The crime drama “Hightown,” set in Cape Cod, combines three unlikely subjects — the opioid epidemic, the LGBT neighborhood and a few good old school homicide.
Premiering Sunday on Starz (eight p.m.), “Hightown” follows Jackie Quiñones (Monica Raymund, “Chicago Fireplace”), a hard-partying lesbian Nationwide Marine Fisheries service agent who discovers a physique on the seashore, a homicide that reverberates by the idyllic trip spot. James Badge Dale (“Rescue Me”) co-stars as native cop Det. Ray Abruzzo, who has ties to the sufferer, fentanyl addict Sherryl (Masha King).
“The present is about in Provincetown, which is an artist neighborhood and a fishing neighborhood,” Dale tells The Put up. “[It’s inhabited by] generations of blue collar work ethic mixing with the LGBT neighborhood.
“Cape Cod is the setting, the opioid disaster the circumstance,” he says. “After which you’ve got this incident with this woman getting killed. The sequence is about how that impacts everybody’s lives.”
To additional complicate issues, Jackie continues to wrestle together with her sobriety as “Hightown” kicks into excessive gear.
“I used to be drawn to Jackie due to the journey that she takes from being a multitude to start with and struggling by her restoration, making an attempt to remain sober within the midst of this twister that she finds herself in,” says Raymund, who’s additionally appeared in “The Good Spouse.”
“She comes throughout this physique on the seashore and she or he simply turns into utterly decided — virtually obsessively so — to resolve the crime. I discovered that very compelling, as a result of this woman … has hit all-time low, nonetheless hasn’t come up for air and is discovering self-worth in making an attempt to resolve this homicide.
“These have been two actually fascinating parts of the story that I wished to discover.”
The present was filmed on location — so not like crime dramas with moody lighting, similar to “Ozark,” “Hightown” pairs its darkish material with seaside sunsets.
“I’d by no means been [to Cape Cod] and it was fairly superb filming there,” says Raymund. “I feel its panorama pictures fantastically, particularly in Provincetown.”
All through the sequence, Jackie should combat to be taken critically as a part of the investigation, as different officers dismiss her as simply “a fish cop.” To analysis the position, Raymund dove into studying what that actually means.
“I acquired to study somewhat bit in regards to the Nationwide Marine Fishery Service — I didn’t know that’s a federal company,” she says. “I realized learn how to drive a ship and dock it. I didn’t notice how essential [‘fish cops’] are to implementing fishing and lobstering rules. It was cool and new.”
Jackie and Ray’s tales ultimately dovetail, and Dale says he discovered it significant to shine a highlight on the opioid disaster whereas making the present.
“All of us have family and friends who’ve been concerned on this a method or one other,” he says. “I don’t suppose [the issue] will get sufficient playtime together with medicine and alcohol and all of our psychological well being points.
“I feel this story must be instructed.”