.
Written by Katja Blichfeld and Rebecca Drysdale; directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
Episode #10: “Derech” (season 2, episode 4)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 9 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
An ex-Hasidic man (Luzer Twersky) explores the world outside his sect as he connects with a writer who may have ulterior motives. A nightclub performer’s (Darrell Thorne) night out takes an unexpected turn. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) bonds with a driver (Abdullah Saeed) when he finds himself in need of a lift.
Written by Ben Sinclair; directed by Shaka King.
Episode #9: “Namaste” (season 2, episode 3)
Debut: FRIDAY, FEB. 2 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
An industrious Brooklyn realtor (Danielle Brooks) endeavors to hustle her way to a new home. After winning an affordable-housing lottery, Candace (Candace Thompson) and John (John E. Peery) face culture shock and notice a class divide when they move into their new apartment. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) considers his living situation.
Written by Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen and Shaka King; directed by Shaka King.
Episode #8: “Fagin” (season 2, episode 2)
Debut: FRIDAY, JAN. 26 (11:00–11:30 p.m.)
A couple (Marcia DeBonis, Ray Anthony Thomas) visiting their daughter (Amanda Debraux) in Bushwick embraces the urban surroundings while dealing with a less-than-ideal rental that comes with an unwelcome roommate. The Guy (Ben Sinclair) delivers to Brenna (Brenna Palughi) and Molly’s (Molly Knefel) all-female, politically-minded meetup, where things get dramatic fast.
Written by Rebecca Drysdale & Isaac Oliver and Katja Blichfeld & Ben Sinclair; directed by Katja Blichfeld & Ben Sinclair.
Episode #7: “Globo” (season 2, episode 1)
Debut: FRIDAY, JAN. 19 (11:00–11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
The Guy (Ben Sinclair) has a busier-than-usual day as New Yorkers react to world-changing news. The morning after a hookup, carefree hotel guests spend an indulgent day, unaware of what’s going on outside their door. With the world around him in disarray, a client’s roommate (Joshua Schubart) struggles to maintain his commitment to losing weight.
Written and directed by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair.
The series is also available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.
Debuting on HBO in 2016, the six-episode first season of HIGH MAINTENANCE was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as being “wry, smart [and] culturally immediate” while the San Francisco Chronicle praised it for being “beautifully written, directed and performed.” The New Yorker celebrated its “clever glimpse [into] New Yorkers’ humanity” and the New York Times described the show as “a high-class documentary, with a hypnotic electronic score and a love of brief, beautifully composed still shots.” The show’s first season was named to numerous “best of” lists, including those of the New York Times, the Atlantic, Esquire and Slate.
Guests on the first season included Hannibal Buress, Michael Cyril Clayton, Peter Friedman, Gaby Hoffman, Amy Ryan, Dan Stevens and Helene York.
The original 19-episode web series of the same name, which preceded the HBO series and debuted on Vimeo, earned Blichfeld and Sinclair a Writer’s Guild of America Award and was hailed as “wryly funny” by Entertainment Weekly and “fantastic and gemlike” by Time, while the New Yorker called it “luxurious and twisty and humane.” The 19 webisodes are currently available on HBO NOW and HBO GO.
HIGH MAINTENANCE was created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair; executive producers, Katja Blichfeld, Ben Sinclair and Russell Gregory; producers, Willy Friedman, Gwen Bialic and Emi Irikawa; consulting producer, Eric Slovin.
Follow @HBOPR for more news and information.
