Created by writer Mark Protosevich (The Cell, I Am Legend), this neo noir mystery follows LA private detective John Sugar (Colin Farrell), who’s hired to find Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler), granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell). As Sugar continues his investigation, he runs into a colorful cast of characters, including Olivia’s indifferent father, Bernie Siegel (Dennis Boutsikaris); her stepbrother, David (Nate Corddry); David’s bodyguard, Kenny (Alex Hernandez); and her stepmother, Melanie (Amy Ryan)—all of whom treat Sugar with suspicion.
Stylishly filmed with a lot of iconic locales, the series is a throwback, with Sugar sporting a black suit and skinny black tie and driving a classic Corvette. He’s a cool operator, clever and compassionate, but we soon discover the enigmatic detective has his own demons to wrestle with. There’s also a late season genre-bending twist I didn’t see coming but that explains a lot.
With a great cast and compelling performances, not to mention clever writing and assured direction by the likes of Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener) and Adam Arkin (Justified, Sons of Anarchy), this is very bingeable indeed, and all eight episodes are now out. Dig in. (eight approximately 35-min. episodes)
—Glen Starkey
