? Neo-noir is undeniably having a moment, and AppleTV+ series Sugar stands out from the pack, featuring lush atmospherics, solid cast performances, and plethora of winks to classic noir films. Despite a slow start, the show’s eight episodes cover significant ground — with a controversial twist near the midway point that will throw viewers for a loop.

Here’s the sitch: John Sugar (Colin Farrell) is an American private investigator living in Los Angeles who is deeply influenced by his love for old movies and haunted by personal trauma. When he's hired by legendary film producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell) to find Siegel’s missing granddaughter, Olivia (Sydney Chandler), Sugar dives into a case far more complicated than he might ever have imagined.

Sugar works his way through a wider cast of characters, including Olivia’s half-brother David (Nate Corddry) and her stepmother Melanie (Amy Ryan), searching for the truth behind Olivia’s disappearance. Still, the investigation is less straightforward than it initially seems, forcing Sugar to confront his own demons as he pieces together a mystery that stretches back decades.

The series is a game of two halves: The first half of the show is essentially an uninterrupted callback to the classic noir, complete with voice-overs of Sugar’s thoughts and snippets of archival footage from noir classics cut into the episodes. Slightly after the series’ midway point, things take a plot- and genre-bending turn — one that will either make you cheer, or turn off the TV entirely.

Worth the watch? Noir lovers will appreciate screenwriter Mark Protosevich’s callbacks to classic noir, while strong performances from Colin Ferrell and Amy Ryan help sell the show’s central conceit. Still, the noir element can come across as overbearing at times — leaving viewers hankering for more realistic character and plot development.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch the show on AppleTV+ or catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:16).

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