Parents' Guide to

Lucky 7

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Drama about lottery winners has adult themes, some violence.

TV ABC Drama 2013
Lucky 7 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

Based on the British hit series The Syndicate, LUCKY 7 is a dramatic comedy that features a group of Astoria, New York, gas station employees whose lives are changed when they win the lottery. The Gold Star Gas N Shop gang, including struggling father Matt Korzak (Matt Long), cashier Denise Dibinsky (Lorraine Bruce), musically gifted Samira Lashari (Summer Bishil), single mom Leanne Maxwell (Anastasia Phillips), and their kind-hearted manager Bob Harris (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), win it big when their group purchases lottery tickets with the winning jackpot numbers. They all have big plans for spending their cuts of the winnings but soon realize they also must figure out how to cope with the ways their lives will change as a result. Meanwhile, cheerful mechanic Antonio Clemente (Luis Antonio Ramos), who chose not to contribute to the company lottery pool that week, must find a way to capitalize on his co-workers' win to make up for his unfortunate luck. Adding to the fray is employee Nicky Korzak (Stephen Louis Grush), an ex-con who involves his brother Matt in a crime to help him get some desperately needed money right before the big win. As each winner (and loser) tries to hide his or her secrets, everyone discovers that having money doesn't make all your problems disappear.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's an old story: average people win the lottery and face new problems thanks to suddenly becoming rich. Still, the show is compelling thanks to how the individual dramatic (and sometimes humorous) character-driven narrative threads are woven into the larger fabric of the family-like relationship of the group. Also interesting is the way each of these fictional stories highlights the array of consequences that real lottery winners face after winning the cash, including a loss of privacy and having to deal with people who believe they are entitled to cash gifts.

Viewers will be able to identify with some of these characters, all of whom are likable but flawed in some way. It's also frustrating to watch individuals and relationships deteriorate as greed takes over reason and characters fail to stay true to their core values and priorities. Overall, it's an entertaining series that will make you wonder what you would do if you won the lottery.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it would be like to win the lottery. How do you think winning a large amount of money would change your family's life? Do you think your family's values or priorities would change?

  • What kinds of things must be taken into consideration when adapting a film or TV series from another country to the United States, and vice versa? What are some differences in the way swearing, sex, violence, social tensions, and stereotypes are dealt with?

TV Details

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