What I’m Watching: Luck

Luck: Season 1, Episode 5 (B+)

This episode was relatively sedated and slow-paced, digging deep into its characters to reveal how they deal with pressure in various situations. Ace’s hotel room conversations with Gus are definitely my favorite part of the show, since it allows both men to be themselves at their most relaxed and honest, which usually leads Ace to snap at his henchman when Gus says something without first thinking about it. His concern over Clara being late was so intriguing, and it was great to see just how thrilled she was to receive a check for $367,000, based on his lucky number. Both Escalante and Joey are being torn apart from all sides by the people telling them what to do and yelling at them for doing it wrong, and Joey really has no one to support him, while Escalante has a special relationship with Jo, whom he’s at risk of pushing away with the way that he treats and speaks to her. Jerry forcing Marcus to go to the hospital was a positive idea, but the wheelchair-bound grump with a cough doesn’t seem to be interested in any diagnosis. It’s good to see Jerry using his money for something other than gambling, but it’s never a good idea to seem too eager to lend, lest one of two things happens – he comes back for more or starts digging into how he got it in the first place. The dynamic of the group that includes Marcus, Lonnie, Renzo, and Jerry is easily one of the most entertaining parts of the show.