High Hopes

People get high and watch things like documentaries and reality TV. It's insane that it took until 2024 to get something this good that fits so well.

High Hopes is, without any ill intent, a sort of staged reality show. They're recording real situations, but instead of just letting the camera run on stoners (which is a proven recipe for a C- grade production) they put the budtenders in interesting scenarios.

The show itself is a good mix of those scenarios with a perfect cast of budtenders. Whether you want to laugh or commiserate or be motivated or look at someone hot, they have a bit of it all. This format of a show would work at other dispensaries. There is almost 0% chance, however, that it would work nearly as well.

Six light-hearted episodes that are worth a shot even if this isn't your culture. The recreational cannabis market is such a part of society, particularly Los Angelina society, that it's not a bad idea to just get a glimpse, especially if you'll never walk through the doors.

Finally, I need to reiterate how crucial the budtenders are here. The owners are smart, clever, and hard working, and they've done a great job of surrounding themselves with the right people. The brothers constantly talk about the budtenders needing to focus on actual sales/tending, but these workers are also filming a show while being used as things like human directionals. I really want to say that I hope the brothers can bring their success to a level where they've challenged themselves to continue to grow while also not having the people they employ live check-to-check (or anything close). Sorry if they miss work or have whack ideas, but they're valuable people and the way to leave a mark on society is to be as impressively successful as the brothers are while lifting people up around them. They have the power to give respect that hasn't quite been earned yet. That's not something to do foolishly, but can result in fabulous outcomes where society benefits and no one suffers. (And I should say I only know what money is discussed in the show, but a chain of businesses that have a reality show about them balking at paying $72k/yr for a social media specialist is not a good look when they admit to liking the content. They definitely seem to hold a bag of carrots and are waiting for each and every trot the horse is supposed to make before the snack comes.)

I hope we get more High Hopes.

I know everyone is saying this stuff is scripted, but most of it is pretty authentic. I feel like most of the characters are unique in their own ways yet also generally common to find in today's society, although nobody films this thrown together in a workplace. At least not a real one. Check the interviews online, these people are hilarious and I hope they make a second season. Uri and freddie are also the best duo. Singing is other worldly. Dani is a little nuts but still has her moments. Still confused as to why she got the masseuse. The show really shows how much of a family it is, but also the business challenges for a cannabis industry. 10/10.

I clicked thinking I would give in 5 minutes while working today - I had low expectations as I don't care for the Pawn Stars type "reality" show, I thought. Four episodes later... where did the time go? I noticed I was smiling a lot and chuckled multiple times. Again, I really didn't expect to like this at all, but the dispensary setting is novel and most of the cast is incredibly likeable.

Freddy and Uri are bros I would love to hang with. Dani and Jared seem pretty real, though they're quite different personalities than the former two. The assistant manager, Morgan?, is a familiar character in any workplace: ambitious and task oriented. The owners are even relatable and you want to see it from their side too. The only one that left almost no mark is the manager, Ronnie; he seems somewhat forgettable, but maybe he's just low key. He has a petty beef with Dani and seems quite childish about it.

I don't often write reviews, and this is my first for a show, but I wanted to share my genuine surprise at how watcha le this show is. Who knows how much is scripted? Probably quite a bit, but the interactions really drew me in. Maybe give it a shot and see if you get drawn in to this little gem like I did.

I worked in the marijuana biz for 7yrs amd loved every min of it. This show brought back so many great memories of times there. I worked in the back of the house (the grow) and wish shows would focus on that more then retail but still great show. The name of the brand was bad though. Little Matron just rubs me the wrong way for some reason. The place is called mmd so call it mmdank or something. Theyre what I would consider a fake brand also. Just selling someone elses bud in a new package. It might be ur band but its not ur weed. My place grew and sold our own bud and thats how it should be. Fun show though it u wanna know bout the retail aspect of the job.

It started with potential and could have been interesting if they kept it about the dispensary, but they couldn't even get through one episode without turning focus onto the wannabe Kardashian bimbo employees and their personal passive aggressive melodrama. That and the awkwardly forced scripted moments just make this another brain damagingly stupid trash "reality" show.

I also don't like how all of the humor is just perpetuated stoner stereotypes. How many "marijuana users are so stupid" jokes can you cram into a 30 minute episode? It gets old fast and it just goes on and on like that's all they've got. Actually, that is all they've got. Like 90% of the show is just them finding stupid people to say stupid things and you're supposed to think it's because of the marijuana and not that these people are just idiots.