Summary
The High Desert pilot does a good enough job introducing us to the story but not enough to reel you in.
We recap the Apple TV+ series High Desert Season 1 Episode 1, “Pain Management,” which contains spoilers.
The three-episode premiere of the Apple TV+ series High Desert starts with the pilot episode focused on introducing us to Peggy (Patricia Arquette)—a woman down on her luck because of her drug-dealing ex.
With many obstacles, Peggy discovers she can get back on track by becoming a private investigator.
High Desert Season 1 Episode 1 Recap
The series begins with us in 2013, with Peggy and her family prepping for a big dinner. The hecticness of having a big gathering ensues with kids being wild and everyone drinking, but out of the left field, we see the FBI show up and tear the doors down to get inside.
We see Denny and Peggy trying to flush all the drugs down the toilet before entering the house.
We fast forward ten years with Peggy, who lives in this town stuck in the mid-century with its Western-like feel where she plays a bartender in a show. Her sister Dianne and her husband visit Peggy at her new place.
Well, the sit-down goes awry when Dianne mentions that they aren’t able to support her as their mother passes away and then tells her that they will sell their mom’s house, forcing Peggy out of the house.
Where does Peggy get the idea of being a PI?
After meeting Carol at a bar, Peggy and she are talking when a commercial comes on about this Private Investigator. Peggy mentions that he was the PI that ripped off Jeanie. While watching the commercial, Peggy realizes that it is something she could do.
Later, we see Peggy arrive at Bruce the Private Investigator’s office, to tell him that she wants Jeanie’s $300 or will take him to small claims court. Peggy said she could help him, but Bruce said they weren’t hiring right now.
However, she mentioned that if she could bring customers to the table, would he consider, and he said yes. With all her excitement, she tells her sister about the potential new job, but they don’t care, and they still have to move on with the sale of the house.
How does Peggy get on Bruce’s good side?
The landlord arrives to collect his money from Bruce, who is months behind. When he comes, Peggy heads downstairs to tell him they are in the middle of a huge case. He doesn’t care and wants the money today. Peggy makes up this elaborate thing about how they will sue him for everything wrong with the place. Her ability to talk him down impresses Bruce enough to give her an internship.
Although he agrees to take her on as an intern, Peggy wants more from Bruce. After much back and forth, he decides to pay her 10% of any business she brings in. After leaving, we see her excited to call her sister and arrive at their hotel. Sadly, she doesn’t answer, and when she calls her husband, he doesn’t answer either, but she visibly sees them ignoring the call. It leads to her taking a pill.
High Desert Season 1 Episode 1 Ending Explained
The episode ends with Peggy showing up to visit Denny in prison. She mentions that she is clean and says she wants the one thing that can give her freedom, a divorce. He refuses to provide her with that but calls her out for being on acid.
She said sign or don’t sign, and in thirty days, they will be divorced. He signed the papers, but when Peggy gets to the car, she realizes he signed his name as Frank Sinatra and is pissed.
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