Hidden Palms

i have to agree i think its defo a toss up between (a great) dawsons creek and (an even better) oc lets hope that it keeps it up for the rest of the series. so what do you think might be the mystery surrounding eddies death?

a prank that went wrong? erm maybe or was it eddie getting in the way this cliff seems very sly!! the next episode sounds very interesting and i cant wait for wednesdays showing this is all i wanted to say really but with having to write the minium of a hundred words i need to keep writing there we go 107 bye for now

Interesting start to this new series with some standard characters and storylines but also some new twists.



The storyline of a young guy moving to a new environment due to circumstances beyond his control is, of course, not new. The new environment being Palm Springs provides plenty of opportunity to look at beautiful and rich people.



This is remeniscent of The O.C. and, to a certain extent, Dawson's Creek (written by ...).

Johnny is not in trouble with the law, but has an alcohol problem and discovers that the guy who lived in his room shot himself, just like Johnny's dad.



A pilot is always difficult, many new characters to introduce and viewers do not yet know the characters.

So far, Johnny seems sympathetic, so let's hope his character and the other get a chance to develop further.

This Show is so Compelling and Mysterious, its awesome. All the Aspects in this show combined into a great murder story, and causes you to think about all the characters and question if they're the good guys, or the bad guys. One thing I found very cool was the part that everyone so far in Hidden Palms has their own way of welcoming Johnny to Palm Springs. For example, Greta was running ramdomly through sprinklers, while Cliff pretends to murder someone in his room behind a curtain. Got to admit, who ever came up with those first expressions has a very clever mind.

After witnessing his father’s suicide and drifting in and out of rehab for a year, Johnny Miller is settling down in Palm Springs with his mother and stepfather. Once the brightest kid in school, he’s pushed education aside (causing him to drop back a grade) in order to pursue photography -- a way of following his father’s final lesson that academics aren’t as important as individual expression. Johnny’s struggling to cope with his new life and fit in, but he’s repulsed by his mother’s marriage; not because the stepfather’s bad (he’s quite nice, actually) but because of her adulterous past, which Johnny blames for his father’s death.



Most of the episode revolves around Johnny exploring the neighborhood and bumping into other kids. There’s Michelle, daughter of the Mayor, who’s coping with her father’s third trophy wife that’s only a couple years her senior. Then there’s Liza Witter, a science prodigy whose experiments annoy the head of the neighborhood council, her mother. And there’s Cliff Wiatt, a slick party-boy who, despite a morbid sense of humor, puts on a friendly face. And, finally, we have Greta Matthews, the mysterious, eccentric beauty who immediately catches Johnny’s eye.



The show also sets up an ongoing mystery: an intense, secret love/hate relationship between Cliff and Greta revolving around the death of a friend who used to live in Johnny new house.



The show is off to a good start with a simple, but intriguing story, nice characters, and some fine acting. But there’s a major problem: someone decided to give the parents just as much screen time as their kids. Not a bad idea in and of itself but, while the kids are wonderfully clever and interesting characters, their parents are a disappointing batch of WASPy, gated-community stereotypes with the typical quirks of plastic surgery, alcoholism, and false smiles that hide back-stabbing manipulations. It’s painfully derivative and I hope the writers try find a new direction to take it off in.



It is nice, though, to finally get another series from Kevin Williamson, a great writer who’s often dismissed because of his horror works. And, while the story is uneven and some of the characters don’t entirely work, Williamson’s proven in the past that he’s a master of individual scenes. The opening suicide, the explosive introduction of Liza, and pretty much every interaction between Johnny and Greta are all intricately crafted. Even the parent parts, though cliché, are nicely written.



And Leslie Jordan! How could I possibly end this review without mentioning Leslie Jordan who effortlessly steals the show as Jessie Jo, drag-queen leader of Johnny’s local support group who sheds the wig and dress to work as waiter to the snide upper-class.



All in all, it’s a good (not great, but good) pilot that doesn’t completely have me hooked, but I will be checking in for the next few weeks just to see where they go.

I don't really like Pilots. They are usually quite boring because you have to set the scene and the general situation and it's normal and it's a must-be because you can't do it any other way. But still Pilots are boring. "Hidden Palms" is a great example that I can support my thesis with.

First of all setting the place reminded me of "Dexter" (and Johnny looked alike teenage Dexter too). Johnny shows up, meets the neighborhood, we do the same. All those people seem so sophisticated which makes it easier for us, men in the streets, to believe that there is something they are trying to hide. The episode clearly let us know there is something going on and it even involves a boy's death. It somehow links Greta with Cliff and Eddie. My guess is that at some point they were instrumental in him dying. On the other hand I hope it is not gonna to turn out to be that simple, is it? I think the hints we were given about some dirty secrets are a good start but also I'd add something to it. My rule is not to give up on a show right after 1x01 (the only exception is "Rome") so I am planning to see at least 2 or 3 next episodes but I wasn't really attracted. Some say it is not possible to fall for a show after Pilot episode. Let's hope they are right because so far it was okay and nothing more.



Some people are quite funny though like the transvestite at the support group sessions that Johnny met later at the party or the woman who keeps having her nose operated so that it looks better. I believe she was Cliff's mother. You can say it's funny, if not pathetic.

While I was watching the pilot I couldn´t help to miss my OC; the early previews suggested it was going to be an OC-alike but improved... it couldn´t be more wrong!! Hidden Palms desperatelly wants to be the new OC but doesn´t get near it At all!



Don´t get me wrong.. it is not totally bad, it has potential for good drama and intrigues, but having all that and more from a show not so long ago, plus having to actors who played very iconic characters in the OC (Who doesn´t remember the Olivergate, or Zack!?!), this is their biggest mistake.



Some of the characters need more improvement, or to go deep into their characters, for example for Greta, we understand she is a rebel... but why does she act that crazy? I hope the next episodes will improve the plots.



I have high hopes for this show, knowing that the creator is none other than Kevin Williamson, the same person responsible for Scream and Dawson´s Creek.

I can't say much because I only watched one episode but it looks good just that not more or less. As it was supposed it is very similar to the O.C I just expect that they don't make a copy of it , the high society,the funny friend, the beautiful blonde neighbour ,that is just exactly like the O.C not to say some of the actors acted as well in the O.C but what is interesting about this show is the whole Eddy's death mistery that is what would make this shw different and I hope the show is directed that way and not to the life and problems of teenagers living in Palm Springs.

The pilot episode allows a air of mystery of relax over the details while revealing much about nothing. Characters are revealed in their simplest, most superficial forms but that is satisfactory considering the well written and unique personas.



Johnny is shown to be the main character. A recovering alcoholic who witnessed his father's suicide is fresh out of rehab and full of hate for his new stepfather who has just moved them to Palm Springs. His mother does not seem to please Johnny either, their sniping near the end of the episode reveals much about his mother's struggle and lack of love for her new husband and much for her last.



The obivous love interest for Johnny is a fantastically portrayed Greta, who is the personification of mystery. She is accompanied by Johnny's neighbour Cliff who seems to be almost schizophrenic considering his constant behaviour changes. Add in other characters, a underlying storyline of the suicide of Greta's ex-boyfriend and Cliff's best friend and the sunny poolside houses. You have an interesting new show that leaves you wondering and constantly trying to forethink the storyline, without progress nor correct guesses.

i Hve a few words to describe this show!



1. Shock! - the opening of the pilot is really shocking... i mean his father shot himself in front of johny. (kinda same like desperate housewife, when alice shot herself).. its kinda dejavu for me.!



2. Interesting - Many interesting character in this show.. yeah.. the geek, the depression kids, perfect guy, socialize group, geeks passionate with chemical, virgin?, hot chick, rich family, a mother who care about her nose... (kinda like O.C... yeah..rich family in Newport, but this happen in palm spring!! daaaaa....)



3. HoT SexY Guy - really hot.. i mean cliff not johny... hehee... i love hot guys! i make feel hot too!



4. Mysterious - yeah..really mysterious.. i mean Getha.. hows Eddy died... Who is really Cliff.. why the waiter warn about cliff to johny... what is the truth behind Eddy's dead... its all full of answers waiting for you in the next episode! 5. NotReallyHotHero i wonder why they choose johny to be the main character... should pick more hot guy.. i mean Ryan Atwood kinda hot u know.... :)



6. Full of Suprise - Full of suprise with each character will be waiting for you... just be patient...



7. More Romance - yeah.. between cliff, johny, getha, liza.... will be more romance... 8. FunnY - We miss the Joke of Taylor Townsend in The O.C... there will be in this movie... yeah.. forget her name..leny? the black girl..



Ok.. I love O.C... and i just fall in love with this show... hope they make interesting episode... ok!

Johnny saw his father commit suicide. A year later, he is out of drug and alcohol rehab and he and his mother and step-father move to Palm Springs. He meets Cliff, his next door neighbor. Also, Greta, a hot, mysterious girl, Liza, a brainy girl, and Michelle, the mayor's daughter. Johnny learns that the boy who used to live in the house he moved into, died and was friends with Cliff. Greta loved him. Johnny is mad at his mother for marrying so quick.



This was a great pilot! It introduced the characters really well. Some of the content could be better, like the violence and language. I liked this episode and I give it a 8.0!

This new teen drama series focuses on one very interesting personality, this personality belongs to a teenage boy named Johnny Miller (Taylor Handley.) He used to have it all, can't stress anymore than I already am on the "all." His family was financially well off, he was one of the brightest students in his class, but with a cheating mother and an alcoholic father, no matter how much you try to have a decent life; it would helplessly just come crashing down. After seeing his father shoot his brain out right in front of him, he became a very moody teen. He has exchanged trigonometry for photography and poetry and his good boy hair to his long 'emo' styled hair. Now he moves to Palm Springs with his mother, Karen Hardy (Gail O'Grady) and her husband, Bob Hardy (D.W. Moffett.)



When Johnny moves in to Palm Springs, it doesn't take awhile before he starts to socialize with the other kids in the neighborhood, which is strange because he is supposed to be 'emo.' Anyway, he meets a girl who plays hard to get, but it really is quite obvious that she's flirting with Johnny. Her name is Greta (Amber Heard.) Greta is a really secretive girl who doesn't attempt to reveal too much about her, but she's trying to get closer to Johnny. Other than Greta, we have Johnny's neighbor, Cliff Wiatt (Michael Cassidy.) Cliff quickly welcomes Johnny to the neighborhood and warns him about the former occupant of the room Johnny is currently residing at. He also meets a very shy girl named Liza Witter (Ellary Porterfield) and one of Cliff's friends, Nikki Barnes (Tessa Thompson.) Other than making friends, Johnny has also been going to rehab to stay clean from drugs, which has been made evident that he has used some right after his father's suicide. He may have friends and family, but in a town full of disappointment, betrayal and deceit the only person Johnny can trust is himself. Alone, he must figure out the mysteries of Palm Springs and get through rehab all by himself.



This new teen drama brings something very different to the table, it doesn't make you want to shout at the character like on "The O.C.," but it really doesn't make you smile like "One Tree Hill." With a plot that can stand on its own feet, this show didn't make a very good impression on its Pilot episode. I just felt that they could have brought us deeper into the characters that they already had instead of introducing the whole town when it doesn't even seem like they will be going deeper into some of the characters they have introduced. The town they live in is very much like suburbia like, so expect the houses and the location to look like "Desperate Housewives" like. I have a good feeling that this show can improve, but they would have to work a little harder.



Characters:



1) Johnny Miller (Taylor Handley starring on "Go Fish" as 'Hazard' and previously recurring on "The O.C." as 'Oliver Trask') - He used to have it all, can't stress anymore than I already am on the "all." His family was financially well off, he was one of the brightest students in his class, but with a cheating mother and an alcoholic father, no matter how much you try to have a decent life; it would helplessly just come crashing down. After seeing his father shoot his brain out right in front of him, he became a very moody teen. He has exchanged trigonometry for photography and poetry and his good boy hair to his long 'emo' styled hair. Now he moves to Palm Springs with his mother, Karen Hardy and her husband, Bob Hardy.



2) Greta Matthews (Amber Heard) - Greta is a very mysterious girl who enjoys leading Johnny on. She likes to play mind games with Johnny and is obviously very depressed over something.



3) Nikki Barnes (Tessa Thompson previously starring on "Veronica Mars" as Jackie Cook) - Nikki is very close friends with Johnny's new neighbor, Cliff. Her dad is the mayor of their town, but even if he is, she still needs to work.



4) Liza Witter (Ellary Porterfield) - She's the smart girl next door who makes chemicals explode. She has a thing for Johnny, but he doesn't seem to mind her too much.



5) Karen Hardy (Gail O'Grady previously starring on "American Dreams" as 'Helen Dolan Pryor', "Hot Properties " as 'Ava Summerlin', "NYPD Blue" as 'Donna Abandando' and on "Mayday" as Anne Metz) - She's the cheating wife who caused Johnny's father to shoot himself. All she wants is to regain Johnny's love, but it isn't that easy.



6) Tess Wiatt (Sharon Lawrence previously starring on "Augusta, Gone" as 'Martha Tod Dudman', "NYPD Blue" as 'ADA Sylvia Costas', "Fired Up" as 'Gwen Leonard', "Ladies Man" as 'Donna Stiles' and on "Wolf Lake" as 'Vivian Cates.') - She plays a very self-obsessed middle-aged woman who just finds the need to look young and beautiful.



7) Cliff Wiatt (Michael Cassidy previously recurring on "The O.C." as 'Zach') - Cliff is a friendly guy, but behind close doors, he seems to have more secrets than anyone else.



8) Bob Hardy (D.W. Moffett previously starring on "Chicago Sons" as 'Mike Kulchak', "Skin" as 'Skip Ziti', "For Your Love" as 'Dean Winston', "Palace Guard" as 'Tommy Logan' and on "The Oldest Rookie" as 'Tony Jonas.') - To Johnny, Bob is the bimbo that his mother married because he was rich and his mother needed the money. Bob tries to make an effort to gain Johnny's approval, but when you're an 'emo' teen, it isn't easy to let bimbos into your life.

I wasn't expecting the death in the beginning, the suicide of his father. I should have, it has happened a billion times in a billion different shows. It reminds me of that show with Jesse McCartney, Summerland. That was not a compliment of any kind. It is one of those shows that since NOTHING else is on you have no choice but to half watch it until you find something better to do. The whole Desperate Housewives angle is not something I am personally a fan of because you can predict just about everything that can happen. It seems as though the target audience is basically teenagers with raging hormones. All of the girls in the show are not very unique and kind of all blend together looks wise. How many blondes can you fit into one tv show?? Johnny, the main character who happens to be a recovering alcoholic, thinks he knows just what everyone is thinking. I hate that the writers make it so he is right every time he makes an accusation! He plays a better character role than the other male actor in the pilot. What is wrong with the other guy? Oh please cancel it and create something better!! I do not want another One Tree Hill!

I love this series. It's great start. This show is kinda of like oc. My favorite character right now is Johnny and Karen. I hope this show will get 2nd season i hope that it will not cancel. Taylor Handley is very good actor his acting is amazing he is one of my favorite actor also Gail O'Grady is also the great actress. Hidden Palms is great Mystrey show.

pilot epioe looked promising, the characters are not original but the plot was exciting enough and it has potential to be better, kevin williamson can achieve this, we know he had lots of things which he couldn't make real about dawson's creek so maybe he can make this time, the cast is well chosen, michael cassidy after the lame character zach in the oc, finally grabbed a chance to show us what he has. johnny is a cool guy, looks a bit twisted but "not a dummy".



if the idea won't be stuck into a teenage drama, ww can watch a real good show this summer.

I have a feeling this is going to be one of the better shows this season. It turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable for a show named Hidden Palms which parades around with a half naked woman on every banner. The looks are good, but so are the actors. The episode provides the viewer with enough variation and plot twists. We don't really get to know more about the rest of the cast except for their first names, but I feel this is essential to keep the mysterious facade intact.



If they can keep this up, this show is going to be great.

Being an ex-fan of the O.C., this might be an interesting twist to a mix of Desperate Housewives and O.C. in it's first two seasons. Looking forward to seeing more of it, but I don't really know yet of where this show will go. It could take many tangents, and maybe even drift of into high-school stereotypical drama ~ let's hope not.

Wow this ep is pretty well written. too bad it reminds me way too much of my fav show the OC but hey i guess thats a good thing since the show is gone. the main character johnny seems like the only normal character as we see greta who seems dark and misterious, cliff who is social but creepy and the neighbor lita who is shy and reserved. what i liked about this ep was how much mistery it had, so many questions. i can tell this isnt just another teen drama. btw, the actres who plays gretta is HOTT.

Hidden Palms is the next OC in my opnion because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Many secrets, hot women, and California!!! You gotta love a show about the greatest state ever. I paticulaly like the character of Johnny. I think he's more mature this his mom and stepdad. She wants to overprotect him and keep him secure but she can't. He will have to find his own way. I also like the character of Greta. She was really funny and mysterious. Kinda like Kirsten Dundst's character in Elizabethtown. My personal opnion is this show will get better just like many hit shows have. I say give Hidden Palms a chance!!

Just when I thought I'd be having a quiet summer, here comes the next promising pilot sweeping me off my feet. I'd better not watch any other new shows. I always get hooked so soon, it's not healthy!



Johnny seems like an interesting character, but the others have a lot more dark and twisty secrets that I can't wait to be uncovered! I mean the whole story between Greta and what's his name again.. Cliff (?) is totally screwed up. What's that all about?

You see: the show already got me hooked and now I can hardly wait for next week's episode!

Johnny and his recently remarried mother move to Palm Springs to start a new life. Johnny is immediately intrigued by the inhabitants. He doesn't quite fit in, but he soon finds new friends in some of his neighbours. As Johnny gets to know his new environment, he finds that Palm Springs isn't as perfect as it seems. And what's with the mysterious death of the previous owner of his house? Let's find out.



Hidden Palms is off to a promising start. The characters are great. The environment is beautiful. The intrigues are there. The music is fantastic. And mystery is hanging up in the air. Let's hope the show can keep up.

I Really enjoyed the pilot of hidden palms! It about this young guy jonny who moves to palm springs with i mom after his dad killed himself right in front of him. He meets his neighbours who seem to know something a bit mysterious about the death of the guy who lived in the house previously to jonny. This episode really got me hooked ( and i watched it serveral times) becasue i love all the characters and the script that really entertained me also along with the music its very enjoyable. from the first episode it has a great stoy line with a bit of mystery behind it. anyway very good start and i will continue to watch the upcoming episodes :)

when i saw the pilot a couple months before it aired i was hooked. and then i saw it again on yahootv

i loved the pilot..so much stuff happened and it gets you hooked right away.

the characters are awesome...and i love that this show has a darker side to it

The show started out really good, with Johnny's dad killing him self. I really liked the way Johnny and his mom had to meet the people in Palm Springs. Some things are kept a mysterie, and I think that's a good thing, so we want to keep watching the next episodes. The characters are nicely played. I recognized some of them from The O.C. and from One Tree Hill (Summers' boyfriend Zack in season 2 and Peyton's dad in One Tree Hill). Johnny is a smart kid, and the role he plays in this serie is very interesting. I liked the part where he and that girl (can't remember her name) asked questions and got to know each other.



It's a really cool show in my opinion, and I'm definitely gonna watch the upcoming episodes! Keep it up Hidden Palms!

This was a trip back to the days where in High School there was alwasy one kid who had a story to them they were trying to hide. This boy Johnny comes into a new town after a year in rehab for alcohal abuse, also because his father shot himself right in front of his face. This was a good start to a series, becasue of all the unanswered questions such as the one of the mysterious girl and the neighbour and also the Boy that died in Palm Springs who used to live in Johnny's home. Next wednesday same time.

I watched the pilot a week before it aired, the title popped up somewhere. From the very first second it hits you and you can't stop watching. The very typical charachters, the music and fantastic songs, and the first plots are just great. Honestly i was very surprised tho, coz i thought it would be a sleezy spin-off of The OC.. I'm sure it will hook you. Some of my friends wtached it too and they said it was something compleet different, not comparable to other series. I hope it's gonna be a succes series. I'd say: Holland's downloading here!

I watched the pilot a week before it aired, the title popped up somewhere. From the very first second it hits you and you can't stop watching. The very typical charachters, the music and fantastic songs, and the first plots are just great. Honestly i was very surprised tho, coz i thought it would be a sleezy spin-off of The OC.. I'm sure it will hook you. Some of my friends wtached it too and they said it was something compleet different, not comparable to other series. I hope it's gonna be a succes series. I'd say: Holland's downloading here!

I wanna know what was up was Johnny's dad. And Cliff, he's creepy. The part where he kicked the dog was kinda, well I don't think they needed it and it came off as bad acting to me. Johnny seems like a good character, and not too bad on the looks either! And Gretchen seems pretty messed up about who she likes and who she doesn't.

I watched this epi the other day be4 it aired .Fell in love with it of course.Great storyline so far i hope they keep it going.Great actors so far,love the eyecandy.I can't wait till the next Epi!!The suspense is what gets me.I bet there is going to be a great ending that will make the series continue.I really don't want to wait so long for a conclusion i am somewhat impatient on the ending of shows.I would love to see the shows be aired like every night.Be great.I no they do that on the "My Network" channel.Anyways great show!

I thought that this was a great show. I can see this really lasting and being a big hit for the cw network (they really need it). It was filled with mystery and suspence. Overall I would say that they have done a great job and I look forward to seeing a lot more. I really hope people watch this show because it is too good to go to waste. I can 't wait to find out all the secrets. Oh year the short guy from Will and Grace has a SMALL part in the show. I can't wait for next week.

When i got a screener i didn\\\'t want even watch it, i thought that it would be another silly teen soap.

But man! i was mistaken. it\\\'s high quality drama like O.C. or One Tree Hill. And i think that there\\\'s some weird mystery in this series. I\\\'m waiting ti see it. It\\\'s gonna blow your heads off and became one of the greatest series for teens. i\\\'m sure you gonna love it. good scripts, very good humor. some strange and weird. some drama. cool mix for teen series. and what a nice girl playing main female character. so, it\\\'s great pilot and i wish it had a huge success.