Hightown (TV series)

Hightown is an American crime drama television series that premiered on Starz on May 17, 2020.[1] The series is created by Rebecca Cutter and executive produced by Cutter, Gary Lennon, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, and KristieAnne Reed and stars Monica Raymund and James Badge Dale.

Hightown
GenreCrime drama
Created byRebecca Cutter
Starring
Music byDave Porter
Opening themeVacation
by The Textones
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • James Oh
  • Jeremy Beim
  • Donna Bloom
Cinematography
  • Radium Cheung
  • Brian Rigney Hubbard
Editors
  • Jason Hellmann
  • Plummy Tucker
  • Louis P. Bravo
Running time56–59 minutes
Production companyJerry Bruckheimer Television
Release
Original networkStarz
Audio format5.1 surround
Original releaseMay 17, 2020 (2020-05-17) –
present (present)

In June 2020, the series was renewed for a second season.[2]

Premise

Jackie Quiñones (Monica Raymund) is a National Marine Fisheries Service Agent in Provincetown, Massachusetts who abuses alcohol and drugs. She finds the body of a murdered woman, which launches an investigation by Detectives Alan Saintille (Dohn Norwood) and Ray Abruzzo (James Badge Dale) into Cape Cod organized crime and the local opioid epidemic.

Cast and characters

Main
  • Monica Raymund as Jackie Quiñones, a National Marine Fisheries Service Agent in Provincetown, Massachusetts who is also an alcoholic and drug addict
  • Riley Voelkel as Renee Segna, an exotic dancer at Xaxier's Bar and Lounge and the longtime girlfriend of Frankie Cuevas Sr.
  • Shane Harper as Junior, a drug dealer and Jackie's friend
  • Atkins Estimond as Osito, Frankie Cuevas Sr.'s lieutenant
  • Amaury Nolasco as Frankie Cuevas Sr., a drug kingpin who is in jail
  • Dohn Norwood as Alan Saintille, a trooper with the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Cape Cod Interagency Narcotics Unit (CCINU)
  • James Badge Dale as Det. Ray Abruzzo, a Massachusetts State Police sergeant also assigned to the CCINU

Recurring
  • Rumi C. Jean-Louis as Frankie Cuevas Jr., Renee and Frankie Cuevas Sr.'s son
  • Mike Pniewski as Ed Murphy, Jackie's National Marine Fisheries Service partner
  • Crystal Lake Evans as Krista Collins
  • Ana Nogueira as Donna, Junior's on-and-off girlfriend who have a baby daughter together
  • Edmund Donovan as Kizzle
  • Masha King as Sherry Henry
  • Michael Mulheren as Lt. Velekee, Ray's boss
  • Joy Suprano as Patricia
  • Luis Guzmán as Jorge Cuevas (season 2)[3]
  • Jona Xiao as Daisy (season 2)[3]
  • Charline St. Charles as Henriette (season 2)[3]
  • Dominic L. Santana as Chuleta (season 2)[3]
  • Crystal Lee Brown as Janelle (season 2)
  • Cecil Blutcher as Vernon (season 2)[4]
  • Carlos Gomez as Rafael (season 2), Jackie's father[4]
  • Barbara Weetman as Callie (season 2), Renee's mother[4]

Episodes
No.Title [5]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [5]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Love You Like a Sister"Rachel MorrisonRebecca CutterMay 17, 2020 (2020-05-17)[lower-alpha 1]0.224[7]
Sherry Henry and her recently-sober friend Krista Collins drive to a remote part of Cape Cod at night to buy drugs. While Krista is relieving herself nearby, Osito arrives to meet Sherry; as soon as she identifies herself he murders her. Osito and his partner leave with Sherry's body but without seeing Krista, who is hiding. After a night of partying and sleeping with a tourist in her hotel room, Jackie takes a walk on the beach in the morning and comes across Sherry's body, which had been dumped in the ocean. State Police detectives Ray and Alan become involved because Sherry had been Ray's Confidential Informant in a case he is building against local drug kingpin Frankie Cuevas Sr. Ray confronts Frankie, who denies any involvement. Ray questions Renee, Frankie's girlfriend and the mother of his child, and obtains a physical description of Osito. Disturbed by what she has seen, Jackie goes out partying and crashes her car on her way home, injuring the woman she was taking with her. Bailed out of jail by her partner from work, Jackie is told she is facing a felony DUI charge and that going to rehab may help her case. She checks into a local drug rehab center. Junior is cleaning his fishing boat, and sweeps away some of Sherry's fake fingernails.
2"Severely Weatherbeaten"Rachel MorrisonTeleplay by : Rebecca Cutter
Story by : Rebecca Cutter & Gary Lennon		May 24, 2020 (2020-05-24)0.228[8]
Jackie struggles adapting in rehab. While she is there, she sees a picture of Krista, a former patient, wearing a matching necklace that was found on Sherry's body. She attempts to find more information about her, and checks herself out of rehab in order to find her. Ray sends Renee and Leslie, an undercover cop, to meet with Osito, who becomes suspicious and leaves them. Ray retrieves Osito's trash and collects his fingerprints. Junior meets with Frankie in prison and unsuccessfully tries to quit working for him; he reveals that he was the one who dumped Sherry's body in the water.
3"Rebellion Dogs"Michael OfferRyan FarleyMay 31, 2020 (2020-05-31)0.231[9]
Jackie goes to court to try and get her felony DUI reduced to a misdemeanor, but the judge upholds the felony. She has Junior drive her to meet Lisa, who previously denied knowing Krista despite wearing her earrings. Junior, despite being sober, purchased heroin and offers it to Lisa in exchange for information about Krista. Lisa gives them Krista's suitcase, but that doesn't provide any evidence to help Jackie find her. Jackie checks herself back into rehab to find more information about Krista, and finds that she likely went to visit Anthony in Wareham. Jackie reconnects with her ex-girlfriend, Devonne, and manipulates Devonne to lend out her car so that Jackie can go meet Krista. Ray unsuccessfully attempts to find Osito, and invesigates Sherry's old house. He sees a man, Ethan, leave. Ethan crashes his car after overdosing, and Ray revives him and turns him into an informant. Osito meets with Junior and takes him for a drive; he tells Junior that Frankie had asked Osito to kill Junior. Osito takes Junior to Remy's, his favorite fast food restaurant, and forces him to assault an employee there to prove his dedication. Frankie convinces Renee to get closer to Ray to find out information about his operation, and she seduces Ray.
4"BFO"Michael OfferJohn CovarrubiasJune 7, 2020 (2020-06-07)0.228[10]
Ray convinces Ethan to help him meet Kizzle, a dealer with ties to Osito. After arresting and interrogating Kizzle, Ray assaults him, forcing Alan to take him out of the room. Jackie travels to Wareham and meets with Anthony. Anthony threatens her and attacks Devonne's car, but Jackie threatens to reveal Anthony's affair to his wife unless he gives her Krista's whereabouts. Jackie travels to the hotel where Krista is staying and leaves a note for Krista to call her. She returns to Provincetown and reconnects with Devonne. Jackie is then asked to take part in a big operation, in which she successfully helps apprehend several illegal fishermen. Jackie celebrates at the bar to celebrate the operation, where she ends her sobriety.
5"The Best You'll Feel All Day"Eagle EgilssonJordan HarperJune 14, 2020 (2020-06-14)0.179[11]
Jackie wakes up after a night of partying to find that her phone is soaked and needs to be dried off. She soaks it in rice in anticipation of receiving a phone call from Krista. Jackie returns to her old life of drinking and drugs. She meets Devonne for their scheduled date, and Devonne realizes that Jackie hasn't changed and leaves. Jackie meets with friends and tells them about Krista; they decide to catch a taxi to travel to Wareham to get her, but their driver kicks them out when they are drinking and smoking in the car. Osito and Junior meet with Frankie in prison, and he informs them that they must kill Krista to remove any witnesses to Sherry's murder. Osito and Junior travel to New Bedford to buy fentanyl from Cape Verdean gangmembers with the intent of making Krista's death appear to be an overdose. Junior poses as a drug dealer and tries to have Krista inject the fentanyl, which he claims is less-potent heroin. When she refuses, Osito enters the room and beats Krista to death with a clothes iron. The next morning, Jackie wakes up to find that her phone has dried off and has a message from Krista. She calls back, only to be answered by Ray, who is investigating Krista's murder.
6"The White Whale"Eagle EgilssonMolly ManningJune 21, 2020 (2020-06-21)0.219[12]
Jackie meets with Ray following Krista's murder, and learns that he believes that Frankie is ordering these killings from prison. She goes to the strip club to meet Renee, and then travels to jail where Frankie is being held to meet with him. Osito decides to begin selling drugs without Frankie, and meets with the New Bedford gangmembers; he enlists Junior to sell drugs on Cape Cod. Ray and Leslie interrogate Scott, a witness to Krista's murder, and learn that he is an accomplice of Osito. Ray and Alan decide to bring Osito in for questioning, but he refuses to speak until his lawyer arrives. Jackie requests that Ron, a fellow agent, run a report to determine which boats were out the night of Sherry's murder. She sees that Junior's boat left Provincetown, arrived in Truro, and returned to Provincetown again that night.
7"Everybody's Got a Cousin in Miami"David RodriguezCortney NorrisJune 28, 2020 (2020-06-28)0.248[13]
Frankie attempts to eliminate any witnesses, and orders the murder of Scott and Junior. Scott is murdered in prison, while Kizzle and Osito search for Junior. Jackie investigates Junior's boat and sees that the trip the night of Sherry's murder was not in the boat's logbook, but had occurred according to the boat's transponder. Jackie visits Junior, who tells her to leave once Osito and Kizzle show up. Kizzle and Osito take Junior to the woods, and appear ready to murder him, until Osito kills Kizzle instead. Osito helps eliminate evidence and gets a ticket for Junior to travel to Miami. Jackie, fearing for Junior, contacts Ray and gives him the vehicle info for Osito, which leads them to the Wayne, who helped Osito destroy evidence and get a bus ticket. Jackie and Ray stop the bus to search for Junior, but find he is not on it. A boy in a bathroom opens a stall door to find Junior unresponsive after injecting heroin.
8"#Blessed"David RodriguezRebecca CutterJuly 12, 2020 (2020-07-12)0.330[14]
Junior is pronounced dead after overdosing on carfentanil. Jackie is distraught over his death and relapses. Ray arranges a raid on a house of Osito's suppliers, and brings Jackie along. She sees Osito approaching, and the two shoot each other. Jackie recovers, and Alan clears her DUI conviction. Osito is recovering in the hospital, and Alan offers to strike a deal with him. Ray is suspended for forming a relationship with Renee, and Frankie is released from jail.

Production

Development

By November 27, 2017, Starz had put the production, then titled P-Town, into development. The series was created by Rebecca Cutter, with Gary Lennon as showrunner and both serving executive producers alongside Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, and KristieAnne Reed. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Jerry Bruckheimer Television.[15] By November 26, 2018, Starz had given the production, now titled Hightown, a series order.[16] On February 5, 2019, it was announced that Rachel Morrison would serve as director for the series.[17] On June 11, 2020, Starz renewed the series for a second season.[2] More recently, the creator signed a deal with Lionsgate Television.[18]

Casting

On September 14, 2018, Monica Raymund had been cast in a leading role in the pilot.[19] On January 9, 2019, James Badge Dale and Riley Voelkel had joined the main cast.[20][21] In February 2019, Shane Harper, Atkins Estimond, Amaury Nolasco, and Dohn Norwood had been cast in the series in starring roles.[17][22] On November 19, 2020, Luis Guzmán was cast in a recurring role for the second season.[3] On December 16, 2020, Crystal Lee Brown, Cecil Blutcher, Carlos Gomez, and Barbara Weetman joined the cast in recurring capacities for the second season.[4]

Filming

Principal photography for the series was scheduled to commence in March 2019.[16] The Provincetown, Massachusetts, Select Board voted on April 29, 2019, to allow filming from May 20 to June 11 at locations including MacMillan Pier and the harbor, the West End rotary, and Provincetown Inn. Commercial Street between Standish and Ryder streets was scheduled to be closed for part of June 4 in order to recreate a Carnival parade scene.[23] Production for the second season began on November 19, 2020.[24]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 79% based on 19 reviews with an average rating of 6.07/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Monica Raymund's charms rise above any formulaic tendencies in Hightown's highly entertaining first season.[25] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 60 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[26]

Ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of Hightown
No. Title Air dateRating
(18–49)		Viewers
(millions)
1 "Love You Like A Sister" May 17, 20200.030.224[7]
2 "Severely Weatherbeaten" May 24, 20200.030.228[8]
3 "Rebellion Dogs" May 31, 20200.030.231[8]
4 "BFO" June 7, 20200.030.228[10]
5 "The Best You'll Feel All Day" June 14, 20200.020.179[11]
6 "The White Whale" June 21, 20290.020.219[12]
7 "Everybody's got a Cousin in Miami" June 28, 20200.040.248[13]
8 "#Blessed" July 12, 20200.070.330[14]

Notes
  1. "Love You Like A Sister" was first released online and on the Starz App on May 10, 2020 (2020-05-10), ahead of its broadcast on television.[6]

References
  1. Gelman, Vlada (March 25, 2020). "Hightown: Monica Raymund Crime Drama Gets May Premiere Date at Starz". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. White, Peter (June 11, 2020). "'Hightown' Starring Monica Raymund Renewed For Season 2 By Starz". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  3. Petski, Denise (November 19, 2020). "'Hightown': Luis Guzmán To Recur In Season 2 Of Starz's Crime Drama; Full Cast, Directors Set". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  4. Petski, Denise (December 16, 2020). "'Hightown': Crystal Lee Brown, Cecil Blutcher, Carlos Gomez, Barbara Weetman To Recur On Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  5. "Shows A-Z - hightown on starz". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
  6. Hightown [@HightownSTARZ] (May 10, 2020). "You can watch the #Hightown premiere EARLY and for FREE on the @Starz App. Check it out now. #WelcometotheCape #Hightown starz.tv/Hightown101" (Tweet). Retrieved May 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
  7. Metcalf, Mitch (May 19, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.17.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  8. Metcalf, Mitch (May 27, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.24.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. Metcalf, Mitch (June 2, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.31.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  10. Metcalf, Mitch (June 9, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.7.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  11. Metcalf, Mitch (June 16, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.14.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  12. Metcalf, Mitch (June 23, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.21.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  13. Metcalf, Mitch (June 30, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.28.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  14. Metcalf, Mitch (July 14, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.12.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  15. Andreeva, Nellie (November 27, 2017). "Heroin Epidemic Drama 'P-Town' In Works At Starz From 'Gotham' Alum, 'Power' EP & Jerry Bruckheimer TV". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  16. Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (November 26, 2018). "Starz Picks Up To Series Strip Club Drama 'P-Valley & Opioid Epidemic Drama 'Hightown'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  17. Petski, Denise (February 5, 2019). "'Hightown': Rachel Morrison To Direct Starz Series; Shane Harper & Atkins Estimond Join Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  18. Petski, Denise (September 30, 2020). "'Hightown' Creator Rebecca Cutter Inks Overall Deal With Lionsgate TV". Deadline Hollyood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  19. Andreeva, Nellie (September 14, 2018). "Monica Raymund To Headline Starz's Heroin Epidemic Drama Series 'P-Town'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  20. Andreeva, Nellie (January 8, 2019). "'Hightown': James Badge Dale To Star In Starz's Opioid Epidemic Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  21. Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (January 14, 2019). "'Hightown': Riley Voelkel To Co-Star In Starz's Opioid Epidemic Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  22. Petski, Denise (February 27, 2019). "'Hightown': Amaury Nolasco & Dohn Norwood To Co-Star In Starz's Opioid Epidemic Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  23. Ward, Katy (May 2, 2019). "Provincetown Select Board overrules chief to allow 'Hightown' production". Wicked Local Wellfleet. GateHouse Media. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  24. Voelkel, Riley [@lifeofrileyv] (November 19, 2020). "Here we go! Our fearless leaders are back and so is production for #season2 of #hightown This season is going to be epic! 🙌 #weareback 💊 @starz @hightown #2021". Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020 – via Instagram.
  25. "Hightown: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  26. "Hightown: Season 1". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
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