To appreciate this show you must study it. It's obtuse. You need to ask questions and answer them with guesses until you finally get confirmation (if you ever do). It's an investment.
Is it worth the trouble? I watched (and re-watched some) episodes to to be sure I wasn't missing the subtext of LUCK. The Nick Nolte character turns out way too enigmatic to care about. The juicy "Rosie" character turns out frustratingly lovable. Frustrating because you learn to love her while the plot pushes her outward from the center of the plot.
Dustin Hoffman does his best work posing still for intensely brilliant camera shots. He doesn't act much. That surprised me. You feel the director is building up tension for a wild explosion that will eventually occur. I'll admit, it's fascinating, but vexing at the same time.
Now that we know the series is canceled, there is no hope the suspense will be relieved and resolved. The characters will remain obscure. One exception is Marcus, played by Kevin Dunn. This disabled gambler is a reincarnation of Andy Sipowicz (the acerbic cop from NYPD Blue) with all the vinegar and cynical wit, but a genuine human heart. This is the one character we will not forget (those of us who studied this ill-fated series).
Sorry this bold artsy gamble didn't pay off. It was a deal gone bad.
