‘Poker Face’ Review: Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s Peacock Procedural Returns for a So-So Season 2

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Upon the debut of Peacock’s “Poker Face” in 2023, my main criticism stemmed from a position of advantage: Given how much I appreciated Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s heartfelt homage to the NBC Mystery Movie format popular in the ’70s, it was disappointing when the show chose to be “very good” rather than “exceptional.

In the last two years, almost every time I watched a series featuring The World’s Greatest Detective or a Human Lie Detector on TV – TV writers seem to adore the Human Lie Detector as much as a Hot Zone virologist cherishes a HAZMAT suit – I found myself thinking something along the lines of, “Actually, Elsbeth isn’t malicious, but Poker Face demonstrates that you could create a very similar show with slightly more ambition and creativity.”

Over the past two years, whenever I watched shows about great detectives or human lie detectors, I often thought, “Well, Elsbeth isn’t necessarily evil, but Poker Face could show you how to make a similar series with a bit more imagination and style.

Approaching over two years past its due date, given the complexity involved in creating CGI dragons, the second season of “Poker Face” has unfortunately fallen short in terms of quality compared to what was expected. While “Elsbeth” is a commendable series with intricate, twisting plots and impressive guest stars, it’s important to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean the second season of “Poker Face” is worse than “Elsbeth”. However, considering its previous success, it seems that this season hasn’t quite reached the same heights.

As a gamer, I’ve been following the new season of Poker Face, and while it’s not bad, it’s fallen short of its initial promise. Shows like this, which aim to blend the best of broadcast and prestige TV (like The Pitt), have become more run-of-the-mill streaming platform shows for me. Out of the 10 episodes I’ve watched from the season’s 12, none have been complete flops, but they can’t compare to the visual panache of “Dead Man’s Hand,” the conceptual excitement of “The Orpheus Syndrome,” or the high-stakes drama of “Escape from Shit Mountain.

The problem, then, becomes less a matter of underachieving and more a limitation of aspiration.

The series commences by showcasing a prominent guest role. Helmed by Johnson and penned by Laura Deeley, the episode titled “The Game Is a Foot” introduces Cynthia Erivo as five sisters. One sister is revealed to have murdered their mother (Jasmine Guy), who had supposedly swindled their substantial earnings from a now-defunct TV show they all starred in together. Regrettably, the episode doesn’t provide enough time for Erivo to fully explore each character’s depth. However, with various hairstyles and accents, it’s evident that she’s enjoying herself immensely.

The structure of this mystery may be weak, but its “Columbo”-esque style of solving crimes (“howcatchem”) compensates for that. Essentially, all you need to take away from the first season is that Lyonne’s character, Charlie Cale, possesses an uncanny ability to detect lies, and this is the extent of her investigative skills – and this is also where the series’ mystery unfolds and concludes.

In simpler terms, the structure of the TV show “Poker Face” has become rigid and predictable in its second season compared to its more flexible first season. Each episode starts by introducing the guest stars and the crime at hand, followed by Charlie’s skepticism about the culprit, her explanation of her unique ability, and finally, the killer confessing. The show’s initial mystery and tension have diminished, making the story less engaging overall. Despite Charlie appearing intellectual with her love for Borges and obscure Dennis Hopper films, much of her intelligence seems to be missing now, as well as most of the show’s suspense.

The first season of the show starts with Charlie, driving her eye-catching powder-blue Plymouth Barracuda, evading Benjamin Bratt, who’s the casino security chief she’s fleeing from in Las Vegas. The final episode introduces Rhea Perlman as Beatrix Hasp, a mob-connected owner of a competing casino, hinted to be the main antagonist. However, after an initial humorous take on Charlie’s life being in constant peril due to unidentified incompetent assassins, the narrative changes direction, causing the series ‘Poker Face’ to lose its continuity and much of its reason for Charlie Cale to travel across the U.S. At a certain point, she even settles down and stays in one place for multiple episodes, erasing any distinction between ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Elsbeth’.

It’s clear that the continuous narrative structure used in Poker Face was not feasible. Having Benjamin Bratt appear at the end of each episode, with Charlie outrunning him in her unique Barracuda and then driving just enough distance for him to locate her again the following week, wasn’t a viable approach to maintain viewer interest.

However, unlike Jessica Fletcher’s small town that seemed to have an unusual amount of murders, each one solvable by a single mystery writer, Charlie Cale isn’t just stumbling upon murder scenes. Instead, she seems to attract them, and over time, the series’ lighthearted tone starts to overshadow both the character and Lyonne’s acting performance. For instance, in an episode where Charlie has a romantic involvement with a victim, the dark, intriguing aspect from the first season disappears. It’s puzzling that Charlie Cale continues to be so cheerful and frequently seen vaping, given that she’s surrounded by death. Although it’s unrealistic for her to always be in a state of mourning, her constant humor feels out of place.

Instead of subtly transitioning from one episode to another with structural or aesthetic changes, these 10 episodes maintain a bubbly and repetitive pattern, providing ample room for discussions about TV and movie narrative techniques, yet failing to contribute significantly more to the ongoing discourse compared to what was established in the first season.

Of all the episodes, I found myself particularly drawn to the sixth one titled “Sloppy Joseph.” In this episode, a gerbil turns out to be the victim of a crime, and Charlie finds himself squaring off against an eight-year-old prodigy of evil, brilliantly portrayed by Eva Jade Halford. This is the only episode where I was consistently guessing how it would end or what lesson it would teach Charlie. To top it off, it stars David Krumholtz, a reunion from “Slums of Beverly Hills,” and Margo Martindale, making it hard not to love this one!

The show features standout guest appearances across its entirety. Notably, Kumail Nanjiani plays a Florida cop with an alligator partner, Sam Richardson portrays an aspiring filmmaker who’s passionate about heist movies, and Method Man brings energy as a gym owner. John Mulaney is seen consuming large amounts of milk, Simon Rex takes part in a baseball game, Katie Holmes also makes an appearance, adding to the ensemble, and it’s delightful to see her. Steve Buscemi provides consistent voice acting across various episodes, while Patti Harrison reprises her role as well.

Or in a shorter version: The show boasts impressive guest stars like Kumail Nanjiani, Sam Richardson, Method Man, John Mulaney, Simon Rex, Katie Holmes, with Steve Buscemi and Patti Harrison making repeat appearances.

While there’s certainly an inviting atmosphere for guest stars this season, it lacks the standout, memorable performances like those delivered by Nick Nolte in “The Orpheus Syndrome” or by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Stephanie Hsu in “Escape from Shit Mountain.” Instead of offering a unique opportunity to shine and deliver an exceptional performance, it appears more like an invitation for a casual 10-day hangout with Natasha Lyonne.

Instead, it shares similarities with Season 2 of Poker Face, and that’s perfectly alright. Perhaps the issue isn’t about accomplishment or ambition, but rather our preconceived notions. Let’s adjust those expectations accordingly.

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2025-05-07 23:55