---
title: "Sugar"
year: 2024
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/sugar"
fi1m_id: "sugar"
imdb_id: "tt16418808"
tmdb_id: 203744
wikidata_id: "Q113696648"
fi1m_score: 58
critics_score: 59
critics_reviews: 10
published: "2026-09-22T21:51:12.242895+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-22T21:51:15.633770+00:00"
region: "PT"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sugar (2024)

Created by Mark Protosevich · IGAC 16 · Drama, Mystery

## Identity

Sugar

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/sugar
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** sugar
- **IMDb ID:** tt16418808
- **TMDB ID:** 203744
- **Wikidata ID:** Q113696648
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16418808/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/203744, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113696648

**Fi1m score: 58** · Critics 59 from 10 reviews

*In a sentence:* A private eye who loves old films so much the series keeps cutting to them instead of finishing its own

> Colin Farrell is as good as he has ever been as a private detective who would rather be in a Bogart picture. For two episodes the series around him is nearly that good. Then the case goes thin, and a turn we will not describe goes worse.

## Synopsis

Los Angeles, the present day. John Sugar (Colin Farrell) is a private detective who lives in a hotel, wears a suit to breakfast, speaks several languages and spends his evenings watching black-and-white films. The ageing producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) hires him to find his granddaughter Olivia, who has not been seen in two weeks and whose family would rather nobody looked. Her father Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris) and her half-brother Davy (Nate Corddry), an actor with a scandal of his own to bury, want Sugar gone. Ruby (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), the woman who assigns his cases, wants him to drop it too, and will not say why. Melanie Matthews (Amy Ryan), Olivia’s former stepmother and a one-time rock singer, decides to help.

## Review

Mark Protosevich’s series puts a private detective in a Los Angeles hotel, gives him a sharp suit, a soft voice and a shelf of old films, and asks the question on the poster: who is Sugar? The first two hours, directed by Fernando Meirelles, answer it the way a good noir should, by watching him work. The remaining six spend most of their time not answering it at all, and then answering it badly.

Farrell is the reason to watch, and he is reason enough for a while. He plays John Sugar as a man who is kind on purpose, who tips well, apologises to the people he has to hit and cannot pass a stray dog. It is a courteous, quiet performance, most of it in the eyes, and it goes against the whole tradition the series is borrowing from, where the detective is a cynic and the city has earned it. Sugar believes people are worth saving. Farrell makes that seem like a choice rather than a script note, and it is the one idea here that holds for all eight episodes.

Meirelles and his regular cinematographer César Charlone, who shot [*City of God*](https://film.one/film/city-of-god) (2002) together, give the opening episodes a real look: sodium-orange nights, a hotel bar lit from below, the Siegel house all glass and money. Tom Foden’s production design puts Sugar in a room that could be 1954 if you took the laptop away. The editing team, nine names deep on the credits, has one trick, and for two hours it is a good one: mid-scene, for a second or two, the picture cuts to a black-and-white film from the 1940s or 50s, a detective in a hat doing what Sugar is about to do. We were, for those first two episodes, happier than we expected to be, and it was the ease of it, Farrell walking into a room in a grey suit while a dead man’s face flickered over his, that did it.

Then the trick wears. By the fourth episode the clips arrive on cue, announcing that a scene is about to be a scene, and the case they are decorating has gone slack. A missing granddaughter, a family with money and a secret, a man who wants the family kept out of the papers: this is the plot of [*Chinatown*](https://film.one/film/chinatown) (1974) and [*The Long Goodbye*](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye) (1973) and a hundred others, and the series knows it, and knowing it is not the same as doing something with it. Ten writers are credited. The dialogue often sounds like it, with lines that explain what the last scene meant and characters who state their motives as if reading them off a card.

The supporting cast is better than what it is given. Amy Ryan plays Melanie with a dry, lived-in warmth and is the only person Sugar has a proper conversation with; the series is at its best when they are in a car together. James Cromwell does a great deal with a wheelchair and a stare. Kirby Howell-Baptiste has to carry the series’ secret in every scene and is asked to do it mostly by looking worried at a screen. Nate Corddry’s Davy is a coward written as a coward, and Corddry finds nothing more in him because there is nothing more there. Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad’s score, all brushed drums and vibraphone, is lovely and does more to make the thing feel like noir than the plotting does.

Midway through the run the series takes a turn we will not describe, and which most of the reviews so far have described in full, so avoid them if you intend to watch. What we can say is that the series has been coy about it for five hours, with cutaways and meaningful pauses, and that the coyness is the problem. When the turn came we laughed, not kindly, and then felt cheated by the wait. The answer is not the disgrace some critics have called it. It is simply a big idea dropped into a small mystery, and the mystery does not grow to fit it.

Against the genre’s own standards, the ones the series keeps cutting away to, it comes up short: those films had thin plots too, but they moved, and they let the detective’s decency cost him something. Sugar’s costs him a sore rib. A second series of eight episodes followed. Watch the first two of this one, decide whether you want to know who Sugar is, and bear in mind that the series is less sure than its tagline sounds.

*Fi1m score 58, published 22 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is Sugar worth watching?**

*Sugar* is worth watching for its first two episodes, when Colin Farrell's courteous private detective and Fernando Meirelles's direction come close to the noir they are imitating, and we scored it 58. After that the case goes slack and a mid-series turn lands badly. Watch the opening pair, then decide whether you need to know the rest.

**How long is Sugar, and what is it rated?**

*Sugar* is rated 16 by the IGAC in Portugal. It is a drama and mystery series.

**Where can I watch Sugar in Portugal?**

*Sugar* is streaming on Apple TV in Portugal. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Sugar, and is it suitable for children?**

*Sugar* carries a UK 15 certificate, so it is not suitable for children, and it contains fights, a missing-woman case and a family with things to hide. The violence is moderate rather than frightening; Sugar apologises to the people he hits. Teenagers of fifteen and over should be fine, and the squeamish will find little to flinch at.

**How does Sugar compare to The Long Goodbye?**

*Sugar* borrows its shape from [*The Long Goodbye*](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye), but the Altman film is the better of the two, because its thin plot keeps moving and its detective's decency costs him something. *Sugar* has the sharper look and a warm Farrell performance, yet its mystery sags and its dialogue explains itself. Choose the film for craft, the series for Farrell.

**What should I watch after Sugar?**

After *Sugar*, try [*The Long Goodbye*](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye) (1973, Fi1m 86): Altman’s Marlowe wanders 1970s Los Angeles half-asleep and still solves it; the model here. Then [*Chinatown*](https://film.one/film/chinatown) (1974, Fi1m 93): The missing woman, the rich family, the water: the plot Sugar borrows, done properly; and [*Terriers*](https://film.one/tv/terriers) (2010, Fi1m 82): One season of unlicensed detectives in a beach town; funny, sad and finished.

### Reviews we read (10)

- **The Telegraph**, Chris Bennion (80/100, inferred): Colin Farrell oozes cool as a film-obsessed PI in a gorgeous homage to Golden Age Hollywood noir. Meirelles directs with verve and the stylish visuals and strong performances make it a treat. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2024/03/27/sugar-apple-tv-review-colin-farrell-homage-to-hollywood/)
- **The AV Club**, Todd Lazarski (B): The critic praises Colin Farrell's charismatic performance as a film-obsessed PI channeling classic noir detectives, noting the stylish references and engaging first half. They note that while the project doesn't fully land and becomes predictable, Farrell elevates it significantly. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/sugar-review-apple-tv-plus-colin-farrell-neo-noir-1851379742)
- **Evening Standard**, Nick Clark (75/100, inferred): Farrell charms as the gumshoe in a playful neo-noir that lovingly references classics while adding its own spin. The series is beautifully shot and enjoyable for film buffs despite a stately pace. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/sugar-apple-tv-review-colin-farrell-b1148101.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (57/100, inferred): The critic finds the series intriguing but frustrating due to excessive coyness about its twist, which overshadows the bland foreground plot. They praise Farrell's terrific performance and the visual style, but complain that the mystery isn't gripping and the coyness kills interest. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/sugar-review-colin-farrell-apple-tv-1235858304/)
- **IndieWire**, Ben Travers (D+): The critic finds the series a disappointing neo-noir that fails to overcome its cliches and a sour twist, calling it a stinker overall. They single out its loving homage to Old Hollywood cinema as the purest element amid the failures. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/sugar-review-colin-farrell-apple-series-1234970384/)
- **Variety**, Alison Herman (39/100, inferred): The critic finds the series clumsy and clichéd, criticizing the rote mystery, clumsy dialogue, wooden performances, and a baffling twist that comes too late. They single out the overqualified cast performing below their abilities and Farrell's character as unconvincing wish fulfillment. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/tv/tv-reviews/sugar-review-colin-farrell-1235957069/)
- **The Guardian** (20/100, inferred): The series is derivative and uninspired with a maddening mid-season twist that undermines the whole thing. Farrell's performance is a highlight but cannot save the narrative cheat. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/apr/05/sugar-review-colin-farrell-private-detective-drama-is-a-disaster)
- **Collider**, Nate Richard (8/10): The critic calls the series an engaging throwback whose bold risks pay off despite some muddling in later episodes. It singles out the unique jump-cut editing splicing in classic noir clips and Farrell's charismatic, enigmatic performance. [Read](https://collider.com/sugar-apple-tv-review/)
- **/Film**, Ben Pearson (8/10): The critic finds the series a strong noir love letter for cinephiles, praising its overt engagement with classic genre tropes through editing and film references alongside Farrell's charming lead turn. It singles out the fresh choice to portray the detective as a genuinely good man in a cynical genre. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1525071/sugar-review-colin-farrell-noir-mystery-apple-tv-plus/)
- **Paste**, Shane Ryan (5.3/10): The critic finds the series a tease with strong performances and direction but ultimately undone by weak writing and an unengaging mystery. It singles out the forced attempts to humanize the protagonist as ringing false in the noir context. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/apple-tv-plus/sugar-review)

## Details

- **Created by:** Mark Protosevich
- **Creator:** Mark Protosevich
- **Director:** Fernando Meirelles, Michael Morris, Adam Arkin, Adam Bernstein, Amat Escalante
- **Writer:** Mark Protosevich, Sam Catlin, Donald Joh, Christopher C. Rogers, Megan Ritchie, Gary Tieche, Michael Bhim, David Rosen, Sam Alper, Jonny Gomez
- **Cinematography:** César Charlone, Xavier Grobet, Marshall Adams, Richard Rutkowski
- **Editor:** Fernando Stutz, Matthew V. Colonna, Trevor Baker, John Petaja, Connor Davis, Marta Evry, Luis Colina, Emilio Luc Castillo, Christopher S. Capp
- **Music:** Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Adrian Younge
- **Production design:** Tom Foden, Meghan C. Rogers
- **Costume design:** Christie Wittenborn
- **Producer:** Matt Woodall, Ryan DeGard, Sheila Phillips
- **Cast:** Colin Farrell as John Sugar; Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Ruby; Jin Ha as Danny Moon; Amy Ryan as Melanie Matthews; Tony Dalton as Ray Vega; Dennis Boutsikaris as Bernard 'Bernie' Siegel; Raymond Lee as Ji Moon; Nate Corddry as David 'Davy' Siegel
- **Certificate (IGAC):** 16
- **Release (Portugal):** 4 April 2024
- **Genres:** Drama, Mystery
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twvPGxuEOEA

## Where to watch in Portugal

- Apple TV: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-22.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, SE, SG, TH, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Long Goodbye* (1973), Fi1m 86: Altman’s Marlowe wanders 1970s Los Angeles half-asleep and still solves it; the model here. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-long-goodbye.md)
- *Chinatown* (1974), Fi1m 93: The missing woman, the rich family, the water: the plot Sugar borrows, done properly. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/chinatown.md)
- *Terriers* (2010), Fi1m 82: One season of unlicensed detectives in a beach town; funny, sad and finished. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/terriers.md)
- *Brick* (2005), Fi1m 81: Hard-boiled dialogue in a high school, played straight, and it works. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/brick.md)
- *The Element of Crime* (1984), Fi1m 63: Lars von Trier’s sepia noir about a detective who becomes the case; strange, slow, striking. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-element-of-crime.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/sugar