Luck

LUCK is fast and stylish. Michael Mann is exec. producer of LUCK and director of the first episode. Mann is the writer/director of "Heat" and LUCK has the same pace and style.

There is plenty of insider chatter here. The kind of dialogue that is second nature to the people associated with horse racing but that leaves the rest of us a bit dizzy. LUCK is the clash of very different characters and it gives Mann as much contrast as the cinematography that has become his signature. Washed up gamblers, hungry employee's, wealthy owners and the people one step from financial ruin or rejuvenation are painted in different colors of neon or grays as success and/or slime in all its forms contrast with the strength, beauty and earthiness of the central characters: Horses, fodder for the justification of so much excitement and sadness.

LUCK is a convergence of who's who at Santa Anita. I'm grateful that so many deserving thespians wanted in on this project. I'm sure they know much about their peers but their on-screen "history" with each other is believable. Can the script justify the talent? So far, yes. The writing seems to have as much good teeth as its all-star cast - pay attention and hold on.

This premier reminds me of "Mad Men" on AMC, a channel I ALSO got for free for the first 3 (enjoyable) episodes. I did not bite on AMC but LUCK is making a good argument for HBO.

I'm certain the language will soak in with the rest of the story but I have the inside on "bug", as the agent calls the young Jockey. "Bug" is a moniker used for substitute jockey's. Any rookie that replaces an expected rider is noted on a racing program with an asterisk and an asterisk looks like a bug (the definition is courtesy of David Milch).

Luck was an epic show. In only 9 episodes, it weaved together numerous, insanely complex story lines which many people probably had trouble following. But what started as a 'too dense for anything but pretense' project soon turned into an amazingly broad show whose characters included mafia, rounders, trainers, jockeys, agents, horse owners, and many others - to create an incredibly smart show which, in my opinion, sought to expose the world of horse racing to the many who are uninformed, or simply would not normally care. The characters and writing were top notch, and this definitely should have been allowed more time to flesh out.

Hopefully another network won't be as scared of PETA and will pick it up.

As someone who has grown up on a Kentucky horse farm and who has been to racetracks all over the world, it was very gratifying to hear that someone with as much talent as David Milch was going to take on the genre in a T V series. It doesn't hurt that he has experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows that racing can offer since he has owned a racing stable for over 20 years. Everyone in the thoroughbred racing and breeding world knew that the stories are out there just waiting to be told. Just look at how successful Dick Francis was with his string of best selling racing related mysteries. The problem has always been, how do the stories get told without being terribly corny, like "Secretariat"? The temptation has always been to "dumb down" the dialogue to appeal to a broader group of non racing savvy viewers. Milch has taken a big chance by just going straight ahead without trying to pander to his audience. In the end, there is a chance that people will be turned off by the backstretch patois that only aficionados can translate. I hope that the intensity of the story line and beauty of the settings will draw viewers in as Milch has so successfully done with shows like "Deadwood" and "NYPD Blue". It's especially gratifying to see Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens and upcoming Canadian jockey Chantal Sutherland get a chance to showcase their acting abilities and if I know Milch's style, Stevens will end up with a very intriguing role, at least based on his character in the first two episodes. LUCK has been picked up for a second season as of today 1/31/12) which can only serve to give the show the chance to succeed that it so richly deserves.

To appreciate this show you must study it. It's obtuse. You need to ask questions and answer them with guesses until you finally get confirmation (if you ever do). It's an investment.

Is it worth the trouble? I watched (and re-watched some) episodes to to be sure I wasn't missing the subtext of LUCK. The Nick Nolte character turns out way too enigmatic to care about. The juicy "Rosie" character turns out frustratingly lovable. Frustrating because you learn to love her while the plot pushes her outward from the center of the plot.

Dustin Hoffman does his best work posing still for intensely brilliant camera shots. He doesn't act much. That surprised me. You feel the director is building up tension for a wild explosion that will eventually occur. I'll admit, it's fascinating, but vexing at the same time.

Now that we know the series is canceled, there is no hope the suspense will be relieved and resolved. The characters will remain obscure. One exception is Marcus, played by Kevin Dunn. This disabled gambler is a reincarnation of Andy Sipowicz (the acerbic cop from NYPD Blue) with all the vinegar and cynical wit, but a genuine human heart. This is the one character we will not forget (those of us who studied this ill-fated series).

Sorry this bold artsy gamble didn't pay off. It was a deal gone bad.

Minor? actor Richard Kind (as Joey Rathburn) in shorter scenes with just a few stuttering lines hits massive grand slams, basically stealing the entire series from giants Hoffman and Nolte. Everybody is excellent but Kind wins the 'race' by 20 to 30 links.