Apple TV

John Sugar is back!

And if I’m honest, I didn’t even know they were making a second season.

Season 1 ended with one of the biggest “What the…?” moments I’ve seen on television in a long time. No spoilers here, but the twist completely caught me off guard and instantly changed everything I thought I knew about the show.

This time, LA’s most formidable private detective is investigating the disappearance of boxer Danny Moon’s brother. It’s another classic detective story on the surface, but if Season 1 taught us anything, it’s that Sugar is never just a detective story.

One of the things I love most about this show is its style.

It's visually stunning, everything looks incredible.

The cinematography is beautiful, the soundtrack is spot on and those little black-and-white movie clips sprinkled throughout the episodes…

Chef’s kiss.

It’s such a simple idea, but it gives the whole series its own identity and constantly reminds you that this is a love letter to classic Hollywood detective films.

And then there’s Colin Farrell.

He’s perfect.

I genuinely can’t imagine anyone else playing John Sugar now. A while ago I read Ralph Macchio’s autobiography, Waxing On, where he talks about roles he missed out on and how, looking back, the right actor ended up getting the part.

That’s exactly how I feel about Sugar.

Sometimes the casting directors simply get it right.

I’ve only just started Season 2, so I have no idea where the story is heading.

Although, if Season 1 is anything to go by…

Probably somewhere quite literally out of this world.

Sugar is available on Apple TV.

Your Friends and Neighbours is still one of the most fun shows on Apple TV+, and Season 2 keeps the drama flowing nicely. I know it’s not a movie but I’m experimenting with more long form written content and this seems like the perfect place for it.

The cast remains excellent, although things get a bit more complicated with the arrival of Owen Ashe, played by James Marsden. Every time he appears on screen, you get the feeling he's about to make life much worse for somebody. Usually everyone.

One of my favourite things about the show is spending time in the fictional town of Westmont Village. It's packed with people who have more money than most of us will ever see, yet somehow they still manage to collect problems like they're loyalty points.

As with many Apple TV+ shows, plenty of money has clearly been spent on the production. The opening credits are a great example. You can tell there's a lot of green screen involved, but it still looks impressive. It's flashy, stylish and probably costs more than my house.

What keeps me watching isn't just the wealth and the drama. The show does a great job of exploring real issues such as mental health, grief and family struggles. It handles these topics with care while still keeping the story entertaining.

I'm currently halfway through Season 2 and already trying to work out where it's heading. My prediction is that Andy and Barney will eventually join forces to take Owen's $400 million. Whether that's a genius prediction or complete nonsense is something I'll find out soon enough.

For now, I'm hooked. Rich people making questionable decisions has rarely been this entertaining.