Everyone loves a good detective story. The private detective genre has stood the test of time because of its ability to grow and adapt to wildly different tones while keeping its core identity. Dating back to films like The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and Vertigo, to even more recent ventures such as The Nice Guys and True Detective, there’s never been a shortage of these mystery narratives. Every now and then, though, a new detective tale will come along that tries to defy audience expectations. That’s exactly what Apple TV+ is aiming for with its latest original series, Sugar.
Created by Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell), as well as being executive produced by Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon, Sugar is a real treat for noir fans. Colin Farrell (In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin), who also serves as an executive producer, stars as John Sugar, a private eye who is tasked by legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) to find his missing granddaughter, Olivia (Sydney Chandler). As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, old and new Siegel family secrets surface. But that’s not all, because Sugar must unpack some of his own personal baggage if he’s to crack this case. With this first 8-episode season being directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Two Popes) and Adam Arkin (The Offer, Succession), there’s a level of skilled talent in front and behind the camera that blends into this sweet, fluffy treat of a mystery.
Opening in Tokyo, Japan with a black-and-white filter, we get our first look into the life of John Sugar, who’s on a case to find the missing son of a Yakuza boss. Sugar initially offers the man who took the boy a chance to escape and escape harm, and when that ultimately doesn’t happen, we are introduced to Sugar’s morals and disdain for violence. This makes him sort of an unnatural pick for this line of work, as his job as a private investigator constantly puts him in the company of dangerous people. Sugar always attempts to waive violence as an option, which usually doesn’t go his way of course.
Colin Farrell brings an unexpected yet welcome tenderness to John Sugar. Seeing the frequent disappointment in his eyes when he realizes that he’s going to have to hurt people makes way for some hilarious humor. Watching Sugar apologize to someone after beating them near to death gets a good chuckle from the viewer every so often. This couldn’t be more different from the other times Farrell has played a detective type, like in Michael Mann’s Miami Vice and in True Detective Season 2. The difference between those roles and John Sugar is the warmth and loving trust he brings to the character here. When Sugar promises you safety, you really do believe him as if it’s all that matters in that moment.
Sugar features a very likable supporting cast, including Sugar’s close friend and ally Ruby (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), who works to provide him with work permits, IDs, and more. One of the first people Sugar seeks out in the Olivia Siegel case is rock and roll icon Melanie Mackintosh (Amy Ryan), Olivia’s ex-stepmother. Sugar and Melanie build a connection early on that blossoms into a strong companionship as the series unfolds. Sugar’s investigation eventually leads him to the rest of the Siegel family, like Olivia’s father, Bernie Siegel (Dennis Boutsikaris), her half-brother, David (Nate Corddry), and David’s stepmom, Margit (Anna Gunn).
These characters, although related to Olivia, offer no help in Sugar’s search due to her past behaviors of drug addiction and disappearing for weeks at a time. Unconcerned with Olivia’s disappearance, the series uses her relatives as windows into the lavish lifestyle of Hollywood giants who spend their mass fortunes making cheap movies and covering up blackmail and harassment claims. This is undeniably the weakest part of the show, as the conclusion to their narrative threads simply isn’t satisfying enough. The characters portrayed as the rich elite aren’t given enough flack for their awful acts. The implications and reveals of this smaller part of the overall plot are important, but unmemorable nonetheless.
Sugar’s search for Olivia is the driving force of the show, following the usual tropes of the private detective genre. Even when relying on mystery cliches and tropes, Sugar uses them in a way that pushes the characters and the limits they wish not to cross. However, when it’s time to focus on John Sugar’s backstory, the pacing loses some steam. With hints of a secret organization and its connections to Sugar, this subplot can feel predictable and less interesting than the main case. But as more is revealed in the mystery, Sugar’s backstory adds a lot of interesting context. While some might not be fans of this particular aspect, it certainly sets Sugar apart as its own unique take on the timeless detective story.
This Apple TV+ original series loves to make its film noir inspirations apparent to the viewer. Clips and images from classic noir films are stitched in between scenes and conversations. These visuals provide insight into John Sugar’s thought process, as he often relates things back to these old films, being a fan of them himself. Pairing this with a protagonist who fights to avoid violence, not out of the fear of getting harmed but the fear of how violence can corrupt an individual, makes for a gripping show despite its few setbacks. John Sugar’s defining trait of kindness is the beacon of light in the story, as his positive behavior rubs off onto those around him and challenges them to be better. All of this makes Sugar a great watch on Apple TV+. Colin Farrell’s addictive performance is what will make you eager to come back episode after episode.
Sugar premieres on Apple TV+ on April 5!
Premiere Date: April 5, 2024.
Created by Mark Protosevich.
Directed by Fernando Meirelles & Adam Arkin.
Executive Produced by Colin Farrell, Mark Protosevich, Simon Kinberg, Audrey Chon, Scott Greenberg, Chip Vucelich, & Fernando Meirelles.
Written by Mark Protosevich, Donald Joh, Sam Catlin, & David Rosen.
Main Cast: Colin Farrell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan, Dennis Boutsikaris, Alex Hernandez, Lindsay Pulsipher, Anna Gunn, James Cromwell, Nate Corddry, Txunamy Ortiz, Sydney Chandler, Miguel Sandoval, Elizabeth Anweis, Jason Butler Harner, Massi Furlan, Adrian Martinez, Eric Lange, & Scott Lawrence.
Composers: Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrain Younge.
Production Companies: Chapel Place Productions, Protokino, Genre Films, & Apple Studios.
Episode Count: 8.