Billed as the complete first season boxset, but in fact the only season the show is going to get, Luck was cut short by issues with the production that were well-reported at the time. It’s a shame, too. While it takes the show a little while to build up, this is a weighty, serious piece of television drama, one that’s dripping with quality.

The star names certainly do it no harm. Dustin Hoffman takes the lead here as a man just released from prison, who decides to try and turn around a California-based racetrack. Immediately, Hoffman is magnetic too, portraying a character based boasting many shades of grey. Nick Nolte gets a juicy role, too, as a horse trainer desperately trying to find success.

Horse racing, and the gambling that surrounds it, proves to be rich pickings for Luck. It takes a lot of time to get things into place, and inevitably, some will be left a little cold by its patient approach. But it’s a complex drama that it’s building up here, with lots of characters, and several narratives at work.

It’s quality, ambitious television, on a disc released backed with substantive extra features. On top of commentary tracks, there are some interesting behind the scenes documentaries to digest here. It’s a rounded, carefully crafted package, for a show that deserves the attention. --Jon Foster