Stan Lee’s Lucky Man episode 1 review

Writer: Neil Biswas

Director: Andy De Emmony

Cast: James Nesbitt, Eve Best, Sienna Guillory, Amara Karan, Joseph Gatt, Steven Mackintosh, Burn Gorman, Mark Ebulué and Darren Boyd.

Synopsis: The life of troubled London cop, D.I. Harry Clayton, takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious woman gives him a bracelet that seems to allow him to control luck. Will he use it to bring a killer to justice or win at the casino?

Verdict:

Stan Lee’s Lucky Man is a curious and interesting concept when first faced with its premise and setting. Not only has the mastermind behind Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men channeled his creative genius into a new television series, but it also happens to be a British crime drama starring hilarious Irish actor James Nesbitt. However, this beautiful mixture of components actually forms something quite unique and entertaining.

The episode starts off by introducing the audience to Harry Clayton, a wise-cracking, gambling addicted detective hell bent on rekindling his broken relationship with his wife. Harry then attempts to clear his gambling debt, where he is approached by a mysterious and alluring woman with extremely good luck. After spending the night together Harry awakens alone to find that he is now the owner of a strange bracelet he is unable to remove. Nesbitt brings his signature comedic chops to the role, while also demonstrating that there are deeper layers beneath the surface of his arrogant persona.

Although there isn’t an awful lot of character development to be found within this first helping, it’s clear that the episode was intended as an introduction to much bigger things to come. The fast-paced tone and style of the drama is slightly reminiscent of both Luther and Sherlock. However, it brings something new to the table in the form of a magical bracelet that’s able to grant its wearer the power of luck.

While the concept is incredibly tantalising, the idea is surprisingly under-utilised in this episode. So, although viewers may have been expecting Nesbitt dodge bullets and avoid death by the skin-of-his-teeth, a slightly cheesy James Bond-esque speedboat chase will have to do for now.

Sienna Guillory of Resident Evil (and the aforementioned Luther) also gives an engaging performance as the previous holder of the strange bracelet. Clearly there is a lot more to be discovered in terms of her knowledge of the items Chinese origin, as well as the man who is hunting Harry in order to reclaim it.

There are also some exciting appearances including a supporting role for the incredibly underrated Burn Gorman (Torchwood, The Dark Knight Rises, Pacific Rim). On top of that Stan lee makes a small and very brief cameo appearance, which Marvel fans should have come to expect from the 93 year old writer, actor and producer.