I'm always up for watching a new dark mystery drama full of suspense and twists and turns There's something about being swept up in a puzzling tale that compels you to try to solve it yourself But there is one thing that makes them better than ordinary mysteries Mysteries with strangely interesting robots that talk and think like humans

Apple TV Plus has executed this concept perfectly with its latest hit, "Sunny," a dark, comedic mystery that quickly became my favorite show of the year If you asked me about its premise, I would say: "A woman who has just lost her husband and son in a plane crash gets a strange robot to help her grieve But that's not all (I want to avoid huge spoiler territory)

Apple TV Plus continues to impress with its compelling lineup of content Fancy Dance has firmly established itself as one of the standout films of the year, and the great trailer for Time Bandits only adds to the excitement For now, however, it is "Sunny" that deserves the spotlight, and I'll happily explain why

There's no denying that "Sunny" has its silly moments, but the weirdness works surprisingly well with the show's premise Created by Katie Robbins and produced by A24 for Apple TV Plus, "Sunny" centers on Susie (Rashida Jones), a woman who suddenly loses her husband and son in a mysterious plane crash Overcome with grief and despair in these dark circumstances, Susie becomes addicted to alcohol and detaches herself from others

However, a robotics engineer named Yuki Tanaka (Jun Kunimura) gives her a strange robot named Sunny (voiced by Joanna Tonomura) Designed to replicate his personality, this AI begins to provide clues about his disappearance, leading Sunny down a complex and dangerous path

When I first saw the trailer for this dark comic mystery show, it reminded me of a darker version of Big Hero 6 Both are similar stories about a grief-stricken person who receives a robot created by someone close to him Because "Sunny" is a live-action series, it captures human emotion perfectly, and there are some surprisingly funny interactions between Susie and Sunny

To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I hit the play button Many mystery shows and movies that use comedy often focus too much on making people laugh rather than delving deeper into the story and characters But "Sunny" was a thrilling surprise In one scene, the robot goes completely savage (it's brilliant), and in the next, Susie is grief-stricken in her wardrobe

"Sunny" is genuinely odd, and I mean that in a good way It is an uncomfortable, amusing, and thought-provoking depiction of how grief can transform a person Jones does an excellent job of playing a woman who tries to deny her grief through other means, such as drinking alcohol as a distraction or researching her husband's past And mixed in with the perfectly chaotic confusion is a mystery that a creepy, human-like robot may help solve

As of July 10, "Sunny" has a high score of 91% from over 30 sample reviews on Rotten Tomatoes This is a very impressive debut rating, but could change over time as more episodes are released (and more people watch)

Dan Einav of the Financial Times says: "Where the show could easily fall into gimmicks and prehistoric commentary on our relationship with technology, series creator Katie Robbins keeps things thoughtful, funny and unpredictable She succeeds in doing so" Meanwhile, RogerEbert's Kaiya Shunyata offered an opinion with which I very much agree: not only is Sunny a fascinating thriller, it is one of the most intriguing series of the year 0]

Hayley Spencer of the London Evening Standard also commented on the show's "creepiness" and "gripping power": "The bold camera work (and impressive animated credits), Jones' sarcastic yet endearing performance, and the mysterious story, all propelled by developments, make what seems incongruous on paper compelling

So far, it's my favorite show of the year, but not everyone will have the same opinion As Ross McIndoe of Slant magazine says: "The series is, after all, little less than the sum of its parts"

If you're looking for something to watch this weekend, or just want to watch a dark comedy, "Sunny" should be your next go-to series As someone who generally likes horror, it's nice to get away from anything too serious, and "Sunny" is a fun story so far

Sadness has been the theme of many dark shows and films, including the incredibly disturbing "Midsommar," also produced by A24 However, "Sunny" takes a different approach to this theme by equating comedy with warmth of heart Susie must now deal with the presence of a robot in her life, but she has no choice but to trust the AI as she navigates an extremely suspicious mystery

What else is worth watching Check out all the new releases coming to Apple TV Plus in July 2024 or watch the top 10 movies

Stream the first two episodes of "Sunny" on Apple TV Plus now