Service: Apple TV+
Creator: Mark Protosevich
Season Year: 2026
Watch: Apple TV+
I couldn’t tell you why I watched the second season of this completely absurd show. Other than I enjoy Colin Farrell and was curious how they would approach a season of television that has no reason to exist. In fact, after watching it, I’m not sure it did actually exist. The big reveal in season one — the dude’s an alien — pretty much abandoned, and Sugar’s obsession with old films feeling like a bad episode of Dream On, there had to be something new and interesting if they were to spend what has to be a pretty large chunk of change on more TV. But, nah, it’s just more of the same with less of it. And a narrative that is such a yawn, I can’t believe someone didn’t toss the script in the trash and tell them to start over.
This should be a pretty short review, as there is truly not much to say. Other than a lot of nit-picks and a general vibe check that makes me wonder if I might have been the only person watching this series. But first, the plot. Sugar’s alien friends have taken off to whatever planet they came from. At some juncture in season one we learned that Sugar had to shoot himself up with some sort of alien serum to keep his human form. Welp, they’ve totally abandoned that plot point. Nope, Sugar is all good in his Irish skin suit. He still drinks a ton of whiskey, despite the fact alcohol has very little effect on him, and drives the most conspicuous car in the world despite being a private eye who depends on being stealthy. It’s real dumb. He gives astronomy lessons in the Los Angeles night sky despite the fact those of us who grew up there know that the light pollution barely renders the moon viewable. And at some point he joins a fight club that is literally Fight Club because he can’t “feel” otherwise. Which, if I recall, is kind of the fake plot of Fight Club for the neanderthals. And Sugar, as a film lover, would know that. At one point some dudes blow holes him the size of a hubcap with a shotgun, yet are undisturbed when he shows up a couple days later uninjured. For some reason he owns an Inherent Vice director’s chair, which feels like it was just left in the Hollywood hills house that the production (and every other production) uses as Sugar’s crashpad. Also, he’s allergic to cinnamon in the same way Superman is allergic to kryptonite. Did they purposely make Sugar allergic to cinnamon as like a little joke? Again, dumb. There are like twenty more complaints and continuity / logic observations I have, but at some point it’s more complaint than show and that’s not fun for anyone.
Anyway, this is how I kept watching the show. Scrunching up my face at all the little silly shit. Until I realized the entire show is silly shit. The “plot” basically being Sugar taking on a case of a young boxer whose brother has gotten into some trouble and needs to be tracked down. I feel like they then basically rip off Chinatown and go from there. But it’s okay because Sugar loves old movies! Whatever. Anyhow, Sugar is also still looking for his sister. I think? That part of the plot never made a whole lot of sense. But instead of finding his sister, he has a relationship with a woman, Laura Donnelly, who is staying in the hotel he lives in. And I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I was actually okay with that part. They were good together. The writing for them wasn’t bad. Their relationship was sweet and kind of unique in its weird courting dance. Even though we know this is a noir show and she’s clearly the femme fatale up to no good. Or is his sister (played by a strangely clownish-looking Mireille Enos) the femme fatale? Whatever the case, you can’t pay too much attention or you too will start seeing this thing bleeding around the edges. But, if you kind of squint and ignore pretty much everything but Farrell, there is something oddly hypnotic about the show. Like I said, it does look expensive. The on-site shooting in LA alone is probably pretty costly. And the sets are rich and lush and the lighting always spot on. Farrell’s quiet control and affect make it easy to have on in the background without causing too much of a fuss. This season also introduces an intrguing Sasha Calle as Sugar’s kinda-sorta sidekick, which seemed cool and interesting. But she was seriously underused, and the promise of her inclusion amounted to absolute zero. I think they thought they had something and then either her role ended up on the cutting room floor or they just anticipated the plot going a different direction. A real waste of potential.
There is absolutely no way this show is getting a third season. I’d be willing to bet on it, but I don’t think anyone would take that action. Plus, there has to be something going on that it got a second season, so I feel like I’m not working with all the facts. I have to imagine Apple TV+ wants to be in the Colin Farrell business, so they gave him what they had to give him while they develop another, better property for him. Or maybe he really is an alien and hypnotized the execs to let him wear some nice clothes and sit around a lovely hotel sipping whiskey and driving around in a sweet vintage Corvette. Maybe.
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