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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Alix Blackburn

Apple TV Plus dropped a trailer for its new comic mystery show — and it’s like a darker version of ‘Big Hero 6’

Sunny robot in "Sunny" series on Apple TV Plus.

It seems as though Apple TV Plus is stepping up its game in the streaming market. The platform's latest thriller “Presumed Innocent” impressed audiences with its gripping plot, and the same goes for “Dark Matter”, another mind-bending thriller that doesn’t waste time throwing you into the world. Now, we have another potential hit on our hands with the upcoming “Sunny”, a darkly comic mystery series starring Rashida Jones. 

The recently-released trailer has already generated plenty of excitement, as it hints at a blend of humor and intrigue that could make "Sunny" the next big hit on one of the best streaming platforms. I think it's safe to say that Apple TV Plus could have a knack for producing an incredibly surprising and tense thriller.

But what does the trailer tell us about this mystery show? Let’s delve into the plot and what you should expect from “Sunny” when it gets released next month.

What is ‘Sunny’ about?

"Sunny” follows the story of Suzie (Jones), an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan. Her life is turned upside down when her husband, Masa (Hidetoshi Nishijima), and son vanish in a mysterious plane crash. As she navigates this sudden grief, she finds an unlikely source of comfort in a domestic robot named Sunny. And that’s all down to one of her husband’s colleagues randomly showing up and presenting the robot as a bereavement gift. 

In the trailer, it’s also revealed that Sunny was actually made by Masa’s electronics company, but Suzie didn’t have any knowledge of this. The show seems to take a darker, more humorous turn as Suzie's relationship with Sunny evolves, leading her to uncover hidden truths and overcome unexpected challenges in her quest for closure. 

The series manages to blend dark comedy and mystery, offering a fresh and intriguing narrative driven by Jones as the lead character. Plus, the trailer makes everyone look like the suspect, so you’ll never be able to guess the plot with all the red herrings in the way.  

Just a lonely woman who befriends a robot

At first glance, this trailer looks like a woman who becomes friends with a robot to process her grief, but it’s so much more than that. It shows how grief can lead to attachment, even if that means accepting a robot into your home in hopes of filling a void. And the trailer for “Sunny” captures that perfectly. 

In fact, this upcoming series channels a much darker “Big Hero 6” vibe, which is an animated movie that tells the story of a young robotics prodigy named Hiro Hamada. Hiro's adventure begins after the tragic (but mysterious) death of his older brother, Tadashi. In his search for justice, he discovers Tadashi's healthcare robot, Baymax. The two form a bond, and Hiro is determined to find out the truth with the help of his new robot friend. 

It’s unknown whether there are any inspirations there, but I like the idea of “Sunny” being a darker, adult version of the robot-human friendship story. 

The first two episodes of "Sunny'' will be available on Apple TV Plus on July 10, with episodes releasing weekly thereafter. If you’re someone who likes to binge-watch content, the full series will be available on September 4. 

While you wait, you can check out the best mystery thriller movies on Prime Video or watch these intense survival thrillers on Netflix

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