The dark, gritty series Sugar continues to pull in big audiences on Apple’s streaming service for another week. It stars Colin Farrell as a private detective searching for the missing granddaughter of a Hollywood magnate. It premiered last month and has stayed near the tops of the streaming ratings charts ever since.
And Dark Matter, a new Apple TV+ sci-fi series, very quickly found its audience, too.
Colin Farrell helps make Sugar popular
Star power can make a TV series. People tune in to watch The Morning Show for Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. They watch Hijack because it stars Idris Elba. Of course, to be successful, a series or film needs more than big names. Colin Farrell and Sugar combine a well-known celebrity with a compelling story (with a twist).
The series ranks at No. 7 on Reelgood’s list of Top 10 TV shows on streaming during the week ending May 8.
Chart: ReelGood
Estimates from companies like JustWatch are necessary because streaming services rarely reveal how many people watch their offerings.
For those not watching, the official description of the show says:
“Sugar is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.”
Colin Farrell has had a long career, with roles in independent films and blockbusters, including The Batman. He received two Golden Globes plus a nomination for an Oscar for best man in The Banshees of Inisherin.
The series also stars Kirby (The Sandman), Amy Ryan (The Wire), James Cromwell (Succession), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Dennis Boutsikaris (Better Call Saul), Nate Corddry (Mindhunter), Sydney Chandler (Don’t Worry Darling) and Alex Hernandez (Invasion).
Seven episodes of Sugar are available now. The season finale will be premiere on Friday.
Dark Matter brings a bestseller to Apple TV+
Dark Matter, one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, just become an Apple TV+ series. It’s a thriller about a man lost in the multiverse trying to find his original universe. It stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly.
The series only premiered May 8, but it already reached No. 10 on Reelgood’s list of Top 10 TV shows on streaming last week. That’s despite the premiere date be the very last day of that week.
For those who haven’t read the book, Apple’s description of its series says,
“Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.”
The first two episodes of Dark Matter are available now on Apple TV+. These will be followed by one new episode every Wednesday through June 26. There’ll be nine in total.
Watch these hits and more on Apple TV+
Watching Sugar and Dark Matter plus many other series or films comes with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.
And Apple’s streaming video service also includes much more, of course. There’s a library of drama, comedies, sci-fi, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.
Want more tips on what to watch on Apple TV+? Read our guide to the 15 best shows on Apple TV+.
