BACKGROUND:

Lucky is a seven-episode miniseries debuting Wednesday on Apple TV. Lucky is based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Marissa Stapley, which was a Reese’s Book Club pick that year. Reese Witherspoon serves as an executive producer on the series, which was created by Jonathan Tropper (Banshee).

Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) stars as the titular Lucky Armstrong, with Timothy Olyphant (Justified) playing her father, John. The series also stars Annette Bening (Captain Marvel) as the head of an organized crime ring, Priscilla Matheson, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard) as FBI Agent Billie Rand, and William Fichtner (Heat) as the mysterious Wayne Whitaker.

I have seen all seven episodes.

OPENING THOUGHTS:

Lucky begins in media res, with Lucky being chased by an unnamed FBI agent through a maze of parked 18-wheelers. As she is cornered, the show flashes back to Lucky and her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey), celebrating and partying at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas. They’ve just stolen $10 million. But amid the dancing and drinking, Cary slips something into Lucky’s glass, drugging her and stealing the suitcase full of cash after she passes out. When Lucky wakes up the next morning, Cary is gone the FBI is already closing in on Lucky.

Lucky narrowly escapes, and thus begins a seven-episode cat-and-mouse game that slowly peels back the many layers of mystery at the heart of the show. There is a tangled history between Lucky, her father, Cary, Priscilla, and Special Agent Rand. Every time you think you’ve figured out how all the puzzle pieces fit together, the show reveals another piece that changes the picture. Lucky is a well-paced, non-stop, edge-of-your-seat thriller.

SUPERLATIVES:

My first takeaway from this miniseries is that Lucky looks fantastic. It is filmed on location in Las Vegas and in and around Los Angeles, and it shows. Cinematographer Doug Emmett takes full advantage of the setting and delivers some beautiful shots that remind you this show wasn’t filmed in front of a blue or green screen. It reminded me of the way Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul took advantage of shooting in New Mexico. He also shoots some incredible action sequences, the best of which is a car chase in the fourth episode through Los Angeles.

Anya Taylor-Joy is as good as I have ever seen her in this series. The scripts offer her a chance to showcase the full range of her acting skills. She excels in the quieter, more dramatic moments (like a conversation in the second episode while on the run) and is equally adept at handling the physicality of the many, many action sequences. Timothy Olyphant and Annette Bening are good foils for Taylor-Joy. Olyphant is always good, playing a character here that feels only like a slight variant of several he has played before. Bening seems to relish the chance to play against type in a truly villainous role.

It took me a couple of episodes to warm up to Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as agent Billie Rand, but she ultimately won me over. The same goes for Clifton Collins Jr., who plays Priscilla’s right-hand man Dutch. Both characters are pretty thin caricatures at the start of the series, but are fleshed out over the course of the series.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT:

I don’t like to dwell on the negative, but I do have two main complaints about Lucky. I was excited to see William Fichtner’s name among the cast, but he is severely underutilized, and even worse- he mails in this performance. He seems happy to coast on his reputation to collect a paycheck here. My second issue is with a late plot twist that felt like one too many. It involves a tertiary character that the audience has no investment in. It is set up poorly, and the payoff falls flat.

THE FINAL WORD:

I have not read Marissa Stapley’s novel, but from the synopsis, I gathered that the miniseries has made some changes to help streamline the narrative, and I think Lucky is all the better for it. The show hits the ground running and never lets up. Anya Taylor-Joy is the unquestionable star, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up garnering awards consideration next year for her performance. Apple TV has had a great 2026, and Lucky continues that run. The first two episodes premiere tomorrow. I recommend checking them out.

8/10

-Greg