Saagar Kote
Based on Marissa Stapley’s eponymous novel, Apple TV’s ‘Lucky’ from creator Jonathan Tropper follows Luciana Armstrong, AKA Lucky (Anya Taylor-Joy), a skilled con artist. Trained in the art of deception by her father, John (Timothy Olyphant), she has now abandoned the criminal life she was raised in. Things take an unexpected turn when she is forced back into it and faces the aftermath of an unexpected situation. After Lucky and her husband, Cary (Drew Starkey), steal from notorious gangster Wayne Whittaker (William Fichtner) at the request of the imprisoned John, their plan quickly unravels.
Lucky awakens alone in a Las Vegas hotel suite to find both Cary and the money gone, forcing her into a desperate fight for survival. Hunted by the FBI and Whittaker’s associate Priscilla Matheson (Annette Bening), Lucky must rely on the skills she learned growing up. What follows in the crime thriller series is a saga of gunfights, chases, and a relentless effort to make things right and survive. If the themes of the show appealed to you, these shows, similar to ‘Lucky,’ feature engaging characters, puzzling storylines, unpredictable fates, and adrenaline-fueled moments.
12. Alias (2001-2006)
Created by J. J. Abrams, ‘Alias’ follows Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner), a young operative who believes she is serving a secret branch of the CIA known as SD-6. Her world is shattered after revealing her secret life to her fiancé, whose murder leads her to discover that SD-6 is actually part of a rogue criminal organization. Determined to destroy it from within, Sydney becomes a double agent for the CIA, working alongside her handler, Michael Vaughn (Michael Vartan), and her estranged father, Jack Bristow (Victor Garber).
Sydney must keep her true identity hidden while surviving an increasingly perilous web of deception and unforeseen threats at various levels. Like ‘Lucky,’ the action thriller series centers on a resourceful woman forced to rely on deception and quick thinking while powerful enemies target her. The stories combine relentless action and thrills with emotionally charged relationships and a sense of vulnerability that surrounds the main characters while they try to survive against overwhelming odds.
11. Nikita (2010-2013)
‘Nikita’ is the story of Nikita (Maggie Q), a former assassin who returns from years in hiding to dismantle the covert organization that transformed her into a deadly spy and assassin. As a troubled teenager, Nikita was spared from death row by the secret agency Division, which promised her a second chance. However, Nikita’s fiancé is murdered by Division, a shocking betrayal that pushes her to an emotional edge. Escaping the agency, the assassin makes it her mission to bring it down and expose those who deceived her.
Nikita embarks on a relentless campaign where the threats keep mounting, challenging her at every turn. Craig Silverstein is at the creative helm of this riveting action-thriller drama series. ‘Lucky’ and ‘Nikita’ delve into the complex lives of women drawn back into a dangerous world by unavoidable circumstances. While Lucky is mainly driven by survival and peace, Nikita’s pursuit of vengeance intensifies her character arc.
10. Black Doves (2024-)
‘Black Doves’ sheds light on the trials of Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a former secret agent who has built a quiet life as the wife of the UK’s Secretary of State for Defense while concealing her true identity from her family. Her carefully maintained double life is shattered when her lover is murdered by figures connected to London’s criminal underworld. Suddenly thrust back into a dangerous world she hoped to leave behind, Helen becomes the target of mysterious assassins while searching for the truth behind the killing.
To uncover the conspiracy, she reunites with her former colleague and trusted friend Sam Young (Ben Whishaw), whose own hidden secrets complicate their mission. Brought to life by Joe Barton, the action thriller series blends crime, personal stakes, survival, and deception akin to ‘Lucky.’ Both shows feature women whose hidden pasts resurface in dangerous ways, forcing them into deadly pursuits against powerful enemies.
9. The Cleaning Lady (2022-2025)
‘The Cleaning Lady’ depicts the experiences of Thony De La Rosa (Élodie Yung), a foreign former surgeon who remains in Las Vegas on an expired visa while seeking life-saving treatment for her young son. Struggling to survive, Thony’s life changes when she witnesses a murder committed by Arman Morales (Adan Canto), the head of a criminal organization. Instead of silencing her, Arman recruits her to clean crime scenes and use her medical expertise, allowing her to earn enough to support her family.
When the FBI pressures her to become an informant, Thony is forced to handle multiple secrets and find a balance in her double life where every decision carries serious consequences. The crime drama series is Miranda Kwok’s adaptation of the Argentine series ‘La chica que limpia.’ On the lines of ‘Lucky,’ the show sheds light on the art of survival in all its complexities and explores cat-and-mouse encounters in which the female protagonists must make tough choices to achieve their objectives in a dangerous, puzzling world.
8. Killing Eve (2018-2022)
‘Killing Eve’ narrates the tale of Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), an intelligent but dissatisfied MI5 security officer whose routine desk job leaves her craving real investigative work. Eventually, she is recruited by a covert MI6 unit to track down Villanelle (Jodie Comer), a highly skilled assassin working for a mysterious organization. The hunt intensifies, and what begins as a professional mission evolves into a dangerous mutual obsession that pulls both women away from their original goals and into unpredictable situations. Their relentless pursuit of one another blurs the line between good and bad, and their motivations grow increasingly puzzling as their relentless pursuit drives their fates.
With Phoebe Waller-Bridge at the creative helm, the British spy thriller series is based on the ‘Villanelle’ novel series by Luke Jennings. Much like ‘Lucky,’ the show centers on complex female characters navigating deception and difficult choices in a world full of threats. Beyond the character dynamics, the shows also balance thrilling moments with intense and grounded relationships that are tested in unexpected ways.
7. Good Girls (2018-2021)
Guided by the vision of Jenna Bans, ‘Good Girls’ is a crime comedy-drama series that revolves around Elizabeth Boland (Christina Hendricks), Ruby Hill (Retta), and Annie Marks (Mae Whitman), three suburban mothers whose financial hardships drive them to rob a local supermarket. What seems like a straightforward solution quickly unravels when they discover the store is secretly laundering money for a criminal organization. Suddenly pulled into a world they never expected to enter, the trio finds themselves caught between dangerous criminals and the supermarket’s manager, with every decision drawing them further into trouble.
The stakes continue to rise, and the three friends must outthink those around them while protecting both their families and themselves. While the titular character in ‘Lucky’ is a trained con artist who is also a skilled fighter, ‘Good Girls’ features characters who are suddenly forced to understand and survive a world they have no familiarity with and deal with threats that seem to be beyond them. Although the two shows are essentially female-led, their contrasting character motivations and visual aesthetics offer viewers diverse perspectives.
6. The Flight Attendant (2020-2022)
‘The Flight Attendant’ is a comedy thriller series brought to life by Steve Yockey and based on Chris Bohjalian’s novel of the same name. It centers on Cassie Bowden (Kaley Cuoco), an American flight attendant whose hedonistic routine of life comes to an abrupt halt after an intimate night with a passenger in Bangkok ends with her waking up beside his dead body and no clear memory of what happened. Panicked, Cassie leaves the scene and goes home to NYC, where the FBI is waiting to question her as they consider her a suspect.
Haunted by fragmented memories, she becomes convinced the actual killer is still out there, forcing her to uncover the truth before time runs out. ‘Lucky’ and ‘The Flight Attendant’ are stories of female protagonists whose lives are turned upside down without warning. Both stories combine suspense, survival, and gritty storytelling, while also intricately delving into the personal side of the main characters.
5. Berlin (2023-)
Created by Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato, ‘Berlin’ or ‘Berlín’ serves as a prequel to ‘Money Heist,’ following Andrés de Fonollosa, AKA Berlin (Pedro Alonso), during an earlier chapter of his criminal career. Set primarily in Paris, the Spanish crime drama series chronicles the experiences of Berlin as he assembles a talented and passionate crew of thieves for an ambitious jewel heist worth millions of dollars. Carefully planned from the outset, the operation begins to unravel when Berlin develops feelings for the wife of the man the gang intends to frame for the robbery.
When personal emotions collide with the plan, the crew members must navigate mounting complications that threaten to defeat them and end their mission. The series, akin to ‘Lucky,’ combines heists, personal drama, clever con missions, escalating chaos, and the consequences of choices in an unpredictable world full of ambition and danger.
4. The Company You Keep (2023)
‘The Company You Keep’ explores the world of Charlie (Milo Ventimiglia), a skilled con man determined to leave his family’s criminal business behind. His plans become far more complicated after he falls for Emma (Catherine Haena Kim), unaware that she is an undercover CIA officer pursuing the very criminal threatening Charlie’s family. Charlie works to free his loved ones from a dangerous debt, and Emma, who is also unaware of Charlie’s secrets, moves closer to the truth, placing the couple on opposing sides without either realizing it.
Their growing relationship is tested by deception and the consequences of the secrets they keep. Created by Julia Cohen, the drama series is based on ‘My Fellow Citizens!,’ a Korean series. ‘Lucky’ and ‘The Company You Keep’ mainly shed light on con artists trying to escape a criminal past that refuses to let go because of familial connections. The two shows balance clever schemes with emotional relationships, while also being action-packed and character-driven at their core.
3. Jett (2019)
Crafted by Sebastian Gutierrez, ‘Jett’ is an action crime drama series that chronicles the trials and tribulations of Daisy Kowalski, AKA Jett (Carla Gugino), an exceptionally skilled thief who hopes to leave her criminal life behind after being released from prison. Her plans for a fresh start quickly collapse when crime boss Charlie Baudelaire (Giancarlo Esposito) pressures her into taking one final job in Cuba. This assignment pulls Jett into a series of increasingly dangerous operations, reconnects her with a former romantic partner, and endangers her loved ones.
Surrounded by those determined to exploit her talents, Jett must rely on the very skills she wanted to abandon in order to survive. On the lines of ‘Lucky,’ the narrative focuses on a highly skilled and conflicted female criminal who is forced to make tough choices and re-enter a world she hopes to escape. The action scenes, cat-and-mouse storytelling, emotional stakes, and the deceptions in the shows connect them on a deeper level.
2. Imposters (2017-2018)
‘Imposters’ centers on Maddie Jonson (Inbar Lavi), a charming con artist working for a nameless individual. Maddie has a simple yet effective method of deceiving others, making her dangerous. She wins the trust and affection of her targets, marries them, and disappears with their money. Her life grows complicated when she develops feelings for Patrick Campbell (Stephen Bishop), the target of her new assignment. Meanwhile, three of her former victims, including Ezra Bloom (Rob Heaps), Richard Evans (Parker Young), and Jules Langmore (Marianne Rendón), discover they were all deceived by the same woman and join forces to track her down at any cost.
Adam Brooks and Paul Adelstein steer this riveting dark comedy series. Similar to the titular character in ‘Lucky,’ Maddie is a gifted con artist whose life is disrupted by unexpected and dangerous complications. The shows, which feature engaging visual aesthetics, also explore the consequences of actions and the hurdles that hinder the path towards liberation.
1. Good Behavior (2016-2017)
‘Good Behavior’ follows Letty Raines (Michelle Dockery), a con artist trying to build a better life after leaving prison. She wants to reunite with her young son, but staying out of trouble proves harder than she expected. Everything changes when Letty overhears a hitman, Javier (Juan Diego Botto), accepting a contract to kill a woman. Her attempt to stop the murder draws her into Javier’s dangerous world, and the two soon develop a complicated relationship.
When Letty becomes caught between her hope for a fresh start and the criminal life that keeps pulling her back, she must face the consequences of every choice she makes and every relationship that she grows attached to. The drama series is based on the novel of the same name by Blake Crouch, who co-created the show with Chad Hodge. A skilled female con artist, a troubling past, hopes for the future, unforeseen developments, complex relationships, tough choices, familial bonds, and the cost of liberation in a world of crime are ideas that both ‘Lucky’ and ‘Good Behavior’ intricately explore.
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