Denny: High Desert character explained

Denny is Peggy’s husband and a former drug dealer who spent 10 years in prison after a DEA raid that left Peggy with a felony charge herself. The character is portrayed by Matt Dillon.

Denny and Peggy were hosting a party with all of Peggy’s family when the DEA raided their house and alienated Peggy from her siblings and sent Denny to prison for 10 years.

When Peggy is trying to move on with her life and begin anew, she visits Denny in prison and asks him to sign divorce papers but he doesn’t. Soon after, he is released due to some technicalities in his case and the first thing he does is go to Peggy’s house.

Peggy doesn’t want him to be around but she can’t help herself and agrees to let him stick around for a bit. Together, they steal some old silver from their old house and try to eke out more information from Guru Bob about Dona.

Carol tells Peggy that she needs to keep Denny at a distance because he isn’t a good influence on her but by then she has already slept with him.

A changed man (almost)

Denny comes out of prison and insists that he’s a different person since he’s been practicing qigong inside and has helped a lot of inmates there. He plans to open a qigong studio outside for which he’s in search of seed money.

Denny: High Desert character explained 1
He helps Peggy dig into Guru Bob for information

He agrees to help Peggy because he still has feelings even though she’s been hot and cold with him. During their meeting with Guru Bob, he and Bob connect momentarily over qigong and he suggests working together.

Despite being barred from being inside most areas of the house, he disobeys Peggy’s rules regularly.

He gets back in touch with Chunky, a friend of his who helps Denny with most of his criminal activity. Together they rob a marijuana dispensary which almost doesn’t go well after Denny chooses to answer a call from Peggy during it.

He’s forced to give Arman the money that he stole after Chunky gets stabbed and roughed up by Heather and Peggy’s life is threatened. Even though he lost the money, he’s more focused on making sure Peggy is feeling alright.


Also Read: High Desert season 1 episode 7 recap & review: This Doesn’t Have to Be a Tragedy

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