Apple TV's returning sci-fi series is already a Top 10 hit.
Apple TV remains the undisputed king of sci-fi television, propelled by well-known successes such as Silo, Severance, Pluribus, and For All Mankind. But over the past weekend, the streaming platform welcomed back an acclaimed genre-mashing drama that received an Emmy nomination for cinematographer Richard Rutkowski.
Sugar season 2 has already taken the #3 spot on Apple TV's Top 10 list in the U.S., beaten only by the thriller Cape Fear and the breakout horror-comedy Widow's Bay. The news comes just one day after Sugar season 2 premiered, on June 19, fitting the window of when returning streaming originals tend to get a bump.
Created by Mark Protosevich and debuting in April 2024, Sugar stars Oscar nominee Colin Farrell as Los Angeles private investigator John Sugar. Friendly and reserved in equal measure, the first installment examined John's efforts to solve a disappearance that's tied to the wealthy Siegel family.
The cast of Sugar includes Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Amy Ryan, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Alex Hernandez, James Cromwell, Jin Ha, Tony Dalton, Raymond Lee, Sasha Calle, Laura Donnelly, and Shea Whigham. But with the case largely solved and John losing most of his friends at the end of season 1, the supporting players largely change from one season to the next.
John's changing situation, along with the fact that he can no longer easily contact his support system, is a driving force behind the recently returned second installment. It all stems from a big twist that changes Sugar halfway through, essentially bringing the drama firmly into the sci-fi fold. But despite the twist, the new episodes retain their investigative focus.
The new episodes center on John as he accepts a new missing persons case in L.A. In particular, John searches for the older brother of an up-and-coming local boxer. He soon finds that the investigation expands into a citywide conspiracy, pushing him to question how far he'll go for answers. Along the way, John will also have to face his own personal search for a loved one that continues from Sugar season 1.
Sugar season 2 is showrun by Sam Catlin. Reviews for the Apple TV sci-fi drama have seen an improvement, with the latest episodes sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 81% for the first installment. It seems as though that increase in acclaim is also going right along with a jump in viewership on Apple TV.
Sugar season 2 streams new episodes Fridays on Apple TV.
