The Peacock thriller collection Poker Face started because the manifestation of a dream first dreamt in 2020, when Natasha Lyonne co-signed somebody’s suggestion that she get to steer a Columbo remake. “I’ll struggle Ruffalo for it if I’ve to. Me and also you, after class, Warriors fashion for Columbo,” Lyonne wrote on Twitter then. 5 years later, she’s starring in her personal Columbo-inspired drama — which has completed a exceptional job of discovering its personal voice in Season 2.
Created by Rian Johnson, with Tony Tost serving as showrunner for Season 2, Poker Face stays in some ways true to its inspiration level: Every episode begins with the committing of a criminal offense (often alongside the strains of homicide), earlier than bringing in Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, a cheerful vagabond with the uncanny skill to detect any lie and the tragic incapability to stroll away from injustice.
Season 1 featured Charlie stumbling throughout crimes whereas road-tripping round the US, in an try and elude the mob she pissed off initially of the collection. With out moving into spoilers for Season 2, that storyline continues for a couple of episodes earlier than shifting into a distinct gear, one which prices the present a bit of little bit of momentum, however has the advantage of focusing the viewers’s consideration on the most recent crime.
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Season 2, whereas nonetheless largely adhering to the format established in Season 1, by no means feels completely beholden to its established construction, in ways in which create shock frequently. There’s even an episode the place there’s no homicide sufferer — not a human one, anyway. One factor stays constant: A lot of the enjoyment of a Poker Face episode (ten of which had been offered for evaluate) is discovering out how Charlie suits into no matter story is unfolding. That pleasure, although, comes secondary to the frenzy of the opening credit, which reveal who’s caught up on this explicit crime story.
The visitor solid record for this season contains Cynthia Ervio, Kumail Nanjiani, Giancarlo Esposito, Richard Type, John Mulaney, John Cho, Adrienne C. Moore, Alia Shawkat, Awkwafina, Ben Marshall, B.J. Novak, Carol Kane, Cliff “Methodology Man” Smith, Corey Hawkins, David Alan Grier, David Krumholtz, Davionte “GaTa” Ganter, Ego Nwodim, Gaby Hoffmann, Geraldine Viswanathan, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Ritter, Justin Theroux, Kathrine Narducci, Katie Holmes, Kevin Corrigan, Lauren Tom, Lili Taylor, Margo Martindale, Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Leggero, Patti Harrison, Rhea Perlman, Sam Richardson, Sherry Cola, Simon Helberg, Simon Rex, and Taylor Schilling.
That’s not even everybody! Not listed above is Steve Buscemi as “Good Buddy,” a CB radio buddy Charlie retains up with over the course of the season. (I’m concurrently sufficiently old to vaguely perceive what a CB radio is and never sufficiently old to elucidate it correctly, however that’s what Wikipedia is for.) A major majority of those actors have some previous reference to Lyonne (who, as a working actress for many of her life, appears to know everybody) — and are available collectively right here in surprising and pleasant methods. Krumholtz and Martindale! Lynskey and Cho! Holmes and Esposito!
None of that is stunt casting, to be clear, as each visitor star slips into a job that could be surprising, however suits naturally into the story being advised. That finally ends up being an enormous consider what elevates Poker Face as a collection: This present is so good at crafting distinctive but relatable characters, performed by a few of right this moment’s best working actors. We get to know so many of those characters so nicely in such a brief time period, from their hopes and ambitions to their relationships with these they love. Which signifies that when tragedy or foul play strikes, it has an emotional influence past what you may really feel watching your typical episode of Regulation & Order
Whereas Poker Face competes on the Emmys as a comedy, there’s an underlying sorrow to each episode, because the present explores the distress people inflict on one another within the identify of greed or rage or concern. Whereas it’s in fact unhappy when one thing dangerous occurs to somebody good, it’s by some means even sadder when somebody good finds themselves doing the dangerous factor: The tragedy of likable individuals making poor decisions. As a result of they all the time find yourself paying the worth, as a result of Charlie’s ethical compass (and by extension, Poker Face‘s) by no means fails. Even when Charlie actually needs it could, so she may discover some peace.
It’s all so thoughtfully written and executed, at occasions to the purpose of devastation, although Charlie stays the present’s emotional anchor, retaining the viewers from drifting into despair. A lot of this present works just because we simply like Charlie — and may see why different individuals like and belief her in a comparatively brief period of time. It’s an ideal encapsulation of Lyonne’s skills, and Season 2 additionally sees her extra concerned creatively, directing two episodes and co-writing one.
On the Winter 2023 TCA press tour, Johnson and Lyonne each stated that they’d like to hold making Poker Face, noting that “There are infinite tales to inform.” It’s an actual pleasure to say that after watching the majority of Season 2, it seems like creatively that’s very a lot inside their grasp. And tv typically will probably be higher for it — as a result of it’s essential to have a criminal offense present that by no means as soon as forgets, in even the silliest of eventualities, that murderers and victims aren’t simply plot gadgets. They’re individuals.
Poker Face Season 2 premieres Might eighth with three episodes, adopted by new episodes each Thursday.