Already Watched 'Pluribus' and 'Severance'? This Weird Mystery Is Your Next Apple TV Sci-Fi Binge

Sci-fi fans have flocked to Apple TV’s Severance in its first two seasons because of its inventive storytelling and exciting plotlines. As soon as Season 2 wrapped in March 2025, viewers were already looking for their next binge, and many discovered the streamer’s series, Pluribus, which premiered in November. In fact, that sci-fi drama was so successful that it’s actually Apple TV’s most watched series of all time. Unfortunately, it might be awhile before we get new seasons of either of these fantastic shows. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t watch something equally weird and creative on the streamer. The completely overlooked sci-fi series Sunny came out in the summer of 2024, and is completely deserving of a binge-watch.

What Is Apple TV’s ‘Sunny’ About?

Sunny consists of just one season, but it certainly packs a lot of mystery and drama into 10 episodes. The series is based on the novel The Dark Manual by Colin O’Sullivan. It follows an American woman named Suzie (Rashida Jones), who is living in Japan when her husband and young son die in a mysterious plane crash. She descends into a spiral of grief and grumpiness, but things start to get truly odd when a robot from her husband’s work comes to live with her. The robot’s name is Sunny (voiced by Joanna Sotomura), and her programmed purpose is simply to help Suzie in whatever way she can.

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Suzie is extremely reluctant to bond with the robot, but eventually gains a soft spot for Sunny because of her lifelike personality. However, this show is no simple argument for including AI-driven robots into our households. Instead, Suzie discovers that Sunny actually has connections to some dangerous people. There’s also a chance that Sunny might know more about the plane crash that took Suzie’s family from her, and this discovery sets off a compelling race to figure out what information Sunny might be holding within her programming.

The Twists, Turns, and Incredible Cast Make ‘Sunny’ a Worthwhile Sci-Fi Binge

As she investigates Sunny’s programming, Suzie ends up getting involved with the yakuza (Japan’s version of the Mafia), led by a creepy, enigmatic woman named Hime (You). The members of the yakuza are violent, but they’re not the only dangerous element that Suzie needs to be wary of. There’s also the idea that these household robots, like Sunny, can become all too life-like (and potentially murderous). Sunny unfolds with plenty of shocking moments, twists and turns, and some red herrings to keep you guessing. What truly happened to Suzie’s family, and will she ever be able to find out the truth before she’s shut up for good? The series is unique with its futuristic technological themes and an emphasis on the dangers of AI-driven machines, but the story is also told with a dark, wry humor that keeps the show from falling too far into somber territory. One of the most intriguing aspects of Sunny is that it seems to combine many different genres — one moment it’s a suspenseful thriller and the next it’s a thoughtful exploration of the stages of grief and the importance of family.

Sunny is effective in its storytelling style largely because of its impressive and talented cast. Jones is perfection as a sour but persistent Suzie, who is able to accurately portray the many sides of loss and the loneliness that can come with it. You allows us to see Hime as the ideal foil for Suzie’s character; she’s an evil villain who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal of having more power (but who is still stuck in the confines of a misogynistic society). Judy Ongg is also extraordinary as Suzie’s mother-in-law, Noriko. She’s a woman bound by tradition and order, but she is slowly learning to break free of those confines after the deaths of her son and grandson. Each of these actors helps depict a slightly more futuristic world that’s still grounded in the struggles of humanity that we all face.

Unfortunately, Sunny was cancelled after just one season, despite its 90% Rotten Tomatoes score. Apple TV cited low audience numbers and a lack of return of their money on a series that had incredibly high production costs. But despite there not being a continuation of Suzie (and Sunny’s) story, this quirky series is still a perfect choice if you’re looking for another sci-fi show to get swept up in.