Colin Farrell’s star power helped quickly propel Sugar to popularity. His Apple TV+ series about a private detective searching for the missing granddaughter of a Hollywood magnate premiered last week and it’s already near the tops of the streaming ratings charts.
And Palm Royale, an Apple TV+ comedy series, also keeps attracting plenty of viewers.
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. But a celebrity’s name can certainly get a show off on the right foot. That’s likely the case with Colin Farrell and Sugar.
The series ranks all the way up at No. 3 on Reelgood’s list of Top 10 TV shows on streaming during the week ending April 10. And it’s at No. 7 on JustWatch‘s list of top streaming shows for the week ending April 7. And note that it premiered April 5, in the middle of both those time spans, so it could do even better next week.
Photo: ReelGood/JustWatch
Estimates from companies like JustWatch and Reelgood are necessary because streaming services rarely reveal how many people watch their offerings.
There’s more the Apple TV+ detective series than name recognition. The official description 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).
Three episodes of Sugar are available now. New episodes will be added on successive Fridays.
And Palm Royale holds onto its audience
Emmy and Oscar nominee Kristen Wiig created plenty of funny characters on Saturday Night Live and in movies like Bridesmaids. Now she stars in Palm Royale, which has continued to bring in viewers since it launched on Apple TV+ in March.
The series ranks No. 9 on both the Reelgood and JustWatch lists of most popular TV shows last week.
Apple says of the comedy:
“Palm Royale is a true underdog story that follows Maxine Simmons (Wiig) as she endeavors to break into Palm Beach high society. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, Palm Royale asks the same question that still baffles us today: “How much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice to get what someone else has?” Set during the powder keg year of 1969, Palm Royale is a testament to every outsider fighting for their chance to truly belong.”
It has some amazing acting talent, with the cast including Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Mindy Cohn, Bruce Dern and the iconic Carol Burnett.
The season finale premiered this week so full six-episode season is available to watch now on Apple TV+.
Watch threes hits and more on Apple TV+
Watching Sugar and Palm Royale 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+.