Anya Taylor-Joy plays Luciana "Lucky" Armstrong, a conwoman fleeing across the US in a rumpled sateen blouson, pursued by frustrated FBI agents. "Lucky!" they shout as she bounds over truck roofs, escapes exploding cars, scams a grandmother, and sets fire to a goon's boots. Based on Marissa Stapley's novel, the Apple TV series follows Lucky after her boyfriend Cary (Drew Starkey) disappears with their heist money, leaving her hunted by the FBI and a crime boss.
Dad's bad advice and a cross-country chase
Lucky's father John (Timothy Olyphant), a gum-chewing recidivist in prison, advises her with platitudes like "read the room" and "trust no one." His manipulations partly caused her predicament. The series spans seven 48-minute episodes, beginning in Las Vegas and following Lucky across the US. In pursuit are FBI Agent Rand (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) and Cary's mob-leader mother Priscilla (Annette Bening).
Performances and tonal issues
Ellis-Taylor delivers a wonderfully world-weary performance, and Bening is very good as the formidable Priscilla. However, the series struggles with tone, veering between slapstick action and serious themes like victimhood and female betrayal without committing to either. The script and theme tune by Fiona Apple also falter.
Despite its flaws, the show is classic summer viewing: undemanding and fun. As one officer says, "How can someone so small cause so much trouble?" The answer is nonsense, but in the heat, resistance feels like too much effort. Lucky is streaming now on Apple TV.
