Colin Farrell’s new television series has earned rave reviews since its premiere, with viewers describing it as ‘utterly fantastic’.
However, some fans have had to deal with a ‘ill-judged surprise’ in the series, which may not’make sense’ to everyone who watches.
The 47-year-old Irish cinema hero plays private detective John Sugar in the Apple TV Plus thriller.
According to the official description, Sugar ‘investigates the disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the cherished granddaughter of Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel.’
However, ‘as Sugar tries to figure out what happened to Olivia, he uncovers Siegel family secrets, old and new.
Farrell, who was born in Castleknock, starred with Amy Ryan, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Sydney Chandler, and James Cromwell, to mention a few, with audiences immediately fascinated despite the fact that the first two episodes premiered on April 5.
Taking to X to share their excitement, user WW2HistoryGal wrote: ‘The new Colin Farrell show SUGAR on AppleTV is utterly brilliant. The way they’ve filmed it, with films of old Hollywood and classic movies interspersed into the narrative, is so cool. And Farrell’s character is smart, cool, and very good at his job as a PI. Highly recommend.’
TheCinesthetic described the series as ‘captivating and addictive’.
‘This show Sugar on Apple TV with Colin Farrell is great. He plays an American, so more proof that it’s not just the Irish accent – it’s the whole package. I’ve always loved Colin!’, wrote bingetheginge.
User posaidwhat added: ‘Finished the first two episodes of Sugar on Apple TV and it’s fantastic so far!! Colin Farrell is fantastic in this. The writing is slick/sharp . The call backs to classic film noir is fantastic. There’s a lot of mystery to it already!!. Can’t wait to see how this goes’.
As for critic reviews, Financial Times described the show as ‘an affectionate homage to the golden age of silver-screen crime dramas’.
Dan Einav described Farrell’s performance as ‘delectable’, adding that there is’a rich sense of atmosphere’ that is ‘well complemented by sharp yet sinuous plotting’, plus a ‘cool aesthetic and jaded narration are balanced with pronounced melancholy and inner conflict.’
I can't say much about it but I can say that if you don't watch Sugar, the forthcoming series on Apple TV+ starring Colin Farrell, you are missing one of the best shows of the current century. And that is not an understatement.
— Randy Shulman (@RandyShulman) March 27, 2024
‘Sugar’ on @AppleTV has one of the best opening episodes in a long time.
Colin Farrell is full of swagger and vulnerability.
A real neo-noir with old school investigative narration directed by Fernando Meirelles, who directed ‘City of God’.
Hyped for the season 😍 pic.twitter.com/Xo3Sv5N49R
— Bruno Lopes (@bruno7obe) April 6, 2024
Well what a bag of surprises #AppleTV is. I’m watching Colin Farrell in Sugar and it’s like a 60’s Detective Comic in modern day.
It’s good to see a good series being made in 2024.. They have some great series on Apple better than anything on the BBC or ITV. pic.twitter.com/50oQUSuYRP
— 𝐏𝕒𝕦𝕝 𝕊𝕒𝕪𝕤 🎙️ (@BestPaulSays) April 5, 2024
The new noir mystery series "SUGAR" on Apple TV, starring Colin Farrell, is captivating and addictive. pic.twitter.com/6qBIAelMNW
— cinesthetic. (@TheCinesthetic) April 5, 2024
This show Sugar on Apple TV with Colin Farrell is great. He plays an American, so more proof that it’s not just the Irish accent — it’s the whole package. I’ve always loved Colin! pic.twitter.com/sfYuKOcSDA
— Binge the Ginge (@bingetheginge) April 6, 2024
Finished the first two episodes of Sugar on Apple TV and it's fantastic so far!! Colin Farrell is fantastic in this. The writing is slick/sharp . The call backs to classic film noir is fantastic. There's a lot of mystery to it already!!. Can't wait to see how this goes #Sugar pic.twitter.com/fVZKXy7il7
— Po Muad'Dib (@posaidwhat) April 5, 2024
Alas, there’s one element of the series that hasn’t gone down so well – the twist.
FT adds: ‘Unfortunately it turns out that the series is also harbouring a terrible secret – a woefully ill-judged late twist. I guarantee that whatever theory you come up with to explain Sugar’s many idiosyncrasies will make more sense than what transpires.’
Meanwhile, The Guardian gave the series two stars overall.
Reviewer Lucy Mangan notes that, because it comes after the halfway point, the twist is ‘too deep into the story to work’.
‘But your mileage may vary. If it adds something to the experience for you, then you are more generous than I – who thinks this kind of thing should be stamped on immediately, and stamped on hard,’ she adds.
‘Sugar could have been – especially with a little script-polishing – at least an honourable addition to the genre. As it is, it’s nothing at all.’
Thankfully for Farrell, not everyone hated the twist, with X user KristenGBaldwin describing it as something ‘the best detective wouldn’t see coming.’
RandyShulman even declared it ‘one of the best shows of the current century. And that is not an understatement.’
Speaking about the role recently during press, Farrell told TheWrap in an interview that Sugar is not the ‘archetypical private detective.’
‘He’s deeply intuitive, very attuned to his environment, very attuned to anything living in creation; truly trees, birds, humans, dogs,’ Farrell said.
‘That was one of the lovely things about him. He had a tenderness to him as well, and a concern for all things [in] creation.’
Watch Sugar on Apple TV Plus.