Lucky (Apple TV+) 

By: Rachel Brodeur

Audiences are the lucky ones when it comes to Apple TV’s new series starring Anya Taylor Joy. Titled Lucky after the name of the main character played by Joy (The Queen’s Gambit, Dune: Part 2), the series is a fast-paced crime thriller. Starting in Vegas, Lucky feels a lot like a heist movie. Rather than building toward a robbery, Lucky begins with one, turning what would normally be the climax into the catalyst for a relentless game of survival. Lucky has to evade not just the law, but also the other criminals. 

 Lucky is a master class in creating suspense and tension. Show creator Jonathan Tropper is known for writing series that center a criminal protagonist, most recently with the John Hamm project Your Friends and Neighbors and with the 2013 cult favorite Banshee. With Lucky, Tropper builds on that legacy by creating a character that despite her criminality shines with her competence. Her nickname proves fitting as she repeatedly escapes impossible situations, but survival isn't simply a matter of fortune. Lucky succeeds because she's observant, resourceful, and remarkably quick at reading the people around her. She adapts before anyone else realizes the rules have changed, making every narrow escape feel earned rather than convenient. It is all those factors that make the character Lucky fun to watch and impossible not to root for. 

The cinematography of Lucky makes it feel more like a movie than a television show. The desert landscapes feel gritty and real, the framing constantly reinforces a sense of instability. The camera turns even open landscapes into places that feel claustrophobic. Watching Lucky elude those that pursue her, is less like watching hunters with prey, but more like observing the complicated choreography of a dance where she is the lead. 

The cast also features Annette Bening (American Beauty) as an antagonist to Joy’s goals. Bening represents a criminal element, and like most of the characters in the series, her motivations are complex. Occupying an uneasy position of authority, powerful, but not the one truly calling the shots, she brings an unpredictability that keeps every interaction charged. Her ruthlessness is tempered by an emotional investment in Lucky's particular case, making her a compelling and volatile adversary. 

Lucky is the crime thriller to watch this season. While it may push the bounds of realism, it creates emotionally-compelling scenarios and violence that is fun to watch. At only a lucky number seven episodes, this series is incredibly bingeable. 

Rachel’s Rating: 8.5/10

In Apple TV’s Lucky Anya Taylor-Joy delivers an engrossing performance that makes her an antihero who is both formidable and admirable. A strong cast, brisk pacing, and inventive action make the series an entertaining thriller and fresh take on the crime genre.