Sugar Review: Is Colin Farrell’s Mystery Series Worth It?
Sugar Review: Is Colin Farrell’s Mystery Worth the Hype?
Listen, we’ve all been there—staring at the streaming home screen on a Friday night, wondering if that new prestige drama is actually worth your precious weekend hours or just another slow-burn snooze fest. You want style, you want mystery, and let’s be real, you want to see if Colin Farrell can still carry a show. Sugar enters the scene looking like a classic noir, but is it the binge-worthy obsession you’ve been hunting for? For our South Asian audience who loves a good "whodunit" with a slick, modern twist, here is the honest truth about this stylish detective saga.
Sugar at a Glance
| DekhoPrime Rating | 7.2/10 — Stylized Noir with a Twist |
| Binge Time | ~10 hours total |
| Best For | Cinephiles and Mystery Addicts |
| Skip If | You hate slow-burns or sci-fi pivots |
| Status | Returning Series |
What Is Sugar About?
Imagine the sun-drenched streets of Los Angeles, but instead of the usual Hollywood glitz, you’re diving into the dark corners of a city that hides its secrets in plain sight. We follow John Sugar, a dashing and incredibly polite private investigator who specializes in finding people who don't want to be found. He’s hired by a legendary Hollywood producer to find his missing granddaughter, but this isn't your typical missing person case.
Sugar is a man who truly loves old movies and sees the best in everyone, even when he’s navigating the grittiest parts of the underworld. But here’s the kicker: Sugar is hiding a secret of his own, something that goes way beyond a standard traumatic backstory. The show blends old-school film noir aesthetics—think black and white cuts and internal monologues—with a very modern, high-tech vibe. You’re watching him solve a case while simultaneously trying to figure out who he actually is. It’s a show that plays with your expectations of the genre, making you think you’re watching a tribute to Bogart before pulling the rug out from under you. What makes the show's hook so unique is how it balances Sugar’s extreme empathy with a simmering, otherworldly tension that keeps you questioning every single frame.
Story & Pacing Across 2 Seasons
Season 1 starts off with an incredible atmosphere. It feels like a love letter to cinema, and for the first five episodes, you are totally locked into the mystery of Olivia Siegel’s disappearance. The pacing is deliberate—some might call it slow—but the style is so infectious that you don't mind the linger. However, the "big twist" toward the end of the first season is a massive polarizer. You’ll either love the creative risk or feel like the show switched genres on you without a permit.
By the time we hit Season 2, the show leans much harder into its unique identity. The pacing actually picks up as the stakes transition from a local kidnapping to something much more global—and internal. There are definitely a couple of filler episodes in the middle of the second run where the investigative work feels like it's spinning its wheels just to reach the finale, but the character development keeps it afloat. The peak of the series so far is definitely the transition between the two seasons, where the world-building finally catches up to the aesthetic. While it doesn't always maintain the tight tension of a classic thriller, it succeeds in creating a mood that’s hard to shake off. It’s a journey that rewards patience, even when the plot occasionally wanders into the corners of the subplots.
Characters: Who's Worth Your Attention?
Obviously, John Sugar is the sun this show orbits around. He isn’t your typical jaded, alcoholic P.I. He’s kind, he’s a polyglot, and he has a genuine aversion to violence, which makes his moments of necessary brutality even more shocking. But the real scene-stealer for me is Ruby, played by the brilliant Laura Donnelly. Her dynamic with Sugar is layered with unspoken history and a sense of duty that feels both protective and slightly ominous. There’s a specific moment in Season 1 where Ruby warns Sugar about getting too "attached" to humanity, and the look in her eyes tells a hundred stories the script hasn't even touched yet.
Then there’s the Siegel family, particularly the father-son dynamic between Bernie and David. Tony Dalton brings that same charismatic menace we loved in Better Call Saul, playing a man who is desperate to protect his legacy while navigating the failures of his own family. The writing shines when these characters are forced to interact with Sugar’s relentless optimism. It’s the contrast between his "good guy" persona and their Hollywood cynicism that provides the show's best emotional beats. You aren't just watching a case; you're watching a clash of philosophies.
Acting: Cast Breakdown
Colin Farrell is the absolute soul of this series. He brings a vulnerable, wide-eyed curiosity to John Sugar that prevents the character from feeling like a caricature. He doesn't just play a dashing lead; he plays a man who is perpetually fascinated by the world around him, and that sincerity is what makes the show’s bigger swings work. If it were any other actor, the mid-season twists might have felt silly, but Farrell sells it with total conviction.
The supporting cast is equally sharp. Jin Ha is fantastic as Henry, bringing a tech-savvy edge that balances the show’s retro feel. Tony Dalton, as mentioned, is a master of the "charming villain" archetype, though I wish the script gave him even more room to play. Raymond Lee also turns in a solid performance, adding gravity to the investigative side of things. The chemistry isn't necessarily romantic; it’s more of an intellectual and professional friction that feels grounded and real. There aren't really any "weak links," though some of the minor antagonists feel a bit one-dimensional.
Should You Binge Sugar? Final Verdict
If you are the kind of viewer who appreciates a gorgeous visual palette and isn't afraid of a story that takes a wild, unexpected left turn, then Sugar is absolutely worth your time. It’s not your typical "police procedural" that you can just have on in the background while scrolling through Instagram. It demands your attention, especially as you watch Sugar navigating his own identity. For the South Asian binge-watcher who loves the noir vibes of Sacred Games but wants something with a Hollywood gloss and a sci-fi edge, this is a solid pick. With 16 episodes across two seasons, you’re looking at about 10 hours of high-quality entertainment. It’s stylish, weird, and deeply human.
DekhoPrime Rating: 7.2/10
How far are you into Sugar? Let us know in the comments!
Where to Watch Sugar Legally
You can catch both seasons of Sugar exclusively on Apple TV+. Make sure to check your local listings or official streaming apps like Apple TV+ in your region for availability.
Sugar: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many episodes does Sugar have?
A: The series currently consists of 16 episodes spread across two seasons. Each episode typically runs between 35 to 45 minutes, making it a relatively quick binge for a weekend.
Q: Is Sugar suitable for family viewing?
A: Sugar is primarily intended for mature audiences, featuring themes of violence, drug use, and dark psychological elements. It is best enjoyed by adults who appreciate complex dramas rather than as a family-friendly show.
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📺 What's your favourite season? Let us know in the comments!
Where to Watch? Watch This Series on Dekho Prime
