Episode one of Apple TV’s Sunny, entitled “He’s in Refrigerators”, begins with the aftermath of the main character’s husband and son dying in a plane crash. While their bodies have not been identified or found, the chances of them being alive are slim to none. The main character is Suzie Sakamoto, played by, Rashida Jones; and her husband is Masa Sakamoto, played by Hidetoshi Nishijima. After the passing of her son, Zen, played by Fares Belkheir, and husband, Suzie has been left alone living with her mother-in-law, Noriko Sakamoto, played by Judy Ongg, in Kyoto, Japan. Along with robots and other modern technologies, Suzie uses Noriko as a translator. Despite living in Japan for several years, Suzie has not learned the language due to her dyslexia.
We are first introduced to Suzie when she and Noriko speak with an airline representative. The airline representative asks what Suzie’s husband and son were wearing on the flight and about what their carry-ons looked like, in an attempt to make their bodies more identifiable. Suzie answers every question the representative has with an attitude and tone. Noriko corrects what Suize says at every chance, and continually apologizes for Suzie’s behavior. This is our very first time meeting Suzie, and the grief’s impact on her is instantly noticeable. This is also the first time we get a peek into Suzie and Noriko’s relationship. It is clear Suzie is unapologetically blunt and lonely in Japan. While Noriko’s personality is a contrast to Suzie’s, she is soft-spoken and makes sure she always comes across as politely as possible.
The next place Suzie and Noriko visit before home after meeting with the airline representative is a group session with a man who is said to help with grief. Everyone in the meeting lost a loved one on the same plane that Suzie’s husband and son were on. The man tells everyone to call their loved one’s phone number to say one last goodbye hearing their voice. Everyone takes their turn in this very emotional scene as Suzie watches in discomfort. When it’s finally time for Suzie’s turn she declines, but is pressured into doing it anyway. She calls her husband Masa and strangely the call keeps ringing and ringing. This is unlike everyone else’s call which quickly drops and goes straight to voicemail. Suzie finds this weird and a bit jarring while Noriko sees it as a sign of false hope that her son and grandson may still be alive.
Later on, Suzie stops at a convenience store for some snacks. She buys multiple bags of chips and as she is in line rining up, the television above the cashier plays the new report of the plane crash. When she arrives at her house, there is a man waiting for her with a black van behind him. The man introduces himself as Tanaka Yūki, played by Kunimura Jun. He claims to be Masa’s coworker and presents Suzie with a gift. The gift is in a gigantic box, now in Suzie’s kitchen.
The gift he presents her is a robot named Sunny, designed specifically for her by Masa. This comes as a huge shock for Suzie seeing as she thought her husband worked in refrigerators, and it is well-known Suzie doesn’t like robots due to her relative being killed by one. The man leaves Suzie with Sunny despite her unenthusiasm. Suzie locks Sunny in a closet, however, Sunny keeps getting out. She tries to return Sunny but the man that gave it to her is nowhere to be found. She tries to get used to Sunny but is left uncomfortable. She decides to leave Sunny on a stranded at a boardwalk. The next morning, Suzie is startled to find Sunny has made her way back into the house. Suzie argues with the robot and goes to swing at it with a bat. Then Sunny surprises Suzie by doing a hand jester Masa and Suzie would always do to each other. This emotionally stops Suzie in her tracks because he did it the last time they saw each other. Suzie stands puzzled in the living room with Sunny as Sunny repeats the motion.
Rashida Jones’ performance, as Suzie in this episode is relatable; it truly feels like one of the many responses someone would have to their spouse and child dying. Although her character appears to be more numb than sad, which is still a valid response, more sadness is needed. The writing is passable, but nothing stands out about it. It doesn’t have a moment where you feel instantly hooked. It is more like you know you should be worried and you’re fed a little information to keep you interested, but it fails to make you get lost in the show.
Rating: 5.5/10