I am not only surprised that shows like Constellation and Hello Tomorrow!, nearly every sci-fi show on the streamer is imaginative, unique, and committed to high production values.
An original Apple TV+ show, which premiered in April 2024, was no exception. From stellar performances to ambitious ideas, it delivered everything that would compel viewers to stick around till its finale. However, what made the series particularly interesting was its ability to significantly shift genres almost midway through its runtime. Despite taking the massive risk of abandoning its initial tone, the show managed to strike a chord with most viewers and critics, which prompted Apple TV+ to renew it for another season.
After Sugar Season 1's Shocking Sci-fi Twist, It's Hard To Predict What'll Happen In Season 2
Season 1's Twist Completely Changed The Show's Narrative Direction
In its opening moments, Apple TV+'s Sugar unfolds as a typical noir, with stylistic visuals and great performances. Colin Farrell's titular character is portrayed as a private detective who sets out to investigate the sudden disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the renowned Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel's granddaughter. In these early story beats, Sugar often features visuals from classic noir films, suggesting how it draws inspiration from them. However, the more it progresses, the more it becomes evident that there is more to these visuals than meets the eye.
What initially comes off as a typical murder mystery drama suddenly transcends genre conventions and drifts more towards the sci-fi realm.
Almost midway through its runtime, Sugar leaves one wondering whether something is wrong with Colin Farrell's John Sugar. The character not only has strange habits and routines but also often exhibits supernatural abilities. He also seems to be friends with a similar group of people who, like him, are all polyglots. After dropping so many subtle clues about his "inhuman" nature, the show finally reveals that he is an alien. The reason he keeps thinking about visuals from noir flicks is that they have taught him everything he knows about being human and a private investigator.
Sugar Ending Explained: What It Means For John Sugar
Sugar season 1's ending resolves many underlying mysteries but also introduces several new ones to pave the way for the Apple TV+ show's season 2.
Although the Apple TV+ show keeps hinting at its big twist from its early moments, it still catches one completely off guard. What initially comes off as a typical murder mystery drama suddenly transcends genre conventions and drifts more towards the sci-fi realm. In its final moments, Sugar establishes that its titular character is starting to finally understand what it means to be human, which encourages him to stay behind on Earth while the rest of his kind return to their own planet. These bizarre twists and turns leave one wondering how season 2 will unfold.
Sugar's Risky But Effective Genre Bending Makes Its Season 2 Exciting
Sugar Has The Potential To Become One Of Apple TV+'s Best Shows
Sugar's massive season 1 twist received a mixed reception from viewers. While some appreciated the show's courage to defy the storytelling norms, others felt the twist was a little too abrupt and outlandish. Regardless of what one thinks about Sugar after watching its opening season, the show has undoubtedly paved the way for a compelling season 2. The show's finale leaves viewers with many questions surrounding Sugar's past and the planet he hails from. It also leaves many story beats surrounding Sugar's alien sister unresolved in its ending moments.
Owing to this, it is hard not to look forward to Sugar season 2. As a viewer, I still find it hard to process how Sugar's creators and Apple TV+ dared take the massive risk of introducing the wild sci-fi twist almost midway through its runtime. At the same time, though, I appreciate how the series avoids getting weighed down by common viewer expectations and strives to reform storytelling norms instead of blindly following them. Hopefully, Sugar season 2 will live up to the high standards set by its predecessor and effectively expand the established alien lore in season 1.
“Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
