High Maintenance recap: Total eclipse of the heart

The 2017 eclipse brings people together in the Season 2 finale of High Maintenance.

In a lovely bookend, High Maintenance ends Season 2 as it began: with a universal event. Only this time, instead of something horrible, the episode focuses on something magical. This past summer, all of the United States was hyped about the solar eclipse. This event caused millions to take days off work, fly thousands of miles, and connect with strangers in a way that felt primal and sacred.

It’s almost as if the eclipse was tailor made for High Maintenance.

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Coincidentally, the eclipse falls on the same day that the Guy (Ben Sinclair) finalizes his divorce from Jules (Kate Lyn-Sheil). He decides to head to a remote corner of a lake for some quiet contemplation, but finds a bunch of 20 somethings have already taken up residence there. No matter. The Guy strings up his awesome tye dye hammock and cracks out his book and a joint. Best day ever.

Meanwhile, Alina (Alexandra Fiber) and Zach (John Gallagher Jr.) are making their way to the same spot. It’s of the utmost importance to Alina that she share this “special day” with Zach, although it’s not immediately apparent why. At the same time, another couple, Apollo (Omar Shaukat) and Dahlia (Anna Suzuki) are headed out to the lake as well. They’re dressed up in covert gear and they’re toting an enormous baller camera lens that’s the size of a baby giraffe. Apollo and Dahlia make it a point to avoid Alina and Zach on the way to the lake, but again, we’re not sure why quite yet.

Turns out that Alina is preparing to propose to Zach. It’s a fun, feminist twist on a proposal, and everyone at the secret site is in love with the development. Apollo and Dahlia giddily take pictures of the event from a paddleboat on the lake, and everyone is happy.

The Guy hangs with the engagement crew after the eclipse is over, but he gets a text from his old girlfriend Beth (Yael Stone). He thinks she wants to grab some dank herb, but she actually wants to reconnect with him in a real way. He agrees to meet up.

When the Guy gets to Beth’s location, he finds her in a giant RV which she’s affectionately named Steve. Steve is pretty great, and Beth’s been traveling around the country in him, trying to find meaning in her life. The Guy listens to Beth’s story, and accepts her apology when she extends an olive branch for ghosting him weeks (months?) ago.

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Beth wants to clear her head and take a break from life in America by going back to Australia. While she’s there, she entrusts Steve to the Guy. And in a fun, final sequence, the Guy gears up for an adventure, joint loosely held between pursed lips, and heads for the open road. But Steve gives out, a hiccup in the engine causing him to stall out. The Guy drops his joint in his lap – Big Lebowski stylez – and pulls over to the side of the road, further adventure postponed until Season 3.

‘High Maintenance’ airs Friday at 11/10c on HBO.