Lucky Man

I was delighted to see that "Stan Lee's Lucky Man" was not yet another interminable '~man' (Bat/Ant/Super/X- etc etc ad nauseum) comic on screen. Instead we are treated to a show for adults rather than teens/YAs. Remarkably, the drama is set in London and features as the eponymous character a rather flawed and somewhat insular copper. We soon see that "Lucky Man" may not be that lucky at all, and that his luck is rather double edged. The characters are believable, often unlovable, and well portrayed; the roles are quickly fleshed out and we easily grasp the character of each participant. The background of London does not distract, as say New York might, instead it provides a gentle and interesting canvas against which the story rapidly, and often brutally, unfolds. Well written, well acted, and tightly edited, I haven't felt that the show slackens at any point. Excellent and believable drama despite the 'comic book' premise.

It's early days, but the pilot episode shows real promise. Played out as a proper British cop show/gangland drama, with characteristic British tropes, the excellent London setting and some fine actors, but with Stan Lee influence. What's not to love as a concept!

There is a danger that it may over play the clichés and tropes - court room, marriage drama, mysterious strangers, corrupt cops, hard arse bosses and instantly dislikable colleagues all make an appearance (not spoilers!). That's fine as long as the writers continue to keep them balanced.

But if they can maintain this balance and keep it dark and true then it bodes well.

Cop drama is a crowded genre and audience might be reluctant to invest on a new one if there's no instant hook. While "Lucky Man" has Stan Lee advertised on its title, it's not a superhero series, it's borderline investigation thriller with a pinch of supernatural gimmick. It doesn't take the genre by storm, but what it does have is nifty stylish approach sufficient to create a different tone.

Harry (James Nesbitt) is a detective with vices, he has problem with gambling, among others. One night she meets a lady, and thus his luck changes. The good point about Harry is he's not created to pander the audience. He's not a single parent or other sympathy-grabbing character, he's rude in a anti-hero kind of way. This is not a buddy cop drama either, at least not entirely since the main focus remains on Harry while any aide takes largely supportive role.

The more unworldly aspect is done with care, it's far from Supernatural or Constantine, yet manages to put surreal ambiance to the plot. Events occur both in the favor or disfavor of the main lead, so in more way than one it affects his personal and work life. The case in hand is approachable and kept in check in steady flow, which is proper since it has to cater for different elements.

Location is presented nicely, there's ample visual cue for each important set-piece and they are shown quite stylishly. Script also does a fine job in creating tension and intrigue or effectively introducing characters. However, the show does have a bit of problems. The slow pace at some scene might not be appealing and those seeking for more colorful spectacle might find little heroism or spark here. The case itself needs time to gain momentum, this is not Agatha Christie style that can immediately grasps people's attention.

While some flaws still remain, "Lucky Man" might just roll the right number of mystery and thriller to at least have the chance to hit the jackpot.

For crying out loud! Why can't people grow up and stop being sanctimonious, nit-picking morons? It's not perfect, but it is pretty good. It's fast paced, has interesting characters and plot lines and James Nesbit's acting is bloody brilliant. The rest of the cast do a great job, too. The story has a nice supernatural twist with the bracelet, but if you don't like that kind of thing I wouldn't watch it, and don't leave a negative review because of it. As well as that, it's a pretty good and gritty crime drama. I've reached episode nine so far and I'm looking forward to a second season if they choose to keep this series going. There are some really bad films and programs being churned out these days, but this isn't one of them and I think its 7.2 rating is pretty close. Go with that and give it a shot...unless you think you might have sanctimonious, nit-picking tendencies, then you might want to give it a miss to save yourself the stress and frustration of it all.

I felt obliged to write something as the review showing on the main page was written by such a Negative Nelly and needs displacing as quickly as possible. So far only the pilot has been released so no rating but it shows early signs of promise.

Harry is a detective, played by the seemingly ageless James Nesbitt, who becomes imbued with the ability to bend luck in his favour after he inherits an ancient-looking trinket. However the person he gets this from did not seem at all happy with it and the show begins to hint at an early stage that all this good luck has a Newtonian counterpart that must be suffered others.

Investigating a series of deaths seemingly linked to the item and dogged by his new, straight-arrow boss, Harry must try to get to the bottom of the mystery of his new-found amulet, the mysterious and gorgeous woman who forced it upon him and the as yet unknown character trying to get it back again.

It's early days as yet but the plot is intriguing, the acting of British quality and the main character is most certainly an anti-hero, which I personally find quite appealing. Worth a look.