Farrell’s new crime drama is classy, with a sweet side
‘Sugar’ deserves applause for its originality, strong cast and beautiful old-school Hollywood vibes
What TV shows are dominating the conversation, capturing the zeitgeist or are hidden gems waiting to be uncovered? We take a look ahead of your weekend watch.
Looking for a new mystery with a nostalgic feel and a bit of “Sin City” and “L.A. Confidential” thrown in for cinematic effect? Then you might want to cue up Colin Farrell’s latest series on Apple TV Plus.
“Sugar” is an ambitious, eight-episode noir drama from the mind of Mark Protosevich (“I Am Legend”) with plenty of twists and old Hollywood flair.
The series kicks off in Tokyo, where we meet John Sugar (Farrell). The private investigator speaks fluent Japanese and uses his street smarts to save the son of a crime boss. It all goes down in artistic black-and-white footage that establishes Sugar really doesn’t like to hurt people, but he will when necessary. With minimal violence, of course.
It’s a memorable opening meant to hook you on a new gumshoe and it works.
However, it’s back in Los Angeles where Sugar takes on the seasonlong case that’s at the heart of this series: helping legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) find his missing granddaughter Olivia (Sydney Chandler).
As Sugar digs into the case and learns more about Olivia’s history, a whole cast of suspect family members surface. There’s the alcoholic stepmother Melanie (Amy Ryan), the unconcerned father Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris), the sleazy half-brother David (Nate Corddry) and his hired gun Kenny (Alex Hernandez). They don’t seem as concerned with Olivia’s disappearance as her grandfather is and none of them are keen on Sugar hanging around.
For Sugar, it’s a case he can’t refuse even if his handler, Ruby (Kirby), thinks he needs a break. Not only does Olivia remind him of a woman named Jen, whose background is later confirmed, but he’s a film buff at heart.
His entire existence aligns with the Cary Grants and Humphrey Bogarts of the world, and he brings that same old-school charm to his crime-solving methods. To further drive that idea home, the series flashes to plenty of old stills and clips of movies, to the point where you begin to believe this character might actually be living out a film. And he is, in a way.
Farrell, who also serves as executive producer on the project, is charismatic, soft-spoken and highly effective in the role.
He delivers the physicality required in various scenes, but adds even more weight to the character in the voice-overs.
People pay this guy good money to solve private crimes and he uses that cash to help others, like the town car driver with a sick kid or the homeless man living outside a seedy club. Driving around Hollywood and Highland or the ArcLight in his vintage blue Corvette, he’s the epitome of a classic Hollywood gent. Only here is he up against more modern crimes like trafficking and gangs.
Speaking of crimes, the one at the centre of the series is a doozy. There are multiple suspects and twists you don’t necessarily see coming, which results in a story that never feels drawn out or without suspense.
Instead of leaning toward grit like so many series in the genre do, this story is purposeful and thought out. This is a cleaner crime drama with a classy PI that doesn’t rely on shootouts and car chases to get its point across. Instead, it leans into the characters and the story, with solid performances across the board.
The electric scenes between Ryan and Farrell are particularly tangible, with their will-they or won’t they chemistry.
Like many worthwhile detective characters, Sugar has a dark past that explains his dedication to the job. That history unravels unexpectedly as the series progresses, adding motive and purpose to the man. But Sugar is also hiding something. His hands shake and his vision blurs throughout that first episode and, as surreal scenes unfold, you realize Sugar isn’t exactly a reliable narrator.
The secret he’s keeping eventually surfaces and it’s an unexpected genre twist that has divided viewers online. That shouldn’t deter you from tuning in, but be mindful that there’s a lot more than you initially realize to this multiple-language-speaking, vision-seeing detective who injects himself with an unnamed substance.
Love or hate that twist when you get there, you can’t deny that streaming “Sugar” is an immersive experience full of rich visuals and mood-setting music. Sure, its uniqueness amid the swollen detective genre isn’t for everyone, and you could argue the show would have been stronger had it not gone where it does, but in a landscape of crime dramas with countless male anti-heroes and womanizers, this is a refreshing take that deserves applause for its originality, strong cast and beautiful old-school Hollywood vibes.
All eight episodes of “Sugar” are now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
Also check out: The Big Cigar
If you’re already over on Apple TV Plus and looking for another show to get into, the limited series “The Big Cigar” debuts with two episodes on Friday.
The drama is based on a 2012 Playboy article by Joshuah Bearman and tells the true story of Black Panther Party founder Huey P. Newton (André Holland).
In 1974, Newton was framed for murder and escaped to Cuba with the help of famed movie producer Bert Schneider (Alessandro Nivola).
Over six episodes, the series traces that nail-biting escape as law enforcement and FBI across America search for the man. Then, through flashbacks, the show also digs into the creation of the party and how Newton’s mandate for the Black power movement changed with his life circumstances.
It’s an in-depth character exploration that will resonate with modern audiences and leave you wondering what has changed, exactly, in the past 50 years in terms of policing and systemic racism.