‘Sugar’ Recap: ‘Olivia’ & ‘These People, These Places’

4/5/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Colin Farrell as John Sugar in Episode 101 of ‘Sugar’ – ‘Olivia’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Series Premiere of ‘Sugar’.

There was a time in popular media, where every detective story or private investigator story was presented to an audience in the style of Noir. Wherein said investigator, who just so happened to be as tough as nails and smart as they come, would solve woefully complex crimes in a dark underworld. Where cynicism and ugliness ruled the day and well, these stories were everywhere to be found, simply because at the time… they were perfect escapism. For they served as the anthesis to the post-war Americana that permeated popular culture, by offering up a gritty look at a greasy underworld operating beneath our own noses.

But of course, as the times change, so does the entertainment landscape, and Noir faded away… for the most part. For it did still pop up now and again via the occasional story designed to celebrate/recapture its wonder, and its ebb and flow in the marketplace does leave one wondering… if by chance there will ever come a day when it might find itself to be resurgent again. Or if that ship has indeed sailed into the night, never to be seen again. Well as it turns out, this era of peak television is starting to explore if Noir is something that will indeed land with audiences again, since we are starting to see it pop up more often. In fact, Apple TV+ is now home to a Noir themed series as well, one that does an amazing job of updating the genre for modern times in Sugar.

A feat that this series accomplishes by introducing us to a different breed of Private Investigator. For John Sugar is not the grizzled gumshoe that we’ve come to expect in this genre of storytelling… despite the story hinting at otherwise. Since we do see some of the old tenets present in ‘Olivia’ and ‘These People, These Places’. After all, Sugar does have a keen mind and uses it to assemble clues and truths about what might have happened to the woman that’s gone missing in this tale, that he’s been hired to find by the mysterious Jonathan Siegel. Plus, he has no qualms resorting to violence as needed to teach the bad people of the world a lesson in humility. But it’s what he does in between all of that, which makes this a modern bit of Noir. One that audiences can find hope and joy within while still enjoying the majesty of the genre.

Colin Farrell and James Cromwell as John Sugar and Jonathan Siegel in Episode 102 of ‘Sugar’ – ‘These People, These Places’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

In that, John Sugar harbors no ill cynicism toward the world. He believes in good deeds, that the right actions can make magic happen, and that’s why he consistently gives people second and third chances to do the right thing, and even goes above and beyond to help those in need. Which is something new to the genre. Something viewers can absolutely get behind in these cynical times, and it prompts us to root for John, and to know all we can about him. So, we can understand what makes him tick, what drives him to be like this. Just because this is rare to see in real-life much less in a crime drama and having that knowledge would help all of us greatly, and that really does make for some refreshing moments and some unique storytelling, the kind that some might say isn’t Noir.

But that would be an incorrect assessment of this series. Since in between the good deeds, and the curious moments involving John’s odd health issues… are classic Noir elements. In fact, the show is simply swimming in them. After all, the old school narration/inner dialogue of our hero is present everywhere we turn. Giving us insight into the case, John’s line of thinking and so much more. Not to mention, the story is set in Los Angeles, a true bastion for the genre. Plus, the case is full of secrets and strange characters and agents that you only find in this genre, and of course… the off-putting nature of this world beneath ours is presented to us in a brilliant manner through some claustrophobic camera work that symbolizes a skewed reality.

Yet the wonder of this tale doesn’t end there. For this is a story that is further enhanced by some amazing performances as well. Since every actor present here sells the world we’re plunged into and of course, Colin Farrell, who plays John Sugar, simply leads the charge in such matters and turns in one of his most powerful and unique performances to date. All of which brings forth, one incredible series premiere. One that truly resurrects and reinvents Noir, courtesy of an outright incredible story and a case that quite frankly, grabs hold of you and never let’s go. Because now we must know what happened to Olivia, and whether or not John can actually uncover the truth. For the secrets surrounding the Siegel family are vast and unsettling, and they don’t seem eager in the slightest, to make them known to the world. Until next time.

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