Timothy Olyphant and Anya Taylor-Joy's Lucky steals the crown as Apple TV+'s new No 1

Apple TV+ dropped a new thriller and it did exactly what the title suggests. Anya Taylor-Joy and Timothy Olyphant's limited series 'Lucky' arrived July 15 and rocketed to the No. 1 spot on the service in the U.S. within 24 hours. It even leapfrogged 'Silo' (which just rolled into season 3) and edged out 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed', 'Widow's Bay', and 'Cape Fear'. For a brand-new show, that is a pretty loud entrance.

What 'Lucky' is actually about

Taylor-Joy plays Luciana 'Lucky' Armstrong, a seasoned con artist who pulls a $10 million job and then wakes up to find the money — and her husband — gone. By sunrise she is in the crosshairs of both the FBI and a crime syndicate, and the only way out is leaning on the instincts her imprisoned father taught her. It is built to be tense: each episode plays like a survival sprint with another trap waiting around the corner.

Release plan and where it stands

Apple rolled out the first two episodes on July 15. The show runs seven episodes total, with one new episode every Wednesday and a finale set for August 19. With five episodes still on deck, it has already taken over Apple TV+'s top slot.

Cast you will recognize

• Anya Taylor-Joy as Luciana 'Lucky' Armstrong
• Timothy Olyphant in his first on-screen pairing with Taylor-Joy
• Annette Bening as crime boss Priscilla Matheson
• Drew Starkey as Cary Masterson, Lucky's husband who vanishes with the cash
• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as FBI agent Billie Rand

Early reception

The fast climb to No. 1 tracks with the buzz: critics are into the performances, the polish, and the pace. A recurring note is that the plot can feel packed to the point of overload — which, given the premise, also checks out. The chase is only getting started, and the show clearly has more turns to burn through.