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 lead a Columbo remake. “I’ll combat Ruffalo for it if I’ve to. Me and also you, after class, Warriors model for Columbo,” Lyonne wrote on Twitter then. 5 years later, she’s starring in her personal Columbo-inspired drama — which has executed a outstanding 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 capability to detect any lie and the tragic incapacity to stroll away from injustice.
Season 1 featured Charlie stumbling throughout crimes whereas road-tripping round the USA, in an try to elude the mob she pissed off in the beginning of the collection. With out stepping into spoilers for Season 2, that storyline continues for a number of episodes earlier than shifting into a unique gear, one which prices the present a bit little bit of momentum, however has the advantage of focusing the viewers’s consideration on the newest 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 assessment) is discovering out how Charlie suits into no matter story is unfolding. That pleasure, although, comes secondary to the push of the opening credit, which reveal who’s caught up on this specific crime story.
The visitor forged listing for this season contains Cynthia Ervio, Kumail Nanjiani, Giancarlo Esposito, Richard Form, John Mulaney, John Cho, Adrienne C. Moore, Alia Shawkat, Awkwafina, Ben Marshall, B.J. Novak, Carol Kane, Cliff “Technique 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 clarify 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 sudden 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 is likely to be sudden, however suits naturally into the story being advised. That finally ends up being an enormous think about 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 most interesting 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 implies that when tragedy or foul play strikes, it has an emotional impression past what you would possibly really feel watching your typical episode of Legislation & 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 title of greed or rage or worry. Whereas it’s in fact unhappy when one thing unhealthy occurs to somebody good, it’s in some way even sadder when somebody good finds themselves doing the unhealthy factor: The tragedy of likable folks making poor decisions. As a result of they at all times 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 will, so she might 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 might see why different folks like and belief her in a comparatively quick period of time. It’s an ideal encapsulation of Lyonne’s abilities, 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 preserve 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 looks like creatively that’s very a lot inside their grasp. And tv typically can be higher for it — as a result of it’s necessary 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 units. They’re folks.
Poker Face Season 2 premieres Could eighth with three episodes, adopted by new episodes each Thursday.
