Apple TV+'s sci-fi comedy series Sunny was canceled after just one season, leaving viewers with an emotional ending and concerns about the future of other sci-fi shows on streaming. The end of Sunny Season 1 left several plot points open to exploration in Season 2, including a shocking betrayal by the main character. As Apple TV+ confirmed that viewers will not receive Sunny Season 2, this continues a worrying trend for streaming channels. Sunny It may be the last canceled TV show to end on a cliffhanger, but it's far from the first, with sci-fi shows often taking a hit.
FX on Hulu canceled Members after just one season, Prime Video's The peripheral offered hope to viewers when it was renewed for a second season, before also being canceled. It seems that OAThe multi-dimensional cliffhanger ending will never be resolved after six years, and major franchises are not immune to cancellation, with the Star Wars series The Acolyte being canceled after one season. Now, Sunny has become yet another recent sci-fi show that didn't deserve to be canceled, making this development extremely disappointing. While a future reboot could happen, current audiences may never see a resolution to the cliffhanger.
Sunny's cancellation gives the show a frustrating, unresolved ending
Sunny's hopeful message suggests Masa may still be alive
The main plot in Sunny concerns the disappearance of Suzie's husband and sonas she collects clues detective style. Although the first season ends with Suzie discovering the truth about Masa's disappearance and reuniting with Zen, there is a twist. After Suzie escapes kidnapping and stops Sunny from erasing her own memory by persuading her that the two are allies, Sunny reveals Mixxy's true nature. Mixxy has been working for the yakuza this entire time, proving that Sunny was right to distrust her. The series ends with Mixxy taking Sunny to the yakuza, and the possibility that Masa is still alive.
Masa seems to have the most secrets of all the characters in Sunny.
Masa seems to have the most secrets of all the characters in Sunnyincluding Mixxy. The series shows Suzie discovering that her husband's job was not what she thought, and he worked with robotics and not refrigeration. Masa seemed to have tweaked Sunny with hidden features that Season 2 could have explored moreand the cliffhanger ending suggests that this would have happened. Although Masa appeared to have died in the plane crash, he narrates Sunnyis ending, saying "Maybe there is hope,", which could suggest that Masa would have been found alive in the second season.
Sunny had fantastic performances from the cast and was one of the most underrated sci-fi shows on TV
Sunny's premise is so popular that the show's cancellation is even more of a surprise
Since Rashida Jones' best movies and TV shows tend to be comedies, she is best known for that genre. While Sunny is still a comedy, the show gave her the chance to play a different type of character and her performance was praised. She stars alongside Hidetoshi Nishijima, one of Japan's most popular and versatile leading actors with extensive experience in science fiction. Bringing the two together was an excellent casting choice, and despite Sunny Receiving a 90% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show hasn't gotten the attention it deserves.
Amid the growing popularity of AI, it is not surprising that this topic has become more prevalent.
Amid the growing popularity of AI, it is not surprising that this topic has become more prevalent in the science fiction genre. Love, Death and Robots features rogue house robots and even the children's film The Wild Robot covers AI. Modern trends have moved away from stories like The Terminator in favor of introducing AI companions who may or may not have ulterior motives. The success of horror M3GAN and the dystopian TV show Black Mirror should have meant that Sunny would fit into current themesmaking its cancellation even more surprising.
Sunny's cancellation is concerning for Apple TV+'s upcoming acclaimed sci-fi shows
Why did Apple TV+ cancel Sunny?
Apple TV+ was home to some of the best sci-fi TV shows of 2024, including the sci-fi film noir, Sugarand Dark Matterwhich has been renewed for a second season. Many of these programs, including Sunnythey attracted good reviews and an extremely positive reception from the public. That being said, it appears that Even a strong cast and a high Rotten Tomatoes score can't save a show like Sunny to be canceled. This may not give future audiences the incentive to watch more sci-fi shows on Apple TV+ if even the best ones can be canceled so quickly.
Apple TV+ reps haven't spoken out about the show yet, and no cast has mentioned the cancellation, so we may never know why Sunny was canceled after one season. That being said, Sunny It was likely canceled due to low viewing figures, as streaming services tend to prioritize viewing figures along with critical and audience ratings. As Sunny it wasn't a particularly well-known programthe potential audience may not know it existed, and Sunny could have benefited from greater attention given to advertising. If Apple TV+ had advertised the show more, Sunny may have found its audience in time.