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Johnny Miller (Taylor Handley, The O.C) was a happy, well-adjusted high school student with good grades and a room full of sports trophies until the terrible night a year ago that his father committed suicide. Unable to cope, he tried to drown his pain in alcohol and drugs. Now, fresh out of rehab, Johnny is struggling to deal with an uncertain future in the surreal glare of Palm Springs, where his mother, Karen (Gail O'Grady, NYPD Blue), and her new husband, Bob (D.W. Moffett, For Your Love), have decided to make a new start.
The lush oasis of Palm Springs, with its golf courses, country clubs and beautiful people, is an unsettling new environment for Johnny. He quickly discovers that this paradise isn't quite what it seems when he meets his next-door neighbors: Cliff (Michael Cassidy, The O.C.), a handsome high school junior whose considerable charm can't quite hide his disturbing dark side; and Cliff's mother, Tess (Sharon Lawrence, NYPD Blue), a former Southern beauty queen with a taste for younger men. Johnny learns that his new neighborhood is consumed by a tragedy when Cliff reveals that his best friend, Eddie, who lived in Johnny's house, recently died under mysterious circumstances.
Eddie's death seems to haunt everyone Johnny meets, especially Greta (Amber Heard, Alpha Dog, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane), a stunning young beauty who fascinates Johnny from the moment he lays eyes on her. Intriguing and secretive, Greta has been on her own since the death of her mother many years before. With her father always away on business, Greta has become a self-sufficient loner. She quickly realizes, however, that Johnny is a kindred soul; someone forced by tough circumstances to grow up too soon. Even though Greta is drawn to Johnny, she refuses to talk about Eddie's death. In his search for answers to the deepening mystery, Johnny turns to another neighbor, Liza (Ellary Porterfield, "The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio"), a gifted but awkward high school student who conducts explosive science experiments in her garage, yet still manages to keep a close eye on everything that happens in the neighborhood. Liza and Johnny soon bond in their pursuit of the truth.
While Johnny adjusts to his new circle of friends, he is surprised by the arrival of Nikki (Tessa Thompson, Veronica Mars), a troubled L.A. party girl he met in rehab, whose family has written her off as a lost cause. Nikki is also fighting to stay sober, so Johnny introduces her to his colorful AA sponsor, Jesse Jo (Leslie Jordan, Will & Grace), who just happens to be a drag queen. Jesse Jo cares deeply about Johnny's recovery, and he immediately takes Nikki under his wing as well.
It often seems to Johnny that the flamboyant Jesse Jo is the only voice of reason in the strange and artificial atmosphere of Palm Springs. As he searches for answers to the questions surrounding Eddie's death and tries to fit into his new hometown, Johnny is learning that growing up may be the biggest mystery of all.
Hidden Palms is a Lionsgate Television production in association with Outerbanks Entertainment with executive producers Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 1, 2 and 3") and Scott Winant (My So-Called Life).
Show Information
Amber Heard as: Gretta Matthews
Additional Cast: Taylor Handley, Gail O' Grady, Michael Cassidy, Tessa Thompson
Original Airdate: May 30, 2007
Production Status: Aired and cancelled in the US, Premieres in the UK on October 4
Creator: Kevin Williamson
Genre: Suspense, Drama, Teen
Episode Guides
1x01 - Pilot (view information)
1x02 - Ghosts (view information)
1x03 - Party Hardy (view information)
1x04 - What Liza Beneath (view information)
1x05 - Mulligan (view information)
1x06 - Dangerous Liaisons (view information)
1x07 - Stand by Your Woman (view information)
1x08 - Second Chances (view information)
Trivia & Facts
Coming soon!
Cast and Crew Quotes
"Greta's wild and gets into trouble, and I'm pretty fearless, too."
- Amber Heard
"Greta is complicated. She's like I was when I was a teenager. It's why I relate to her."
- Amber Heard
"I just loved the writing so much that I was determined to get the part. I had about 10 auditions — well, not 10, but it was a lot."
- Amber Heard
"It's a smart show about smart people in smart situations. I think that's refreshing. With a lot of TV, everything gets dumbed down."
- Amber Heard
"I get to live these crazy lives through my character. I experience things I would never normally be a part of."
- Amber Heard
"I put a lot of effort into filming, and you never really know how it’s going to turn out and how it’s going to be received... I don’t know. It’s sad but it’s fine; my heart is in film and it leaves me free to do that." [On the cancellation.]
- Amber Heard
Staff's Show Comments
About the show:
Hidden Palms kicked off with an amazing pilot and continued to intrigue the viewers for the next few episodes with murder and mystery. Its strong points being biting dialogue, The O.C. style musical sequences and a strong cast. Unfortunately the show was ultimately cut short, which was also evident in the quality of the latter half of the episodes. The resolution to Eddie's case was especially rushed and seemed to come out of nowhere. Still, for a teen soap opera, Hidden Palms was more than decent.
About Greta Matthews evolution:
I dare you to watch the pilot and not fall in love with Greta Matthews. Her introduction is nothing short of legendary to Amber's fans! From her first appearance to the last, Amber as Greta charmed the viewers with her approach to the character. In the beginning of Hidden Palms, Greta is enigmatic, mysterious, quirky, sexy and smart. The fans loved her cute relationship with Johnny and the more dangerous attraction between Greta and Cliff. Unfortunately the show's early demise and rushed conclusion also meant less screentime for Amber and Greta became less multifaceted as she is suddenly transformed from a possible murder suspect to an angelic girlfriend. Well, Amber never let us down and she continued to do her best with what she was given.
Links & Research
» PICTURES
... View pictures of Amber Heard playing Greta Matthews.
» VIDEOS
... Download episode clips, promo spots and more!
» IMDB.COM
... Additional information at the Internet Movie Database.
» OFFICIAL
... Check out the official television series website.
» HIDDEN-PALMS.COM
... A fan site for the television series.
» JOHNNYANDGRETA.COM
... A shipper site for the characters of Johnny and Greta.
