Apple’s darkly comedic TV adaptation of Colin O’Sullivan’s novel uses its titular android Sunny (a cute creation voiced by Joanna Sotomura) as a way to explore multiple modern anxieties including the moral quandaries of AI advancement. The show follows Suzie (Rashida Jones), an American woman living in Japan (whose husband and son are missing in a plane crash) on an unpredictable adventure through the streets of Kyoto.

The development of robots has come a long way in Japan this century with keen interest in designing one that can help combat the malady of loneliness. Hiroshi Ishiguro’s creepy looking Telenoid was branded as the ‘hugging robot’ and used smartphone technology for long-distance connection and, in recent years, the sale of LOVOTs (a cute pal to keep you company) has hit the 10,000s. With Suzie left to her own devices, domestic helper Sunny becomes a new friend. Programmed by her husband Masa (Drive My Car’s Hidetoshi Nishijima), the question of whether Sunny is to be trusted is at the centre of this surreal journey. In pursuit of the truth, Suzie encounters sex shops, sweaty saunas and a brutal introduction to the Yakuza.

Jones may not entirely nail the dramatic edge of a woman going through extreme grief, but the comedic side works. Her dynamic with Sunny is often amusing as is the robot’s growing sentience and jealousy when it comes to Suzie’s friendship with lesbian bartender Mixxy (played by musician annie the clumsy). The supporting cast includes other big names such as Jun Kunimura, You and Judy Ongg who all bring an A-game to their respective roles, with each of their characters’ imbued with references from Japanese pop culture. The experienced cast are a joy to watch, even if they do outshine Jones at times. 

The central mystery is involving, with the show evoking a Search Party meets Under The Silver Lake tone, with shades of 1960s Japanese noir. Seijun Suzuki’s Tokyo Drifter is surely an influence on the pop-art aesthetic and surreal bursts of colour that explode on the screen. The setting of Kyoto is beautifully used and it’s a real treat to follow chases across this backdrop. The tiny bars, temples and alleyways are visually ravishing and specific nods to little details (such as the traditional KFC festive bargain bucket) are good for a giggle. 

The show’s conclusion feels a tad rushed in its obvious desire for a second season, yet its deliberations on AI’s threat to humanity and the harnessing of creation for destruction are compelling. Sunny the robot is an expression of her creator and his bias and moral fibre, a situation that very much speaks to modern dilemmas in technology.

Sunny starts on Apple TV+, Wednesday 10 July.