PILOT REVIEW: Lucky 7

LUCKY 7

Starring:  Summer Bishil, Lorraine Bruce, Christine Evangelista, Stephen Louis Grush, Matt Long, Anastasia Phillips, Luis Antonio Ramos, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Based on the British series The Syndicate
Developed by Jason Richman and David Zabel
Teleplay by Jason Richman & David Zabel, Directed by Paul McGuigan

Lucky 7 is a new drama with a unique premise: seven gas station workers in Queens have been playing the lottery for years and when they finally win the big jackpot, their lives are changed for better and for worse. Making up the main cast are the six winners (one chose to save his money instead every week and didn't become a part of the winners) and their close family and friends.

THE GOOD: You know, I went in expecting to completely hate this show and I guess I didn't completely hate it. There are some individual performances that are good: Lorraine Bruce and Luis Antonio Ramos are the strongest performers so far in the ensemble or at least they made the most of mediocre material and character development. I actually think the premise is really interesting and could make for a great drama but so much of it just didn't work which I will get to now.

THE BAD: This show is sooooo ABC that it's nauseating. And it's ABC circa 2006-2007 with its whimsical feel and melodrama. I just wasn't invested in this show at all and I blame it on a couple things. First is the writing. The characters are one dimensional with some predictable problems and issues. A show like this needs to be character driven and it isn't. The second thing was the directing - the quick cuts, the abundance of slow motion moments. So much just didn't work here but most of all, it was boring. This is about people winning the lottery and I feel like nothing exciting happened. Finally, the lottery guy on TV seemed like he belonged on The Goldbergs because it was such an 80s looking TV clip.

BOTTOM LINE: I just don't see anything about Lucky 7 working. It has no buzz and it's only hook didn't pan out in the pilot. I can't imagine many people tuned in and I really can't imagine those who did sticking around for long. This will be a prime candidate for first cancellation of the season.