Billed as the complete first season boxset, but in fact the only season the show is going to get, Luckwas 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
