I come neither to bury Luck nor to praise it. Too many dead horses buried it (although a look at the New York Times thorough story about thoroughbred racing this Sunday shows they were far safer on the set than on the track). And while I enjoyed the show, praising it requires a certain leap of faith… like anything that dies young, the tendency is to think it was cut down before its prime, but future heights are purely hopeful projection.
Watching the finale on Sunday was a strange experience. It is rare that a show would end a season thinking it was renewed, only to have the circumstances change between filming and airing. It’s rare for a viewer to know that a show’s definitely not returning at the time of the finale, unless it’s being retired after a long run. It obviously changed the entire viewing experience.
The biggest sense of regret as I watched the series somewhat resolve itself was that several great actors may have had their final solid role end before its time. Saddest of all, it was probably the last hurrah for one of the most unique movie stars of the modern era.
David Simon Cowell
The Dilemma
