Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte join 'Luck' cast

[PatCummings]

Typical HBO...yes, but in my opinion, that's a good thing.

Overall, enjoyable...and also, the first time I feel like the science of ticket structure in horse racing ever made it to mainstream. It was caveman, but at least there was logic and it wasn't babied into the script. I saw that as a breakthrough.

In the end, I most want to hear about what non-racing people have to say

[Scav]

Originally Posted by PatCummings

Typical HBO...yes, but in my opinion, that's a good thing.

Overall, enjoyable...and also, the first time I feel like the science of ticket structure in horse racing ever made it to mainstream. It was caveman, but at least there was logic and it wasn't babied into the script. I saw that as a breakthrough.

In the end, I most want to hear about what non-racing people have to say

I watched it with three girls and another dude, who is primarily a sports gambler. My girlfriend had a small clue, my sister was sleeping, and the other girl had questions about the 'front', the IRS, and some of the trainer speak, which I thought was great. The dude had questions about if they actually did that in the mornings and the p6

I think the characters were very well thought out and interesting, which is what non racing people will grab onto, the sunday 9pm cst slot is pretty much unbelievable though, you cant get better exposure then that imo

[Kasept]

Some mainstream reaction..

Luck, Ep. 1.01: “Pilot” admirably faces down expectations
by Simon Howell in Spotlight, TV

More than most series – and even more than most HBO series – Luck is facing down a hell of a set of expectations. Most crucially of all, Luck centers around a millieu that evokes the grimy hopefulness of Deadwood‘s lawless camp: the world of horse racing. It’s safe to say expetations may be unreasonable. As it turns out, Luck‘s pilot is precisely the sum of those aforementioned parts – and for now, that’s likely good enough. (Those are some pretty strong parts, after all.)

[Kasept]

Maurenn Ryan 'gets it' right away..

'Luck': Dustin Hoffman And David Milch Debut Their New HBO Drama
By Maureen Ryan, Huffington Post

It doesn't officially premiere until Jan. 29, but the pilot for 'Luck,' David Milch's new drama, debuted Sunday on HBO, and if you caught it, I'm betting it made you want to go to the racetrack.

Watching the first hour of a Milch drama on its own is a strange experience; the best way to experience his shows -- especially the all-time great drama 'Deadwood' -- is to marinate in his world, to let several episodes wash over you and ensnare you with their tales of compromised, corrupt people who nevertheless can't stop hoping for a big payday, a big score, some kind favorable outcome or judgment. What gives me hope about 'Luck' is that its intensity and trajectories were apparent from the start, even when I wasn't quite sure what was going on.

[knickslions2]

Originally Posted by Scav

I watched it with three girls and another dude, who is primarily a sports gambler. My girlfriend had a small clue, my sister was sleeping, and the other girl had questions about the 'front', the IRS, and some of the trainer speak, which I thought was great. The dude had questions about if they actually did that in the mornings and the p6

I think the characters were very well thought out and interesting, which is what non racing people will grab onto, the sunday 9pm cst slot is pretty much unbelievable though, you cant get better exposure then that imo

Love the time slot especially since football will be over when it starts up.

[freddymo]

I loved it.. How great was the line "that horse run really really good"? I laughed hard. Poor girlfriend was still shook up that Jimmy was dead in Broadwalk. We are in for a lot of fun.

[rpncaine]

Dammit Freddie! How bout a spoiler alert?

[PatCummings]

I think the overall function of getting people all excited about a big jackpot score is key, and glad it started out there instead of one-off win bets.

Last time I took people who had no background in the sport to the track was in Hong Kong, where there was a US$12 million carryover in what is, essentially, a triple-trifecta (as opposed to a twin-tri). You can play it many different ways, and you don't earn exchanges, but we were alive for a reduced chunk of the pot going into the last leg and the two newbies with me were stoked, and both have gone back to the track since. We lost, but the consolation we got back was more than the bet, so they felt like they won.

Big jackpots stoke the fires of the youth that are used to such scores through Vegas, poker, etc...from the betting angle of the game, I'm glad they started there.

[Calzone Lord]

I didn't get a chance to watch it but will.

However -- I don't understand why anyone would do a drama on horse racing in this era instead of the era between Plunger Walton and Pittsburg Phil.

Horse racing has been mercilessly strangled by extreme government regulation.

The late 1880's and 1890's was the wild west for horse racing ... and wasn't Deadwood from around that time?

Plunger Walton was one part Tony Soprano and one part Sam "Ace" Rothsetin and though as schemeing and devious as they come... his life story was as amazing as it gets. He was a tabloid sensation in both the United States and England.

This was how his obituary in the New York Times ended...

[jms62]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I loved it.. How great was the line "that horse run really really good"? I laughed hard. Poor girlfriend was still shook up that Jimmy was dead in Broadwalk. We are in for a lot of fun.

Thanks dude.. I Dvr'd it.

[Seattleallstar]

Originally Posted by jms62

Thanks dude.. I Dvr'd it.

also Margaret is also next in line to be killed by Nucky, she will be the major character to go next season

[HaloWishingwell]

Originally Posted by Seattleallstar

also Margaret is also next in line to be killed by Nucky, she will be the major character to go next season

No! Really? After signing over the valuable land deed to the church? Notice she almost signed it Schroeder? Nucky banged her after killing her husband maybe he'll tap Jimmy's mother/lover now....then kill her

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I loved it.. How great was the line "that horse run really really good"? I laughed hard. Poor girlfriend was still shook up that Jimmy was dead in Broadwalk. We are in for a lot of fun.

Come on man, give a spoiler alert, I'm a little behind!

[blackthroatedwind]

You can't blame Freddy....he rightfully assumed everyone had him on ignore.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by PatCummings

Typical HBO...yes, but in my opinion, that's a good thing.

Overall, enjoyable...and also, the first time I feel like the science of ticket structure in horse racing ever made it to mainstream. It was caveman, but at least there was logic and it wasn't babied into the script. I saw that as a breakthrough.

I agree with this - I enjoyed it to a certain extent, but found it difficult for a non-racing fan to "get" or more importantly stay interested in.


Most importantly, for all the sub-plots, it really could have ended last night with no real interest in dragging the viewer back. Pretty obvious that the P6 guys will find nothing but trouble, Dustin Hoffman's character is uninteresting and really no one cares about him or his horse that he's not allowed to own, Richard Kind's character as a jock's agent is over-the-top ridiculous, and the whole thing was kind of forced.

All of the technical inaccuracies aside, (2 panned backstretch shots with the tote board in the background, and no way that P6 ticket was 845.00 (an impossibility by the way) - I recall seeing at least 2 legs where they were 4 deep and a all button selection in the last (8 horses - more like 2.5-3K)

I'll watch, I hope it gets better, but if it was about anything other than horse racing, I doubt I'd tune in again.