"Sunny" appears on Apple TV - "Black Mirror" in series length
On July 10th, Apple TV+ will premiere the intelligent Comedy series "Sunny". The lead role in the show, which at times recalls the Netflix success "Black Mirror", is played by the former "Parks and Recreation" star Rashida Jones (48). Is it worth streaming?
About Sunny
The American Suzie (Jones) lives in Japan but feels a little out of place. She doesn't speak Japanese, for instance. When Suzies Japanese husband Masa ("Drive My Car"-Star Hidetoshi Nishijima, 53) and their common son supposedly die in a plane crash, Suzie's world falls apart.
From Masas company, Suzie receives Sunny, the advanced household robot, as a form of consolation. Initially, the sympathetic helper seems appealing to Suzie, who is left with him as her last connection to the missing. After initial skepticism, an unexpected bond forms between Suzie and Sunny. The two vastly different characters start investigating Masas mysterious disappearance.
A futuristic vision akin to "Black Mirror"
The new, darkly humorous Mystery series "Sunny" takes place in a near future where self-driving cars and helpful household robots are part of daily life. The Japan immigrant Suzie, who doesn't speak the language fluently, uses a small, helpful button in her ear for real-time translation in conversations.
The show, created by series creator Katie Robbins ("The Affair"), explores much about the conveniences technological advancements can bring to the world. However, in the paranoid Thriller series, there is always unease regarding robots like Sunny, who can effortlessly kill a person with their superhuman strength, as seen in the early moments of the series.
An unusual protagonist
This contrast is personified in Suzie, the show's protagonist, who initially distrusts modern technology due to her mother being hit and killed by a self-driving car. However, Suzie gradually and cautiously begins to develop trust in the robot Sunny, and they embark on a series of twist-filled episodes to unravel her husband's disappearance.
Lead actress Jones, best known for her appearances in classic Comedy productions like "Parks and Recreation" or "The Office", delivers a compelling performance as the grieving protagonist. She comes across as laconic, tired, distrustful, and helpless initially, making her less sympathetic.
In contrast, Sunny's quirky personality emerges quickly as a distinct character in the series. The Robot, voiced in English by Joanna Sotomura ("Barry", 37), becomes an independent character in the show.
Additionally, the show captivates with a retrofuturistic design. Both the household robots and the Japan depicted in the show resemble the Space-Age-Look of the 1960s and 1970s, and the soundtrack primarily consists of music from that era.
"Sunny" fits into a lineup of high-quality series produced by Apple TV+ recently, such as "Severance" or "Silo." The pacing of "Sunny" could be slightly faster at times. The show often gets lost in seemingly insignificant subplots. However, this is a minor flaw considering the otherwise successful production that delivers many thought-provoking insights into current technological development.
- Rashida Jones, starring in Apple TV+'s "Sunny," previously appeared in popular Netflix shows like "Black Mirror."
- The futuristic series "Sunny," premiering on Apple TV+ on July 10th, features advanced technology like self-driving cars and household robots, much like what we see in Netflix's "Black Mirror."
- After her husband's alleged plane crash and her son's disappearance, Rashida Jones' character in "Sunny" receives Apple's Sunny, an advanced household robot, to help her cope.
- Apple TV+'s "Sunny" is akin to "Black Mirror" in its exploration of the unease surrounding advanced artificial intelligence and its potential consequences, as shown when Sunny displays its superhuman strength.
- Unlike Suzie, whose mistrust of technology stems from her mother being hit by a self-driving car, Sunny, played by actress Joanna Sotomura, emerges as a quirky and independent character in the series.
- Streaming services like Apple TV+ and Netflix have seen notable series like "Sunny" and "Black Mirror" highlight the potential consequences of artificial intelligence and its integration into our daily lives.
- "Sunny" joins other high-quality series produced by Apple TV+ like "Severance" and "Silo," despite some minor flaws, including a slower pace and getting lost in insignificant subplots.
