Few episodes of TV are likely to be as divisive as Sugar episode 7, which charges straight into a bonkers plot twist that'll either have viewers throwing their fists up in rage, or applauding their screen.
So far, this Apple TV Plus neo-noir detective show has been a by-the-numbers mystery that pays homage to classic film noir while modernizing the classic genre. It stars Colin Farrell as PI John Sugar, a talented detective who's hired to find the missing daughter of a powerful Hollywood producer family.
Sugar episode 7, entitled 'The Friends You Keep', is the penultimate entry in the series, and here's how to watch Sugar if you're not caught up. And I'd recommend catching up before you check out this article, because it's going to thoroughly spoil everything we've seen so far (though not the final episode, which I haven't watched yet!).
Here's everything that happens in Sugar episode 7, 'The Friends You Keep', and as you'll be used to at this point, spoilers ensue.
A plan to capture Sugar
We start the episode in Ruby's (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) house, as her and Miller (Paul Schulze) enter the debriefing room. She takes out a strange typewriter-looking device and types a message onto it — and presently a message comes back. Miller sets out, seemingly to capture Sugar.
Sugar awakens on the floor of the motel, with Melanie (Amy Ryan) sitting near him. She looks worried, and she tells him that when he was asleep, he was calling out to someone in a foreign language. Melanie wants answers but she steps out to fetch them a coffee first. As she does so, a convoy of mysterious-looking cars approaches the motel.
At the same time, the funeral for David is going on. Afterwards, Jonathan (James Cromwell) pays his condolences to his son Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris). Bernie is concerned that Olivia didn't show up for the funeral, and it's clear that he's starting to come around to the idea that something has happened to her.
We also briefly see Olivia, alive, for the first time in the show. She's locked in a small space, and someone opens it up to peer at her.
The secret society
Sugar notices that the phone he took from Stallings' associate in the last episode has been blowing up with messages and missed calls. Then Melanie returns with the coffee, but Sugar realizes that foes are also at the door. Miller knocks asking to speak to Sugar.
Miller's henchmen bash down the motel door but Sugar has gone... however Miller notices that he slipped into the neighbouring room, and confronts him. Then Melanie hits him and they run away to escape.
Melanie and Sugar drive to a a rooftop parking lot, and Sugar tells her something new: while being a private investigator his his day job, he's also part of a secret group that he doesn't want to talk about, and this group is now apparently after him. Melanie gets him to confirm, though, that he's a spy who's there to observe. But a spy from whom?
Then Sugar realises that Miller will next target his ally Henry (Jason Butler Harner) so they rush over to the university that Henry lectures at. They're too late, and Henry has already gone.
Instead of tracking Henry, Sugar and Melanie go to the house of Moss, whose phone Sugar still has (Stallings' associate). Sugar has a theory that people linked to Stallings are being rounded up, and this is proven right when they get to Moss' house and find him dead on the floor.
Sugar returns to his hotel to freshen up, and takes the gun that Ruby previously gave him. Melanie stays at the hotel, and Sugar promises that he won't return without Olivia. Then, he goes to tail Miller.
Sugar follows Miller to a meeting of their group, which is also the polyglot club from several episodes ago. Sugar demands to know what's going on, and where Olivia is.
Finding Olivia Siegel
Ruby, Miller and the other members of the group tell Sugar that their mission is being called off, and soon they'll be off-planet. Yes, if you're wondering, this confirms that the end of episode 6 wasn't a hallucination but was literal: Sugar and his group of friends are literally aliens, sent to spy on humans. That's a plot twist that's sure to be divisive! We've actually got a Sugar plot twist explainer guide if you're unclear.
Henry is there, and he explains to Sugar that some powerful humans discovered the existence of the aliens. These humans have been blackmailing the aliens into performing nasty deeds for them, and threatening to expose the aliens' existence if they don't comply. While Sugar doesn't like this, Henry points out that it's the same as how Sugar killed people in self defense at Stallings' house.
Olivia was kidnapped by the son of a politican, and the alien group is keeping it quiet, even trying to stop Sugar discovering her. However Henry gives Sugar the address of where she's being kept. He thinks that the longer the aliens stay on Earth, the more human they become.
Sugar drives to the address provided, which is a fancy house. He sneaks around to investigate, and finds a basement, but before he can open it the neighborhood security guard discovers him. Sugar is arrested and taken to the guard's car, before convincing the man that he's a PI looking for a missing person.
The guard agrees to look around the house for Sugar, but says he can't find anything... but he starts acting overly familiar about the property. Sugar also notices some campaign posters about the place... and realizes that this guard lives at the house, and is also the son of a politician.
The guard prepares to kill Sugar, but the detective fends him off. Sugar's gun comes out, and the detective decides not to kill the man... but then the man uses the gun to kill himself.
Sugar investigates the basement and finds some creepy stuff including a big shower, an operating table and lots of instruments and microphones. He also finds a locked closet and opens it... to find Olivia inside.
