The Big Picture

Colin Farrell perfectly embodies the charismatic and enigmatic titular character, making
Sugar
truly his own.
The use of jump-cuts and classic film noir influences keeps viewers engaged and intrigued throughout.
While a big plot twist changes the series entirely,
Sugar
continues to spare some focus towards its ongoing mystery.

When you think about some of the best plot twists on television over the past decade, a few TV shows likely spring to mind. The Good Place, Lost, and Mr. Robot are some stellar examples of shows with memorable plot twists that recontextualize the entire series and make you want to go back to the first episode immediately.

Apple TV+’s Sugar already starts as a compelling and visually intriguing send-up to classic film noir, complete with voice-over narration, untrustworthy characters, a charismatic yet mysterious lead performance from the always reliable Colin Farrell, and the occasional use of black-and-white cinematography. The twist in Sugar comes more than halfway through the series and is so bold and so out-there that it becomes an entirely different show altogether. However, Apple TV+ has been playing so coy with Sugar that to even hint at the show’s risky narrative curveball would be a disservice to both the series as a whole and the audience. Whether or not it works is another discussion, but one thing is for certain: this is a show you’ll want to keep your eyes on.

Sugar (2024) Private investigator John Sugar examines the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the granddaughter of a legendary Hollywood producer. Release Date April 5, 2024 Main Genre Drama Seasons 1 Creator(s) Mark Protosevich

What Is ‘Sugar’ About?

Sugar begins with a black-and-white sequence set in Tokyo, Japan, where we are quickly introduced to John Sugar (Farrell), a private investigator with a passion for cinema and a real vigor to help those in need. It is also revealed that, despite his dangerous profession, John has a real aversion to violence of any kind, especially if he’s the one who has to deal with it.

After solving another case and as the series reverts to full color, John returns home to Los Angeles, California, where we begin to get a better sense of who he is. He’s not your typical gumshoe detective; he aspires to have a more optimistic outlook on the world. He has a soft-spoken and comforting voice, attempts to be on friendly terms with nearly everyone he meets, and loves making classic movie references whenever given the opportunity, even when it’s not necessarily appropriate. John also has a seemingly pleasant relationship with his handler Ruby (Kirby), who has become deeply concerned about his health after he expresses that he’s been experiencing frequent tremors and neurological episodes.

John’s latest case has him come face-to-face with Hollywood royalty when the legendary movie producer, Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell), asks him to help find his missing granddaughter Olivia (Sydney Chandler). While initially starstruck, John eagerly takes on the case and is quickly introduced to Siegel’s shady family. Jonathan’s son Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris) is a sleazy producer who doesn’t seem too concerned about his daughter because of her past battles with drug addiction. Bernie’s son David (Nate Corddry) is an entitled former child star plagued with scandals that his family has attempted to keep hidden for years. John also begins to form a complex relationship with Bernie’s ex-wife Melanie (Amy Ryan), a former rock star who now prefers to spend her nights alone, sipping liquor at an exclusive nightclub. John also befriends an adorable dog named Wiley, who accompanies him throughout his journey.

The further John becomes entrenched in finding out the truth about Olivia’s disappearance, the more he realizes that he’s putting himself and his own deep, dark secrets at risk. So much so that Ruby continuously advises him to walk away from the case, warning him that he may learn things about himself that could threaten the lives of everyone.

‘Sugar’ Keeps You Glued to the Screen
Image via Apple TV+

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Fernando Meirelles serves as the director behind a majority of Sugar’s first season (TV veteran Adam Arkin directs the remaining episodes) and immediately employs a style that’s so unique compared to other modern mystery series. Clips from classic film noir are constantly spliced in, further cementing the show’s shamelessness about its influences, but also finding ways to put us into the mind of the titular PI. Interrogations, interviews, and even simple conversations are often populated by noticeable jump-cuts that may or may not have you rewinding the episode to see if something is wrong with your internet. Yet it is all completely intentional. Showrunner Mark Protosevich wants to make sure the audience doesn’t miss a single sentence being said. While these jump-cuts are distracting at first, you quickly grow accustomed to them and what they add to the overall intrigue.

Sugar’s creative team makes it clear from the get-go that there’s more to John than meets the eye, almost to an obnoxious degree. We as viewers know that something is being hidden from us, but what it might be, we don’t exactly know. However, the show continuously stops short of giving us definitive answers at first. By the time the series unveils its big secret, which it has playfully hinted at, it is a major make-or-break moment.

The entire point of a plot twist is to change the way the audience looks at a story, but the twist here is so radical that Sugar becomes a completely different series. While the mystery behind Olivia’s disappearance is already engrossing, the plot beats leading up to John’s big secret overtake the entire series. Once the curtain is pulled more than halfway into the series, the classic noir investigation is rendered almost secondary. Thankfully, the episodes aren’t too long, with seven having a runtime at or around the 30-minute mark (the first episode runs longer at 50 minutes). Sugar doesn’t feel as if it’s wasting our time by throwing in needless subplots; instead, it focuses on gradually building up to the big reveal as well as delving deeper into the mystery.

Colin Farrell Is Perfectly Cast as ‘Sugar’s Title Character

Farrell has had an interesting career, having starred in movies and shows across various genres. His work as John is one of Sugar’s greatest assets. He’s able to exude his natural charisma while simultaneously being able to portray such an enigmatic character. He’s not trying to imitate Humphrey Bogart, but rather inhabits his character as if he’s your super friendly, albeit socially awkward neighbor. Farrell has played detectives before, but John Sugar has much more in common with Pádraic from The Banshees of Inisherin than Ray Velcoro in True Detective Season 2. This is Farrell’s show through and through, and while the rest of the ensemble turns in solid work as the eccentric characters that John meets on his journey, they’re all in service of the title character’s arc.

Sugar starts out exceptionally strong in its first few episodes, exuding confidence in its style and showing no shame in its influences. Despite the story becoming a tad muddled in its final installments, its bold plot twist is creatively admirable. Sugar is both a tribute to the classic film noir that is almost all but extinct in modern Hollywood and your next TV obsession — as long as you prepare for the rug to be pulled out from right under your feet.

Sugar (2024) REVIEWSugar’s bold risks pay off in an engaging throwback to classic film noir.ProsColin Farrell is perfectly cast as John Sugar, nailing both the charisma and ambiguity of his character.The creative choices of jump-cuts splicing footage of classic films keep the viewer feeling engaged.The episodes never overstay their welcome and get straight to the point. ConsThe show’s central mystery starts to get lost once the big twist is revealed.

Sugar premieres on Apple TV+ on April 5.

Watch on Apple TV+