It’s intriguing to observe an artist delving deep into a particular niche or subject matter. For instance, Picasso during his ‘Blue Period’, Seurat with his pointillism technique, and in recent times, Rian Johnson immersed in the crime genre.
After completing “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in 2017, the filmmaker embarked on creating a unique murder mystery series with an exclusive cast and a new lead investigator. This endeavor led to his highly acclaimed 2019 film, “Knives Out”, which introduced the character of Benoit Blanc, a clever Southern detective portrayed by Daniel Craig, into the realm of cinematic mysteries.
After the arrival of COVID-19, Johnson found himself immersed in the captivating world of Richard Levinson and William Link’s classic ’70s mystery series, “Columbo,” which he discovered on Peacock. The show starred Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo, a charmingly shrewd homicide detective from the LAPD, who served as inspiration for Johnson to develop his own contemporary take on the inverted detective genre, with Natasha Lyonne portraying the lead detective character.
In their collaborative effort, the TV show Poker Face by Peacock was produced and quickly gained both critical acclaim and popularity among viewers. The initial season chronicles the tumultuous life of Charlie Cale, a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas, who finds herself on the run after getting into trouble with a mob boss. To escape, she hit the road in her 1969 Plymouth Barracuda and encounters new people at each stop, many of whom are connected to recent murders that Charlie helps solve using her exceptional ability to read people and discern truth from lies, often referred to as her “bullst-meter.
In a fresh twist, the captivating series “Poker Face” resumes on Peacock starting May 2, unveiling 12 intriguing mysteries for its second season. A stellar lineup of top-tier guest stars is set to bolster the investigations led by Cale, as revealed at the recent PaleyFest event for the new season. Here, Johnson shared insights on modifications in the latest stories, the unpredictable casting process, and his preferred episodes this season with NBC Insider.
Rian Johnson says Poker Face Season 2 is more standalone than ever
In the initial run of “Poker Face,” the storyline was designed to unfold Charlie’s ongoing predicament as a fugitive, with each situation becoming progressively riskier until she was compelled to face her menacing mob boss adversary in Atlantic City. However, it was disclosed that this season will take a more self-contained approach, meaning each episode can be enjoyed independently.
In Johnson’s words, their writers’ room approach wasn’t about figuring out ways to advance Charlie’s narrative or delve deeper; rather, it was centered around the TV shows they cherished from their childhood, such as Columbo, Magnum P.I., and The Rockford Files. The core of these series lies in consistently surprising the audience with each episode, which is something they aimed to achieve.
He went on, “Each episode in this season carries a unique atmosphere.” He explained, “Every episode has its own style or genre, and it even has its distinct mood. Some episodes are more like slapstick comedy, while others are deeply emotional. Some are darker, some are lighter. The aim was to keep the viewers guessing, giving them an element of surprise when the opening credits roll, and truly delighting them.
How Poker Face recruited their guest stars
In the first season of the show, we saw an abundance of talent from Adrian Brody to Nick Nolte, Stephanie Hsu, and Ellen Barkin. However, Season 2 of Poker Face might boast an even more impressive lineup of stars. A partial list includes Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, Cynthia Erivo, Margo Martindale, John Mulaney, and Ego Nwodim.
It might seem like the casting process would take several months given those names, but Johnson revealed that it’s often quite spontaneous instead.
He shared that the show is unique because they film it week by week instead of planning everything at once. It’s similar to laying down railroad tracks as a train approaches, creating an urgent atmosphere. Each week, there’s a sense of panic, followed by surprise and disbelief, like “Did we really just do that? Is ‘Mulaney’ actually happening? I can’t believe it!” he chuckled. This feeling was strong during the first season and even more so in the second one.
Rian Johnson’s Season 2 MVP episodes
Although humorously taken aback when asked to choose favorites this season, Johnson mentioned the season opener and his sole directed episode for the current season, titled “The Game Is a Foot,” which featured Erivo.
He mentioned that there’s an episode featuring Simon Rex which revolves around a minor league baseball team. Being a big fan of baseball, especially its minor league where underdogs strive, he finds this aspect appealing. The show’s vibe resonates with this setting as well, making it an enjoyable episode in his opinion.
Speaking as a fan, I’d like to share that we crafted an episode reminiscent of the witty charm of “House of Games,” a classic from David Mamet. It’s essentially a tale about a con artist. The talented John Cho and Melanie Lynskey graced our screens in this episode, and let me tell you, they were absolutely brilliant!
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2025-05-07 19:56