High Matenance giv a brilliant nstctn of the “gay bt iend” trope

Contents:

• ‘HIGH MATENANCE’ PREMIERE: GET BUZZED OFF TV’S MOST HUMAN STONER COMEDYBECAUSE I GOT HIGHTHE BELOVED WEBSERI MA S BIG HBO BUT FRIDAY, OFFERG ONE OF THE MOST POIGNANT, HILAR, AND SOMETIM EVEN RANGED PORTRAS OF NEW YORKERS ON TV. (AND SOME WEED, TOO.)KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED APR. 13, 2017 2:51PM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 17, 2016 1:08AM EDT HBO NEW YORK CY, AS ’S OFTEN PORTRAYED ON TELEVISN, IS THE WORST. IT’S CERTALY NOT REAL. IT’S TYPILLY MORE GLAMORO, OR DGIER, OR MORE UNIENDLY, OR MORE MAGIL, OR TOO BY, OR IMPLSIBLY NVENIENT, OR A LN OTHER THGS THAT FAIL TO REPRENT WHAT THE CY ACTUALLY IS: A PLACE WHERE REAL PEOPLE LIVE. HIGH MATENANCE MIGHT FALLY BE A TV SHOW THAT PRENTS NEW YORK CY A WAY THAT SEEMS ACTUALLY REGNIZABLE. AND NOT A “THE CY IS THE FIFTH GIRL THIS IENDSHIP!” WAY, WHERE NEW YORK IS A “CHARACTER.” IT’S SIMPLY A BACKDROP FOR THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE WE MEET EVERY DAY, OH-SO FLEETGLY, AND LOOKS THE WAY DO WHEN WE SEE OUR OWN LIV. IT’S A STAGE OF SORTS FOR THE THEATRE OF HUMAN LIFE THAT’S NSTANTLY REHEARSAL—BUT WHOUT THE FALSENS OF SET DRSGS OR AN ARTISTIC LENS. IT’S THE CY AS WE KNOW . THAT’S THE GREATT TRIUMPH FOR HBO’S NEW SERI, WHICH KNS TOGETHER A TAPTRY OF NEW YORKERS’ WILD LIV AS A WEED LIVERY MAN BRIEFLY ENUNTERS THEM. AND THAT PRENTS THE MOST UNLIKELY TRIUMPH OF HIGH MATENANCE, WHICH IS THAT IS A SERI THAT DGS AS S NARRATIVE NNECTIVE TISSUE, BUT WHICH DG E OR “STONER EDY” TROP ARE THE LEAST TERTG OR EVEN THE LEAST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE SHOW. AS THE DAILY BEAST WROTE WHEN VERG AN EARLIER ERATN OF THE SHOW AS A WEB SERI 2014, “MARIJUANA IS A SUPPORTG CHARACTER AT BT, TREATED NO LS NOCUOLY THAN WE OR THAI TAKEOUT, AND TAKG A BACK SEAT TO FAR MORE PELLG AND CRIPPLG VIC.” AS PENNT ROOMMAT MANIPULATIVELY SABOTAGE EACH OTHER’S LIV, A SWGERS’ PARTY VOLV TO ARGUMENTS ABOUT BETRAYAL, AND A MLIM NYU STUNT IS NONTED FOR HER VALIER REBELLNS, THE WEED IS OFTEN JT THE VICE THROUGH WHICH WE’RE GRANTED ENTRANCE TO THE PEOPLE’S LIV. FEW SHOWS PULL OFF A FEELG QUE AS VOYRISTIC AS HIGH MATENANCE MANAG, APPEASG OUR PERVERSE SIR TO BE GRANTED TIMATE ACCS TO STRANGERS’ LIV. “WHAT’S THEIR AL?” “WHAT’S THEIR STORY?” “WHAT’S GOG ON BEHD CLOSED DOORS?” HIGH MATENANCE OPENS THOSE DOORS, REVEALG THE SOMETIM THRILLG, SOMETIM SEXY, SOMETIM DYSFUNCTNAL, SOMETIM HEARTBREAKG, SOMETIM ODD, AND ALWAYS SIGHTFUL STORI ALREADY PROGRS BEHD THEM. WEAVG TOGETHER THE STORI WH THE GUY (BEN SCLAIR), THE WEED LIVERY GUY, HIGH MATENANCE SHOWS THE UNEXPECTED WAYS WHICH WE’RE ALL NNECTED, STCHG THE IRREVERENCE OF ONE CLIENT’S STORY TO THE EMOTNAL RONANCE OF ANOTHER’S FOR ANTHOLOGY-LIKE EPISOS THAT ARE ENTERTAG ON THEIR OWN MERS, BUT ILLY PROFOUND WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER. IT’S ACTUALLY THE SHOW’S ORIGS AS A WEB SERI THAT HELP LEND TO THIS ATYPIL EDY SERI STCTURE. STARTED 2012 BY HBAND AND WIFE DUO SCLAIR (THE GUY HIMSELF) AND KATJA BLICHFIELD (WHO IS ALSO AMONG THE SHOW’S REPERTORY SUPPORTG PLAYERS), 19 EPISOS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED THE YEARS SCE, EVENTUALLY DISTRIBUTED BY VIMEO. (DISCLOSURE: VIMEO AND THE DAILY BEAST SHARE A PARENT PANY, IAC.)THE EPISOS RANGED OM FIVE TO ABOUT 20 MUT, EACH PROVIDG DRIVE-BY PORTRAS OF THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THE GUY WAS SELLG TO AT THE MOMENT. FANS WOULD LIGHT THE WAYS SOME CHARACTERS WERE TANGENTIAL FIGUR OTHERS’ LIV, SOME POPPG UP A SMATTERG OF EPISOS OVER THE URSE OF THE SERI. MANY OF THOSE CHARACTERS RETURN FOR THE MOVE OM VIMEO TO HBO. OTHERS ARE BRAND NEW, OFFERG AN EVEN MORE VIVID PORTRA OF NEW YORKERS AND A GREATER SPE FOR THE SERI: THE AFOREMENTNED MLIM LLEGE STUNT (SHAZI RAJA) OR A CHE IMMIGRANT WHO LLECTS BOTTL OM RECYCLG BS (CHLEM CHN), FOR EXAMPLE. HIGH MATENANCE, SOME RPECTS, IS HUMANS OF NEW YORK, THE TV SERI—BUT IMMEASURABLY LS SUFFERABLE THAN THAT SOUNDS. MORE BUDGET AND MORE TIME GIFTED BY HBO—ALL EPISOS ARE THE TRADNAL 30-MUTE RANGE, AND BOAST A VISIBLY GREATER PRODUCTN VALUE THAN BEFORE—HASN’T ALTERED THE SHOW’S FORMULA, THOUGH. SCLAIR AND BLICHFIELD STICK TO ABBREVIATED SHORTS, UALLY TWO AN EPISO, ENSURG THAT THE EPHEMERAL NATURE OF THE STORYTELLG, SO SLYLY POWERFUL ON THE WEBSERI, REMAS TACT.BEE WE FEAR WE’RE CREATG THE IMPRSN OF SOME SORT OF MOODY, ARTSY MEDATN ON HUMAN LIFE THAT WOULDN’T BE OF TERT TO MOST EDY FANS, NOW IS THE TIME TO PRAISE FRIDAY NIGHT’S PREMIERE EPISO, A LGH-RT BOMBSHELL OF PRAVY AND WILD PLOT TWISTS. A SHORTER VIGTE OPENS THE EPISO, WHICH THE GUY LIVERS TO AN TIMIDATG GYM RAT WHO IS MID-EXPLOSIVE ARGUMENT WH HIS GIRLIEND, AN ASPIRG BELLY DANCER. HE VENTS ABOUT HIS GIRLIEND, ASKS FOR FEEDBACK ON HIS MCL, OFFERS A BS OPPORTUNY, ATTEMPTS TO PAY LOOSE CHANGE, AND MONOLOGU A WAY THAT SEEMS STRANGELY RTOONISH IF NOT EVEN SOCPATHIC—BUT ALSO SO REGNIZABLE TO ANYONE WHO’S N TO THAT KD OF GUY NEW YORK. WHEN THE GUY FALLY MAK OUT THE DOOR, WE LEARN THAT THE GYM RAT IS ACTUALLY A BRISH ACTG STUNT TRYG OUT A NEW CHARACTER, TTG HIS BELIEVABILY ON THE GUY. MISSN ACPLISHED. BUT THE CX OF THE EPISO TCH UP WH THE ASSHOL, GAY MAX (MAX JENKS) AND HIS BT IEND/ROOMMATE LAEY (HELéNE YORK), WHOM WE’VE MET TWICE BEFORE. NO TWO CHARACTERS ON TV ARE AS NARCISSISTIC OR AS TOXIC AS THE TWO IENDS ARE. YET NO TWO CHARACTERS PTURE THE VERY SPECIFIC DYNAMIC OF A VERY SPECIFIC KD OF BROOKLYN LENNIAL WH AS MUCH JARRG THENTICY—NO SMALL FEAT GIVEN THAT “REALISTIC COMEDY ABOUT BROOKLYN MILLENNIALS” HAS BEE S VERY OWN TV GENRE.WE MEET THEM DOG KE AT A BACHELORETTE PARTY FOR ONE OF LAEY’S IENDS. MAX SNEAKS OUT FOR A GRDR DATE, LEADG TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE MOST GRAPHIC AND BLUNTLY REALISTIC GAY SEX SCENE I’VE SEEN ON TV, AND MORE EXTEND MALE NUDY TWO MUT THAN GAME OF THRON HAS HAD S ENTIRE N. (HEY, THERE’S MANY WAYS I N SELL YOU ON WATCHG THIS SHOW.)MAX’S GRDR HOOKUP IS REVERY AND, TO PE THE BACHELORETTE PARTY, MAX TAGS ALONG TO A MEETG. SOON HE’S GOG THROUGH HIS OWN STEPS TO REVERY, WHICH WE LEARN STEMS OM HIS ADDICTN TO HIS RELATNSHIP WH LAEY, WHOSE PENNCY IS STROYG HIS LIFE THE WAY THAT A HARDRE DG PENNCY WOULD.WHEN LAEY, OUT OF JEALOY, REVEALS TO THE REVERY GROUP THAT MAX ISN’T A SUBSTANCE ADDICT, HE GO ON A CRYSTAL METH BENR THAT ENDS WH A TWEAKG MONOLOGUE HIS KCHEN THAT IS EASILY ONE OF THE MOST RIVETG FEATS OF ACTG I’VE SEEN ON TV THIS YEAR. OUTRAGEO, HILAR, DISTURBG—MAX JENKS IS A REVELATN. BUT THIS BATSH TALE IS ONLY ONE KD OF STORY HIGH MATENANCE TELLS.WE MEET ALL KDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE URSE OF THE SEASON—EPISO THREE, “GRANDPA,” IS EVEN TOLD OM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A DOG—WH THE LIK OF AMY RYAN, DAN STEVENS, AND ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK’S YAEL STONE GUT STARRG AS AN ARRAY OF NEW YORKERS, EACH WHO SMOK WEED FOR AN ARRAY OF REASONS. AND WE LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT OUR OWN PERCEPTNS AND BIAS BY OUR TRANSIENT TRODUCTNS TO THEM. THE PEOPLE WE MIGHT ASSUME ARE NORMAL OR NSERVATIVE ARE THE CRAZIT AND MOST DISTURBED OF ALL. THOSE PEOPLE YOU THOUGHT MIGHT BE ODD OR MAYBE EVEN RANGED? THEY SEEM TO JT ENJOY SOME BETIFUL SOLU. IT’S HUMAN NATURE TO PERFORM WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE OTHERS ARE WATCHG, ALTERG BEHAVR—EVEN IF JT-SO SLIGHTLY— AN ATTEMPT AT NTROL OVER WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT THK OF . HERE, WE SEE PEOPLE BEHAVG AS THEY WOULD WHEN THEY THK NO ONE IS WATCHG. IT’S FASCATG, OFTEN UNSETTLG, AND, THROUGH THE GANJA GAZE OF HIGH MATENANCE, HILAR. KEV FALLON
• HIGH MATENANCE’S ASSHOL MAX AND HELéNE ON TOXIC RELATNSHIPS, RUPL, AND THE SYNDROME OF GAY LGHTER
• COLBY KELLER, BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, LIGHT UP HBO'S NEW POT DRAMEDY, "HIGH MATENANCE"TOK' GAY {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY DAN AVERYAUGT 22, 2016/2:01 PMBY DAN AVERYAUGT 22, 2016 / 2:01 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"COLBY KELLER, BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, LIGHT UP HBO'S NEW POT DRAMEDY, \"HIGH MATENANCE\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-08-22T18:01:52.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-08-22T18:01:52.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"DAN AVERY","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HBO'S NEW ANTHOLOGY SERI, HIGH MATENANCE, DIGS TO THE LIV OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF NEW YORKERS WHO SHARE ONE MON THREAD—THEIR POT LIVERY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW ORIGALLY BEGAN AS AN ACCLAIMED WEB SERI OM BEN SCLAIR AND KATJA BLICHFELD AND IS NOW MAKG THE LEAP TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FRIDAY'S PREMIERE WAS A QUEER ONE ED: MAX (MAX JENKS) IS A YOUNG GAY MAN A DYSFUNCTNAL RELATNSHIP WH HIS FEMALE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DODGG ANOTHER BOOZE-FUELED MISADVENTURE, MAX HOOKS UP WH SEBASTIAN, A REVERG ADDICT PLAYED BY ADULT FILM STAR COLBY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHOUT GIVG TOO MUCH AWAY, LET'S JT SAY COLBY GIV ALL AWAY AN EXPLIC SEX SCENE AND FULL-ONTAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAX FDS HIMSELF DRAWN TO SEBASTIAN AND HIS GROUP OF REVERG METH ADDICTS, CLUDG CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL, A.K.A. BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, WHO PLAYS DARNELL. (THERE'S EVEN A LTLE HAT-TIP TO DRAG RACE.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"EVERYTHG'S A TRIGGER TO ME—EVERYTHG!" CLAR DARNELL AT A MEETG. "LIKE A SHOE. LIKE, 'OH, I REMEMBER I SAW THAT SHOE... AND THEN I WAS BLOWG THAT GUY BEHD THE DUMPSTER. IT'S LERALLY LIKE THAT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WE'VE ONLY CRACKED THE FIRST FEW EPISOS BUT THE SHOW IS ALREADY ADDICTIVE. (ALSO, WE HOPE TO SEE LOTS MORE OF NEWER MAX JENKS).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WATCH HIGH MATENANCE, FRIDAYS AT 11PM ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• HIGH MATENANCE GIV US A BRILLIANT DENSTCTN OF THE “GAY BT FRIEND” TROPE

‘HIGH MATENANCE’ PREMIERE: GET BUZZED OFF TV’S MOST HUMAN STONER COMEDYBECAUSE I GOT HIGHTHE BELOVED WEBSERI MA S BIG HBO BUT FRIDAY, OFFERG ONE OF THE MOST POIGNANT, HILAR, AND SOMETIM EVEN RANGED PORTRAS OF NEW YORKERS ON TV. (AND SOME WEED, TOO.)KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED APR. 13, 2017 2:51PM EDT / PUBLISHED SEP. 17, 2016 1:08AM EDT HBO NEW YORK CY, AS ’S OFTEN PORTRAYED ON TELEVISN, IS THE WORST. IT’S CERTALY NOT REAL. IT’S TYPILLY MORE GLAMORO, OR DGIER, OR MORE UNIENDLY, OR MORE MAGIL, OR TOO BY, OR IMPLSIBLY NVENIENT, OR A LN OTHER THGS THAT FAIL TO REPRENT WHAT THE CY ACTUALLY IS: A PLACE WHERE REAL PEOPLE LIVE. HIGH MATENANCE MIGHT FALLY BE A TV SHOW THAT PRENTS NEW YORK CY A WAY THAT SEEMS ACTUALLY REGNIZABLE. AND NOT A “THE CY IS THE FIFTH GIRL THIS IENDSHIP!” WAY, WHERE NEW YORK IS A “CHARACTER.” IT’S SIMPLY A BACKDROP FOR THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE WE MEET EVERY DAY, OH-SO FLEETGLY, AND LOOKS THE WAY DO WHEN WE SEE OUR OWN LIV. IT’S A STAGE OF SORTS FOR THE THEATRE OF HUMAN LIFE THAT’S NSTANTLY REHEARSAL—BUT WHOUT THE FALSENS OF SET DRSGS OR AN ARTISTIC LENS. IT’S THE CY AS WE KNOW . THAT’S THE GREATT TRIUMPH FOR HBO’S NEW SERI, WHICH KNS TOGETHER A TAPTRY OF NEW YORKERS’ WILD LIV AS A WEED LIVERY MAN BRIEFLY ENUNTERS THEM. AND THAT PRENTS THE MOST UNLIKELY TRIUMPH OF HIGH MATENANCE, WHICH IS THAT IS A SERI THAT DGS AS S NARRATIVE NNECTIVE TISSUE, BUT WHICH DG E OR “STONER EDY” TROP ARE THE LEAST TERTG OR EVEN THE LEAST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE SHOW. AS THE DAILY BEAST WROTE WHEN VERG AN EARLIER ERATN OF THE SHOW AS A WEB SERI 2014, “MARIJUANA IS A SUPPORTG CHARACTER AT BT, TREATED NO LS NOCUOLY THAN WE OR THAI TAKEOUT, AND TAKG A BACK SEAT TO FAR MORE PELLG AND CRIPPLG VIC.” AS PENNT ROOMMAT MANIPULATIVELY SABOTAGE EACH OTHER’S LIV, A SWGERS’ PARTY VOLV TO ARGUMENTS ABOUT BETRAYAL, AND A MLIM NYU STUNT IS NONTED FOR HER VALIER REBELLNS, THE WEED IS OFTEN JT THE VICE THROUGH WHICH WE’RE GRANTED ENTRANCE TO THE PEOPLE’S LIV. FEW SHOWS PULL OFF A FEELG QUE AS VOYRISTIC AS HIGH MATENANCE MANAG, APPEASG OUR PERVERSE SIR TO BE GRANTED TIMATE ACCS TO STRANGERS’ LIV. “WHAT’S THEIR AL?” “WHAT’S THEIR STORY?” “WHAT’S GOG ON BEHD CLOSED DOORS?” HIGH MATENANCE OPENS THOSE DOORS, REVEALG THE SOMETIM THRILLG, SOMETIM SEXY, SOMETIM DYSFUNCTNAL, SOMETIM HEARTBREAKG, SOMETIM ODD, AND ALWAYS SIGHTFUL STORI ALREADY PROGRS BEHD THEM. WEAVG TOGETHER THE STORI WH THE GUY (BEN SCLAIR), THE WEED LIVERY GUY, HIGH MATENANCE SHOWS THE UNEXPECTED WAYS WHICH WE’RE ALL NNECTED, STCHG THE IRREVERENCE OF ONE CLIENT’S STORY TO THE EMOTNAL RONANCE OF ANOTHER’S FOR ANTHOLOGY-LIKE EPISOS THAT ARE ENTERTAG ON THEIR OWN MERS, BUT ILLY PROFOUND WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER. IT’S ACTUALLY THE SHOW’S ORIGS AS A WEB SERI THAT HELP LEND TO THIS ATYPIL EDY SERI STCTURE. STARTED 2012 BY HBAND AND WIFE DUO SCLAIR (THE GUY HIMSELF) AND KATJA BLICHFIELD (WHO IS ALSO AMONG THE SHOW’S REPERTORY SUPPORTG PLAYERS), 19 EPISOS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED THE YEARS SCE, EVENTUALLY DISTRIBUTED BY VIMEO. (DISCLOSURE: VIMEO AND THE DAILY BEAST SHARE A PARENT PANY, IAC.)THE EPISOS RANGED OM FIVE TO ABOUT 20 MUT, EACH PROVIDG DRIVE-BY PORTRAS OF THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THE GUY WAS SELLG TO AT THE MOMENT. FANS WOULD LIGHT THE WAYS SOME CHARACTERS WERE TANGENTIAL FIGUR OTHERS’ LIV, SOME POPPG UP A SMATTERG OF EPISOS OVER THE URSE OF THE SERI. MANY OF THOSE CHARACTERS RETURN FOR THE MOVE OM VIMEO TO HBO. OTHERS ARE BRAND NEW, OFFERG AN EVEN MORE VIVID PORTRA OF NEW YORKERS AND A GREATER SPE FOR THE SERI: THE AFOREMENTNED MLIM LLEGE STUNT (SHAZI RAJA) OR A CHE IMMIGRANT WHO LLECTS BOTTL OM RECYCLG BS (CHLEM CHN), FOR EXAMPLE. HIGH MATENANCE, SOME RPECTS, IS HUMANS OF NEW YORK, THE TV SERI—BUT IMMEASURABLY LS SUFFERABLE THAN THAT SOUNDS. MORE BUDGET AND MORE TIME GIFTED BY HBO—ALL EPISOS ARE THE TRADNAL 30-MUTE RANGE, AND BOAST A VISIBLY GREATER PRODUCTN VALUE THAN BEFORE—HASN’T ALTERED THE SHOW’S FORMULA, THOUGH. SCLAIR AND BLICHFIELD STICK TO ABBREVIATED SHORTS, UALLY TWO AN EPISO, ENSURG THAT THE EPHEMERAL NATURE OF THE STORYTELLG, SO SLYLY POWERFUL ON THE WEBSERI, REMAS TACT.BEE WE FEAR WE’RE CREATG THE IMPRSN OF SOME SORT OF MOODY, ARTSY MEDATN ON HUMAN LIFE THAT WOULDN’T BE OF TERT TO MOST EDY FANS, NOW IS THE TIME TO PRAISE FRIDAY NIGHT’S PREMIERE EPISO, A LGH-RT BOMBSHELL OF PRAVY AND WILD PLOT TWISTS. A SHORTER VIGTE OPENS THE EPISO, WHICH THE GUY LIVERS TO AN TIMIDATG GYM RAT WHO IS MID-EXPLOSIVE ARGUMENT WH HIS GIRLIEND, AN ASPIRG BELLY DANCER. HE VENTS ABOUT HIS GIRLIEND, ASKS FOR FEEDBACK ON HIS MCL, OFFERS A BS OPPORTUNY, ATTEMPTS TO PAY LOOSE CHANGE, AND MONOLOGU A WAY THAT SEEMS STRANGELY RTOONISH IF NOT EVEN SOCPATHIC—BUT ALSO SO REGNIZABLE TO ANYONE WHO’S N TO THAT KD OF GUY NEW YORK. WHEN THE GUY FALLY MAK OUT THE DOOR, WE LEARN THAT THE GYM RAT IS ACTUALLY A BRISH ACTG STUNT TRYG OUT A NEW CHARACTER, TTG HIS BELIEVABILY ON THE GUY. MISSN ACPLISHED. BUT THE CX OF THE EPISO TCH UP WH THE ASSHOL, GAY MAX (MAX JENKS) AND HIS BT IEND/ROOMMATE LAEY (HELéNE YORK), WHOM WE’VE MET TWICE BEFORE. NO TWO CHARACTERS ON TV ARE AS NARCISSISTIC OR AS TOXIC AS THE TWO IENDS ARE. YET NO TWO CHARACTERS PTURE THE VERY SPECIFIC DYNAMIC OF A VERY SPECIFIC KD OF BROOKLYN LENNIAL WH AS MUCH JARRG THENTICY—NO SMALL FEAT GIVEN THAT “REALISTIC COMEDY ABOUT BROOKLYN MILLENNIALS” HAS BEE S VERY OWN TV GENRE.WE MEET THEM DOG KE AT A BACHELORETTE PARTY FOR ONE OF LAEY’S IENDS. MAX SNEAKS OUT FOR A GRDR DATE, LEADG TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE MOST GRAPHIC AND BLUNTLY REALISTIC GAY SEX SCENE I’VE SEEN ON TV, AND MORE EXTEND MALE NUDY TWO MUT THAN GAME OF THRON HAS HAD S ENTIRE N. (HEY, THERE’S MANY WAYS I N SELL YOU ON WATCHG THIS SHOW.)MAX’S GRDR HOOKUP IS REVERY AND, TO PE THE BACHELORETTE PARTY, MAX TAGS ALONG TO A MEETG. SOON HE’S GOG THROUGH HIS OWN STEPS TO REVERY, WHICH WE LEARN STEMS OM HIS ADDICTN TO HIS RELATNSHIP WH LAEY, WHOSE PENNCY IS STROYG HIS LIFE THE WAY THAT A HARDRE DG PENNCY WOULD.WHEN LAEY, OUT OF JEALOY, REVEALS TO THE REVERY GROUP THAT MAX ISN’T A SUBSTANCE ADDICT, HE GO ON A CRYSTAL METH BENR THAT ENDS WH A TWEAKG MONOLOGUE HIS KCHEN THAT IS EASILY ONE OF THE MOST RIVETG FEATS OF ACTG I’VE SEEN ON TV THIS YEAR. OUTRAGEO, HILAR, DISTURBG—MAX JENKS IS A REVELATN. BUT THIS BATSH TALE IS ONLY ONE KD OF STORY HIGH MATENANCE TELLS.WE MEET ALL KDS OF PEOPLE OVER THE URSE OF THE SEASON—EPISO THREE, “GRANDPA,” IS EVEN TOLD OM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A DOG—WH THE LIK OF AMY RYAN, DAN STEVENS, AND ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK’S YAEL STONE GUT STARRG AS AN ARRAY OF NEW YORKERS, EACH WHO SMOK WEED FOR AN ARRAY OF REASONS. AND WE LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT OUR OWN PERCEPTNS AND BIAS BY OUR TRANSIENT TRODUCTNS TO THEM. THE PEOPLE WE MIGHT ASSUME ARE NORMAL OR NSERVATIVE ARE THE CRAZIT AND MOST DISTURBED OF ALL. THOSE PEOPLE YOU THOUGHT MIGHT BE ODD OR MAYBE EVEN RANGED? THEY SEEM TO JT ENJOY SOME BETIFUL SOLU. IT’S HUMAN NATURE TO PERFORM WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE OTHERS ARE WATCHG, ALTERG BEHAVR—EVEN IF JT-SO SLIGHTLY— AN ATTEMPT AT NTROL OVER WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT THK OF . HERE, WE SEE PEOPLE BEHAVG AS THEY WOULD WHEN THEY THK NO ONE IS WATCHG. IT’S FASCATG, OFTEN UNSETTLG, AND, THROUGH THE GANJA GAZE OF HIGH MATENANCE, HILAR. KEV FALLON

Friday's premiere featur appearanc om gay porn star Colby Keller, RuPl's Drag Race season ne wner Bob the Drag Queen and Kev Allison. It begs wh him playg the prototypil “gay clown” to Laey and her awful iends durg a bachelorette pre-party as they get dnk.

HIGH MATENANCE’S ASSHOL MAX AND HELéNE ON TOXIC RELATNSHIPS, RUPL, AND THE SYNDROME OF GAY LGHTER

Max pretends to also be revery so that he n avoid Laey, and soon enough, he begs attendg Sebastian’s group meetgs wh fellow gay addicts. When Max is around Laey, he leans to the gay stereotype to appease her and be the person she needs him to be, even if he ends up hurtg himself the procs. Missn the cx of the episo tch up wh The Asshol, gay Max (Max Jenks) and his bt iend/roommate Laey (Heléne York), whom we’ve met twice before.

COLBY KELLER, BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, LIGHT UP HBO'S NEW POT DRAMEDY, "HIGH MATENANCE"TOK' GAY {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY DAN AVERYAUGT 22, 2016/2:01 PMBY DAN AVERYAUGT 22, 2016 / 2:01 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"COLBY KELLER, BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, LIGHT UP HBO'S NEW POT DRAMEDY, \"HIGH MATENANCE\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-08-22T18:01:52.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-08-22T18:01:52.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"DAN AVERY","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HBO'S NEW ANTHOLOGY SERI, HIGH MATENANCE, DIGS TO THE LIV OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF NEW YORKERS WHO SHARE ONE MON THREAD—THEIR POT LIVERY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW ORIGALLY BEGAN AS AN ACCLAIMED WEB SERI OM BEN SCLAIR AND KATJA BLICHFELD AND IS NOW MAKG THE LEAP TO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FRIDAY'S PREMIERE WAS A QUEER ONE ED: MAX (MAX JENKS) IS A YOUNG GAY MAN A DYSFUNCTNAL RELATNSHIP WH HIS FEMALE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DODGG ANOTHER BOOZE-FUELED MISADVENTURE, MAX HOOKS UP WH SEBASTIAN, A REVERG ADDICT PLAYED BY ADULT FILM STAR COLBY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHOUT GIVG TOO MUCH AWAY, LET'S JT SAY COLBY GIV ALL AWAY AN EXPLIC SEX SCENE AND FULL-ONTAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MAX FDS HIMSELF DRAWN TO SEBASTIAN AND HIS GROUP OF REVERG METH ADDICTS, CLUDG CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL, A.K.A. BOB THE DRAG QUEEN, WHO PLAYS DARNELL. (THERE'S EVEN A LTLE HAT-TIP TO DRAG RACE.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"EVERYTHG'S A TRIGGER TO ME—EVERYTHG!" CLAR DARNELL AT A MEETG. "LIKE A SHOE. LIKE, 'OH, I REMEMBER I SAW THAT SHOE... AND THEN I WAS BLOWG THAT GUY BEHD THE DUMPSTER. IT'S LERALLY LIKE THAT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WE'VE ONLY CRACKED THE FIRST FEW EPISOS BUT THE SHOW IS ALREADY ADDICTIVE. (ALSO, WE HOPE TO SEE LOTS MORE OF NEWER MAX JENKS).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WATCH HIGH MATENANCE, FRIDAYS AT 11PM ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Max sneaks out for a Grdr date, leadg to what might be the most graphic and bluntly realistic gay sex scene I’ve seen on TV, and more extend male nudy two mut than Game of Thron has had s entire n. It’s later revealed that Chad and Annie slept together sophomore year of llege, sendg Kabir to a f of rage the night before he’s on ll.

Directed and wrten by Matthew Pucci, the film is a betifully rtraed reprentatn of an emotnally ght yet all too mon experience for many gay men. “It totally subverts what anyone would have expected of me as the gay ic relief, ” he said.

I n’t help but be a goofball, but I’m jt a quiverg sensive lonely gay heart. Jenks was exced to work wh Pucci, who he said is “really ser about wrg gay stori.

HIGH MATENANCE GIV US A BRILLIANT DENSTCTN OF THE “GAY BT FRIEND” TROPE

Vulture spoke wh the two actors, who beme iends IRL after meetg durg the web seri, about their iendship, workg wh gay porn star Colby Keller and RuPl’s Drag Race wner Bob the Drag Queen, and the syndrome of “gay lghter. MJ: Yeah, and as a gay man, I worship and want to be certa women my life and see them as maniftatns of my spir or what I want to be.

MJ: When Ben and Katja were wrg this episo, we talked briefly about the phenomenon of gay nervo lghter. It’s part of my experience of beg a gay man the midst of searchg for validatn.

And terms of my character the show, I thk Heléne’s character feeds that gay lghter bee he wants to be validated by her and then he meets someone who lms that gay lghter. I ll gay lghter jt bee ’s my experience life.