Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed arrives on Apple TV tomorrow, and if the title alone has not already done its job, the premise probably will. The new 10-episode series stars Emmy Award winner Tatiana Maslany as Paula, a newly divorced mum who finds herself pulled into a dangerous rabbit hole involving blackmail, murder and youth soccer. Convinced she has witnessed a crime while also trying to navigate a custody battle and a serious identity crisis, Paula begins her own investigation, only to find herself caught in something much bigger than she first realised.
Created and showrun by David J. Rosen, whose previous credits include Sugar and Hunters, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed is described as a darkly comedic half-hour thriller. The series also stars Jake Johnson, with Brandon Flynn, Murray Bartlett, Jessy Hodges, Jon Michael Hill, Charlie Hall, Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg, Nola Wallace and Dolly De Leon rounding out the ensemble cast.
Behind the camera, the series comes from Apple Studios and Counterpart Studios, with Rosen writing and executive producing. David Gordon Green directs and executive produces, while Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon executive produce for Genre Films, alongside Bard Dorros for Anonymous Content.
For CultureCues, this is already high on the Apple TV watchlist, mainly because Tatiana Maslany leading a darkly comedic thriller is more than enough reason to tune in. Her work in Orphan Black remains phenomenal, and we will happily make the bold claim that it is one of the best TV performances out there. Playing multiple characters could have felt like a trick in the wrong hands, but Maslany made each one feel completely real. That is exactly why Paula, a newly divorced mum caught between a custody battle, a possible crime and a bigger conspiracy, feels like such a perfect role for her. Add in Jake Johnson, Murray Bartlett and a murder mystery tangled up with youth soccer, and yes, we are very much seated.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed premieres globally on Apple TV on Wednesday 20 May, with the first two episodes available at launch. New episodes will follow weekly every Wednesday through 15 July.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.