Apple TV has been on an unprecedented run with its recent streaming series, and the new crime-caper miniseries Lucky further solidifies that point. The series hits all the genre’s erogenous zones: charismatic villains, attractive criminals fleeing vicious mobsters, and law-enforcement agents so obsessive and driven that they blur the line between justice and vengeance.
Not to mention, Lucky boasts a terrific cast: a mix of movie stars, television veterans, and notable character actors who command the streaming screen. The series digs into complicit loyalties, betrayals, and deep familial wounds. This is all beneath its thrills and jabs of black comedy, endlessly watchable and always grounded, bringing a gritty feel to the world that some entries in the genre tend to glorify.
The result is a slick, propulsive crime caper so addictive that releasing every episode at once feels practically criminal.
Anya Taylor-Joy plays the titular Lucky, a young woman raised to be a con artist by her charming, magnetic father, John (Alien: Earth’s Timothy Olyphant). More roguish failure than criminal mastermind, John creates far more disasters than successful scores. From an adolescent, he taught Lucky how to steal and blend in the background. For example, teaching her how to swipe birthday cards not attached to gifts for quick cash.
The problem is that was all in the past. Lucky’s father is now in prison, though that is far from her most pressing concern. She wakes up drugged and bloodied, with her face plastered across every television station in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey of Outer Banks fame), is missing, and the police are searching for her, alleging that she stole money from mobsters operating on the infamous Las Vegas Strip.
Hot on Lucky’s trail is an impressive cast, including Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Origin) as the FBI agent pursuing her. The more immediate threat, however, is Oscar-nominee Annette Bening’s Priscilla, a dangerous mobster with a hair-trigger temper. She is determined to recover the money Lucky and Cary stole. The great Clifton Collins Jr. (Capote) plays Priscilla’s right-hand man and muscle, carrying out her orders with ruthless efficiency.
Lucky is from Jonathan Tropper (Your Friends & Neighbors) and Cassie Pappas (Netflix’s Griselda), and is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Marissa Stapley. These two know the crime genre, filling episodes with high stakes, creating suspense and excitement at every turn. The series is perfectly cast, especially in the supporting parts. One worth mentioning is William Fichtner, who plays a terrifying kingpin with few scruples and plenty of sordid magnetism.
However, what is most fascinating is that, for a genre so obsessive with keeping it cool and confident, the final episode breathes something much more meaningful and resonant than any con-artist series in recent memory. That storyline makes Olyphant’s performance a sight to see, an award-worthy turn that will certainly be ignored by next year’s Emmys. The scenes with him and Joy’s Lucky are among the series best, heightening the drama, with riveting results.
Which is what makes Lucky so addictive: the relationship between father and daughter is loving yet deeply unhealthy. Their bond is so strong that both recognize the damage they cause each other but refuse to walk away. Every lie, narrow escape, and reckless decision raises the stakes, making it impossible for viewers to look away. The series takes hold like a quick shot of adrenaline that is immediate, exhilarating, and difficult to resist. When it comes to crime thrillers, Tropper and Apple TV know that the house always wins.
You can stream Lucky exclusively on Apple TV starting July 15th with a two-episode premiere! Subsequent episodes drop every Wednesday until the finale on August 19. All seven episodes were screened for this review.
Lucky is a slick, propulsive crime caper so addictive that releasing every episode at once feels practically criminal.
I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
