Apple TV+ has made a name for itself in less than five years with its intriguing, well-crafted science fiction content. One of its latest offerings, “Sunny,” is a dark retrofuturist comedy based in Japan and has just wrapped up its first season. The show features Rashida Jones in the role of Suzie Sakamoto, an American woman living in Kyoto.
Her life takes a tragic turn when her husband Masahiko and son Zen disappear in a mysterious plane crash. To help her cope with the loss, Masahiko’s company sends Suzie a domestic robot named Sunny, designed with artificial intelligence tailored to her specific needs and emotions.
Reluctantly, Suzie forms a bond with Sunny and her quirky new friend Mixxy as they unravel the mystery behind the plane crash, which involves the yakuza and Japanese politics.
Apart from delving into themes of grief, loneliness, and female friendship, “Sunny” also explores the future of robotics and artificial intelligence. A collaboration between A24, based on Colin O’Sullivan’s book “The Dark Manual,” the series deliberately diverges from the source material. Creator Katie Robbins and director Lucy Tcherniak play significant roles in this adaptation, notably casting Sunny as a female robot instead of male.
