Not so 'Sunny' anymore: Apple TV's show was off to great start, but Episode 5 just ruined it
Contains spoilers and speculations for 'Sunny'
KYOTO, JAPAN: Rashida Jones starrer 'Sunny' had its grand debut on July 10, 2024, on Apple TV+, with two episodes, followed by new episodes being released weekly. The series instantly grabbed the attention of viewers with its uniquely crafted robot-fuelled comedy mystery plot.
It revolves around grief-stricken American woman living in dystopian Japan who joins forces with an advanced robot to unravel the mystery behind her husband and son's disappearance after a plane crash.
Suzie Sakamoto (Rashida Jones) resorted to alcoholism after the tragedy but soon wore a detective's hat upon learning some dark secrets surrounding her husband.
The series was keeping up a steady pace, introducing several suspense points. However, Episode 5 of 'Sunny' felt like a distraction, seemingly putting the brakes on the show's momentum.
What happens in 'Sunny' Episode 5?
'Sunny' Episode 5 starts with Suzie, Mixxy (annie the clumsy) and Sunny getting on a train to escape Kyoto as Suzie feared for her life when someone broke into her house in Episode 4.
For most part of the episode, we see the trio wandering in the jungle, trying to locate Mixxy's farmhouse. There's an emphasis on portraying Sunny's human-like qualities as it adopts a bird to feel what it likes to be a mother.
Sunny's sarcastic comments about Mixxy, the unnecessary focus on Suzie wearing granny panties, and Suzie and Mixxy singing a song to shoo away a bear are the highlights of the episode.
There's nothing notable in the episode except Sunny's disappearance in the final scene, which serves as a cliffhanger for the next episode.
Deviation from core plot in 'Sunny' Episode 5 irritates fans
Fans are disappointed with 'Sunny' taking a slow-burn approach to the mystery, feeling the creators are unnecessarily stretching it into ten episodes.
A Reddit user, who has been following 'Sunny' since its premiere, wrote, "This show started out so promising, but man this episode was a real let down."
"That was a really bad, weird episode—quite surprised," reads a similar comment.
Another fan said, "This episode caught me off guard with how not good it was... The dialog was stiff and nothing they did in the episode made sense. Hope it gets better next episode."
"Wow… that was a really weird episode. And not in a good way. Every episode before this one has been cohesive and good with its progression of its mystery and overall story, and then… this. What the f-ck did I just watch? Meandering in a forest, Mixxy acting really off, Sunny trying to be a mom to a random, dying bird, them singing to a bear to scare it off??? Like hello? Is this the same show as the last 4 episodes?" someone else expressed their disappointment.
A Reddit comment reads, "So annoyed at this show I think I'm done. Episodes are so short with nothing ever really happening. I do agree this is the weakest episode so far. I get Suzie not being comfortable in her house after the break-in but why not get a hotel under Mixie's name? Why is traveling all the way to Mixie's family's farm better? It seemed like an excuse for a "on the road" episode. Also agree on the cringey bear scene."
Another fan criticized 'Sunny' Episode 5 for its "clunky dialogue, uncreative cinematography, bad pacing, and just some real heads scratchers."
What to expect in 'Sunny' Episode 6?
After the disappointment in Episode 5, we hope the narrative to resume its pace in the next episode. Sunny has been kidnapped by the Yakuza and it's time for Suzie to officially meet the antagonists now.
Suzie's meeting with Hime (YOU) will give us more clarity about why Suzie is being stalked and what happened to Masa Sakamoto (Hidetoshi Nishijima).
'Sunny' Episode 6 will release on Apple TV+ on August 7, 2024.
