Sugar

I admit I have a soft spot for private detective drama's whatever the time frame and this looks to be a good one. The genre relies on a strong male lead with some kind of vulnerability and Colin Farrell as Sugar completely embodies the requirement. All the cool you expect from the genre is on display, the car, the suits, the neon, every box ticked. The plot conforms to all the requirements, wealthy man hires private eye to find granddaughter, money is no object, all is not as it seems, dark secrets, etc. The directorial style and cinematography really lift this piece and the referencing to classic noir enhances the look. We're only two episodes in so it could go badly off the rails but as I say, if the reviewer at The Guardian hates it then it is going to be good.

Since episode 1 I've been intrigued by the mix of different styles and the wonky tone sitting within what on the surface appears to be a modern noir. What's with the mysterious bag of drugs Sugar carries around, why the utter lack of fear and the calmness throughout, the anti-violence and difficulty sleeping, there just seemed to be something else going on. What about the clandestine gathering of 'spies' and the feeling that there was something either supernatural or psychological at play. To think that it is a simple detective show would be to underestimate Colin Farrell and his willingness to take chances. I'm sure it's going to divide people, good. I for one am loving the combination of old school story with a plot twist unlike anything you may have seen before. It's great, it could go in so many directions from here, I'm hooked!

It seems like some people here should expose themselves to classic noir films and books this series finds its inspiration in. Folks criticizing the internal dialogue, that's a time-honored device of the genre as is, a slow burn pace and flashbacks. Maybe people these days are too accustomed to explosions and car chases to appreciate a little mystery. Read some Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett or watch a Robert Mitchum or Humphrey Bogart movie in the genre. Farrell is definitely well cast and the cinematography is sumptuous. I'm excited to see where this series takes us. We were glued to the screen and can't wait for me.

Colin Farrell is simply perfect in this role. Vulnerable yet strong, serious yet fun, and mysterious yet open. Really stellar supporting cast with beautiful scenery of LA. A real trip back in time to the old style self-narrated private directive genre. Apple hasn't disappointed and continues its excellent record of releasing excellent limited series like this one. The only negative is in a world of instant gratification, waiting for a whole week for a new episode is torturous! But this is most certainly work the wait. Finally, I also love the embedded black and white clips from old detective movies throughout. It adds to the intrigue for me.

Apple TV keeps putting out great television shows and Sugar is no different. It kept me entertained the entire way through and Colin Farrell is as terrific as always as the lead. He plays John Sugar, a kind of loner who gets hired by rich people to find missing people. He's hired to find the missing granddaughter of a big time movie producer (James Cromwell) which leads him into a lot of danger and mysteries. There are plenty of good twists and mysteries to see if you can solve along the way. I'll be shocked if Farrell isn't nominated for a bunch of awards for his role in this. I don't think this is a limited series so I hope they plan on doing several seasons of this because I'm in.