After working together on Showtime’s acclaimed limited seriesEscape at Dannemora,Ben StillerandPatricia Arquetteare re-teaming for Apple’s comedic detective seriesHigh Desert, the streamer announced Tuesday.
The Oscar and Emmy-winning actress will play Peggy, a former addict who decides to make a new start for herself as a private investigator following the death of her beloved mother, with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California.
The series was created and written byNancy Fichman(Nurse Jackie),Katie Ford(Miss Congeniality) andJennifer Hoppe(Grace and Frankie), who will also serve as executive producers, as will Arquette. Stiller has agreed to direct the first episode and executive produce the half-hour series under his Red Hour Films banner alongsideNicky Weinstock.Molly MaddenandTom Lassallywill also serve as executive producers on behalf of 3 Arts Entertainment.
High Deserthails from Apple Studios, and marks Apple’s second series with Stiller and Arquette, who serve as executive producers on the streamer’s upcoming workplace thrillerSeverancestarringAdam Scottand Arquette.
Arquette and Stiller both received Emmy nominations forEscape at Dannemora, for which Stiller won the DGA Award, and Arquette won a Golden Globe as well as a SAG Award. She previously won an Oscar forBoyhoodand an Emmy forThe Act.
Stiller is no stranger to detective stories, having playedBill Pullman’s assistant inJake Kasdan’s mystery comedyZero Effect, and ifHigh Desertis anything like that late-’90s oddity, it could be a lot of fun. Beyond her limited drama series, Arquette is a proven TV star thanks toMedium, and I dig the idea of her working with the team behindNurse JackieandDamages.
Meanwhile, Apple loves this kind of content, as the streaming giant is also developing a comedic murder mystery titledThe AfterpartywithPhil LordandChris Miller, as well as a Canadian detective series fromRobert Downey Jr.Click hereto read aboutThe Afterparty, andclick hereto find out what Iron Man has been working on of late.
