La Fortuna

La Fortuna’s distinctive story, combined with the standout performances from Tucci and Peters, make the show one we want to stick with.

The Spanish series La Fortuna, which aired last year in its country of origin, falls somewhere in between “quite good” and “ambitious but uneven” on that spectrum. ... There is a kind of straightforward, throwback comfort to La Fortuna. A fair amount of that comes from Tucci, weaponizing his extra-dirty-negroni grin into smugness and condescension, and Clarke Peters.

Mr. Peters is a memorable presence, a solid counterweight to Mr. Tucci, and a voice of righteousness. But dramatically, as well as morally, this bilingual and frequently English-subtitled drama lists to the Spanish side: The characters there are better realized, the dialogue is sharper and the ineptitude of Spanish politicians looks benign stacked up next to certain strains of American corruption and stupidity.

The closest La Fortuna comes to galvanic is when Tucci, relishing his character’s snakelike swagger, and Peters, full of worldly wisdom and weary impatience, go head-to-head, which happens just barely enough. ... The Spanish side of the ensemble is driven by somewhat likably idealistic turns by Mel and Polvorosa, though they’re let down by a never-convincing love story.