Apple TV’s 8-Part Genre-Bending Crime Thriller Is 1 Of Weirdest Shows Of The Century

An 8-part crime thriller series on Apple TV is easily one of the weirdest shows of the 21st century. Given how Apple TV has been quite experimental with some of its series, it has a lot more weird TV shows in its catalog than most other streaming services. For instance, one of its first horror series, Servant, delivers an eerily offbeat and settling portrayal of grief and acceptance.

Even some of the sci-fi shows on Apple TV, like Pluribus and Severance, embrace the weird and the uncanny as they explore never-seen-before post-apocalyptic worlds and mind-altering technologies. Among all the weird shows on Apple TV, though, there is one that takes things a little too far: Sugar. Created by Mark Protosevich, Sugar initially disguises itself as a typical neo-noir thriller.

Although it seems formulaic, its overarching aesthetic and Colin Farrell’s performance as its lead become its primary drivers. However, just when a viewer starts settling into its drama, Apple TV’s Sugar drops hints of weirdness and stranger story developments that defy the conventions of typical grounded thrillers. These developments eventually lead to a bizarre twist that completely changes how you perceive the show.

Apple TV’s Sugar Has 1 Of The Weirdest Sci-Fi Twists In TV History

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Even in its earlier chapters, Apple TV’s Sugar features some strange developments between its regular detective plottings. For instance, its main titular character often finds himself blacking out due to an underlying condition. He even seems a little too obsessed with classic Westerns and crime thrillers, almost as if he is trying to emulate them through his detective work.

Colin Farrell’s John Sugar also speaks multiple languages with ease and also later attends a meet-up that includes other mysterious polyglots like him. The original Apple TV show gets even weirder when Sugar manages to block a bullet with his hands during a showdown with the bad guys. It is this scene that establishes he may not even be human.

After all these intriguing developments, the Apple TV show finally gives away a massive reveal that changes everything. It even shifts the show’s genre from a typical crime thriller to a sci-fi drama. Before Sugar season 1’s final credits start rolling, a viewer is left with many questions surrounding the titular character’s identity and motives.

It also becomes hard to wonder where the show would actually go from here. If Apple TV had not renewed Sugar for another season, it would have been just another genre-bender with a compelling mid-season twist. Fortunately, Sugar has been renewed for season 2 and is expected to return to Apple TV on June 19, 2026.

After Sugar season 1’s ending, the show’s season 2 is expected to be even stranger.

Sugar Season 2 Will Likely Be Stranger Than Season 1

Apple TV

In season 1, Apple TV’s Sugar let the cat out of the bag by revealing the truth about Colin Farrell’s character. Throughout season 1, the series operated more as a stealth addition to sci-fi, hiding its overarching twist behind its classic, sun-drenched Los Angeles neo-noir. However, now that viewers have been hinted about where it is potentially heading, Sugar can fully embrace its genre-bending absurdities.

Interestingly, Sugar season 2’s trailer only makes subtle references to season 1’s big twist. To ensure new viewers know nothing about its hidden sci-fi storytelling, the Apple TV show cleverly markets itself as another stylish detective mystery.

Audiences who have seen the Apple TV show’s season 1, however, would know that it is intentionally masking its offbeat elements. Like season 1, Sugar season 2 will also gradually pull the rug on viewers by peeling back the layers of its expansive science fiction story. Hopefully, season 1’s big twist was not the peak of storytelling for Sugar, and the show will have a lot more novelty to offer in season 2.

Sugar

9/10

Release Date

April 4, 2024