Apple TV's "Sugar" returns for a second season, continuing its unique blend of science fiction and detective neo-noir. The series, starring Colin Farrell as the eponymous alien private investigator, delves deeper into what it means to be human, exploring themes of morality, isolation, and societal prejudice through the eyes of its otherworldly protagonist. Season 2 shifts its focus to the struggles of marginalized communities in Los Angeles, offering a more grounded and critical look at the city than its predecessor.
Season 1 saw John Sugar grappling with his alien nature in Los Angeles, investigating the disappearance of a wealthy studio head's granddaughter. This led him into a conspiracy involving a serial killer and powerful figures, all while his own alien people's presence on Earth was revealed, leading to casualties and a decision by many to return home. Sugar, however, chose to remain to uncover answers about his presumed dead sister and to identify a traitor among his people.
The second season opens in East Asia, where Sugar finds a mortally wounded Henry, a former associate, before he can learn more about his sister. After destroying the evidence of their meeting in a fire, Sugar returns to Los Angeles with a new case. This time, he is hired not by the elite, but by Danny Moon, a Korean-American boxer whose brother, Ji, has gone missing. Assisting Sugar are Val, Danny's street-smart protégé, and Tom, a gruff government operative battling cancer. Together, they uncover a conspiracy involving Ji, narcotics, the sheriff's department, and the city's homeless population. This narrative arc offers a pointed critique of societal prejudice against those on the fringes of society.
While Sugar has always been an empathetic hero, his privilege has often gone unchecked. Driving a classic Corvette and living in a luxury hotel, his interactions with characters like Val, Danny, and Ji force him to confront the realities of life for less affluent Angelenos. This engagement with the less privileged sides of the city more convincingly awakens him to the challenges of living a moral life. The season also introduces a compelling romance with Charlotte, a mysterious femme fatale, and a vendetta against the charismatic Sheriff Ray Vega, creating a storyline that rivals classic film noir like "The Big Heat."
"Sugar" consistently uses cinematic references as a lens through which the alien detective learns about humanity. Sugar's mind often flashes to iconic film scenes, such as Paul Newman in "The Hustler" or "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" playing on his television during moments of introspection. However, this meta-commentary, while present, struggles to fully flesh out Sugar's character study as a lonely alien inhabiting a human body.
Farrell's performance remains a strong point, with his kind gaze and earnest presence evoking comparisons to Bruno Ganz in "Wings of Desire" and David Bowie in "The Man Who Fell to Earth." Yet, the series' persistent ambiguity regarding Sugar's alien heritage makes his purported unease with human assimilation difficult to fully grasp. The limited flashbacks to his alien background, his sister's secretive activities, and hints of telekinetic powers in Season 2 are insufficient to satisfy a desire for deeper exploration of his alien race's nature and purpose on Earth.
By the conclusion of Season 2, Sugar resolves his immediate case, and viewers learn the peculiar reason for the aliens' aversion to cinnamon. Despite this resolution, the subplot leaves numerous questions unanswered. While a potential third season might provide further clarity, the series might benefit from a stronger integration of its science fiction elements alongside its film noir homages to deliver a more complete narrative experience.
