Anya Taylor-Joy is back on the small screen, and she's bringing a bag of cash, a trail of lies, and a whole lot of tension. Her new Apple TV+ crime thriller, Lucky, dropped its first two episodes on July 15, and early reviews are rolling in. The series, which adapts Marissa Stapley's bestselling novel, follows a career con artist named Lucky (Taylor-Joy) who's on the run after a multimillion-dollar heist goes sideways. She's dodging the FBI, a vengeful crime boss, and her own complicated past—all while searching for the missing money and the man who vanished with it.
Critics have given Lucky a solid 79% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 34 reviews. That's a strong start, but the consensus suggests the show is a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde affair. ScreenRant went all in, awarding it a 9/10 and calling its "negotiations and verbal faceoffs" as gripping as the chase scenes. CBR was more measured, praising the thrills but noting that the emotional arc of Lucky's relationships doesn't always land. Meanwhile, Collider's Therese Lacson offered the sharpest critique, arguing the series "struggles to strike the right balance" due to a weak script and a lack of charm.
That imbalance is the central tension of Lucky. On one hand, it's a sleek, fast-paced crime caper with disguises, double-crosses, and improbable escapes. On the other, it's a character study about inherited trauma—Lucky's father shaped her into the con artist she is, and she's desperate to break free. When those two modes sync up, Taylor-Joy's cool composure becomes part of the suspense. But when they clash, the emotional beats can feel like speed bumps between set pieces. A 79% RT score suggests the show is entertaining enough, but not quite a masterpiece.
Taylor-Joy, who also executive produces through her LadyKiller banner, is joined by Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Alien: Earth). The seven-episode series is co-showrun by Jonathan Tropper and Cassie Pappas. Apple TV+ has built a reputation for crime thrillers like Black Bird and Presumed Innocent, and Lucky fits neatly into that lane—though it's trying to do something a bit more ambitious.
If you're a fan of Taylor-Joy's work in The Queen's Gambit or just love a good cat-and-mouse chase, Lucky is worth a look. The audience score isn't in yet, so it's too early to say if viewers will embrace the show's split personality. But for now, it's a solid addition to Apple's streaming lineup—even if it doesn't quite hit the high notes of the platform's best. New episodes drop weekly through August 19. For more on what's streaming, check out our take on why 'Lucky' can't quite balance thrills and heart.
