"Higher Ground" (2000) TV series

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Creators:

Michael Braverman
Matthew Hastings

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

14 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

A group of troubled teens are sent to a boot camp.

Plot Keywords:

Troubled Teen | Eating Disorder | Drugs | Abusive Stepmother

Cast

Joe Lando	...	Peter Scarbrow (22 episodes, 2000)
Hayden Christensen	...	Scott Barringer (22 episodes, 2000)
A.J. Cook	...	Shelby Merrick (22 episodes, 2000)
Kandyse McClure	...	Katherine Ann 'Kat' Cabot / ... (22 episodes, 2000)
Jorge Vargas	...	Augusto 'Auggie' Ciceros (22 episodes, 2000)
Meghan Ory	...	Juliette Waybourne (22 episodes, 2000)
Kyle Downes	...	Ezra Friedken / ... (22 episodes, 2000)
Jewel Staite	...	Daisy Lipenowski (22 episodes, 2000)
Anne Marie DeLuise	...	Sophie Becker (17 episodes, 2000)

Also Known As:

Cliffhangers (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Higher Ground Productions Inc.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Kat sees the blood on a shirt in Juliette's dirty laundry, she runs into the room and tears off the sleeve of Juliette's shirt. In the next shot, it's not torn, and in the following scenes when Juliette is being taken away and in the lodge it also isn't torn. (episode 11)

Quotes:

Daisy Lipenowski: They always shred my copy of Mortuary Sciences Monthly. Apparently we're not supposed to think about a career.

Poignant, realistic, wonderful

If you're looking for 'Dawson's Creek,' this is not it. If you want mushy characters who fall apart when their clothes don't match, this is not it. If you want a show that is realistic, dramatic, thoughtful, and well-acted, look no further. 'Higher Ground' is it.

Located 25 miles from the nearest town, Mount Horizon High School is a school for teens who were struggling with their lives. The show focuses on one group of these teens, the Cliffhangers, the director of the school, and a few counselors. One teen is a vandal, one had an eating disorder, several were on drugs, and a couple were sexually abused. As their individual stories unfold, we can see deeper into their hearts, as well as our own.

Joe Lando (who plays Peter Scarbrow, the director of the school) makes an outstanding return to TV drama, and other standout performances include those of Hayden Christensen (playing Scott Barringer), A.J. Cook (playing Shelby Merrick), and Jewel Staite (playing Daisy Lipenowski).

It is utterly believable, thoughtful, poignant, and wonderful. You will cry with these teens, and you will love and want to understand each of them.