Image via Complex Original
1.
In honor of 4/20, a day where the consumption of cannabis is celebrated around the world, we turn to one of our favorite shows, High Maintenance.
The show came out on Vimeo back in 2012 and was created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair. The series follows the adventures (and misadventures) of a pot dealer (Sinclair) in New York City. The first season consists of episodes anywhere from five to eight minutes, just long enough to captured your stoned attention. The creators launched Season 2 this past fall, with more outrageous characters, circumstances, and strains of dope.
We took a look back at High Maintenance to figure out just what we’ve learned about weed over the last two seasons. Whether it was the etiquette of a transaction, the effects of getting stoned, or the possible situations you may find yourself in after lighting up a joint, the lesson plan is packed.
2.When you're high, worldly possessions no longer matter.
As seen in: “Stevie”
Smoking weed may cause you to do things like throw your phone in the toilet. In this episode, an uptight assistant decides to smoke with her dealer. When she gets a call from her boss, she immediately flicks her device into the water. Instead of freaking out, she accepts a much deserved high-five.
3.The people who name weed strains may be some of the most creative humans alive.
As seen in: “Heidi”
Sour Diesel, Bubba Kush, and G13—these are all marijuana strains that appear on High Maintenance when David orders some weed to try and please a new girlfriend (who may in fact be homeless). His choices could also easily be names of hip-hop artists on Lil Wayne’s label.
4.Getting stoned is the best therapy.
As seen in: “Trixie”
In "Trixie," we witness our valiant dealer in the waiting room for a therapist's office. He looks out of place, with a messenger bag and a grin on his face. Turns out he's not going to therapy, but actually selling to the therapist. Even better, the therapist asks his next client to wait. Weed comes before work when you listen to people's problems all day.
5.Edibles will put you out of commission for longer than you expect.
As seen in: “Dinah”
Stay away from edibles if you have somewhere to be before 10 a.m. In this episode, we witness weed wizardry with a homemade chocolate space cake. Unfortunately, this cake causes one of the consumers to almost miss a crucial meeting the next day.
6.Weed makes the world a more humorous place.
As seen in: “Genghis”
In "Genghis," smoking weed makes a picture of a balled bear the most hilarious image you’ve ever seen in your life. Watching the dealer and his client die laughing over this stupid computer image makes us a little jealous.
7.Smoking and tweeting isn't always a great combination (but it's great for everyone who follows you).
As seen in: “Jonathan”
Sometimes lighting up can cause an existential crisis. Here, we witness Hannibal, a stand up comedian, especially at risk. His crisis comes in the form of overly sincere tweets, like, “My heart goes out to all of the people who have lost loved ones to senseless violence.” If you’re lucky, like Hannibal, you’ll erase the tweet immediately before it goes viral.
8.Not everyone who buys pot is putting it to good use.
As seen in: “Helen”
Some people buy weed and never smoke it, like Patrick. We're introduced to him, slightly reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh, living at home with his mom, and reeking of the “I never go out or get laid” syndrome. When the dealer comes to Patrick's house, Patrick offers him PB&J bars and then grabs his ass on “accident.” When the dealer leaves, Patrick tosses the bag into a box overflowing with un-smoked cannabis. Next time you notice a pal with a secret box overflowing with dope, you should tell them they need to get out more.
9.Stoners can be assholes too.
As seen in: “Olivia”
Just because people like to toke up, doesn’t mean they don’t totally suck. Two of the most hilarious (and awful) people in the entire series are showcased in “Olivia.” They're total bitches and probably living off their parent's paychecks. When the dealer comes to their house, not only are they short on cash, they make him wait while they frolic to an ATM, and then they don't tip. The zinger? They steal two bags, then deny it.
10.People who pass up weed are lying to themselves.
As seen in: “Dinah”
In “Dinah,” we witness a typical interaction: “Hey you want some weed?” Then the response: “No. Yeah.” Even people who are trying to hold back will eventually succumb to the green.
11.Weed dealers are often multi-talented.
As seen in: “Jamie”
A weed dealer can also serve as a pest exterminator. In “Jamie,” two women catch a mouse in their trap. Panicking, they curl up on the couch waiting for their dealer to rescue them with some dope. Turns out, he has no problem killing the little guy. He suffocates the mouse in a tote bag and then smashes it with a frying pan. Two birds with one stone, or two jobs with one dealer.
12.Sometimes your dealer is your BFF.
As seen in: “Genghis”
In this episode, a client of our heroic dealer shows improvement in his a-sexual confidence, his crap job, the high expectations of his parents, and his magic tricks once he starts smoking. Plus, the dealer is quite possibly totally his closest friend (evidence for this theme is also found in Pineapple Express).
13.Changing dealers is like going through a breakup.
As seen in: “Sufjan”
Moving anywhere outside of Manhattan or central Brooklyn means it'll be much harder to get weed in High Maintenance. In “Sufjan,” a couple, inspired by the rumor that Sufjan Stevens lives in Brooklyn's Ditmas Park, moves there, causing friction with their usual dealer. If you choose to move to your dealer's version of Siberia, you may need to break up with him. That, or pay for his cab fare.
14.It often goes well with other drugs.
As seen in: “Sabrina”
When our dealer goes on a trip with friends, everyone takes another kind of trip involving shrooms. Secrets are revealed, tigers are petted, and nature is explored. Honestly, it looks amazing. That is, until the owner of the cabin where they're crashing (uninvited) returns home. Party's over.
15.Marijuana brings people together.
As seen in: “Ruth”
You never know when a woman is looking for another stoner cook her dinner, and a stoner is looking for a woman to dip his balls in milk. This happens with Ellen and Victor when he cooks her a spicy dinner and then accidently rubs chili powder on his balls when taking a leak. Then they find true love.
16.And it helps keep people together, too.
As seen in: “Geiger”
If your significant other runs out of Xanax, weed may be the next best thing. In “Geiger” Lucy and Andrew find pot helpful when dealing with packing, trips to Ikea, each other, and planning a getaway—basically anything that makes up an adult relationship.