This review contains light spoilers for both seasons of Poker Face.
When Poker Face first debuted at the beginning of 2023, it was a breath of fresh air. A throwback to 70s detective shows that was full of style thanks to the guiding hand of Rian Johnson. Nearly two and a half years later, the show is back. Now, it’s far from the only show to harken back to a different age of TV. In its second season, the trick must change. The series needs to prove what it can be outside of its influences.
Season 2 finds our human lie detector, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) on the run once again. This time she is being tracked down by a bevy of assassins hired by ruthless mob boss Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Pearlman). In a bold move, the writers wrap up this plotline early in the season. This frees up Charlie to focus on what her life can be. Rest assured, the show still involves murder and the solving of it. Death seems to follow Charlie around, so much so that it becomes something of a running joke in the season’s latter half.
As with many episodic shows, Poker Face follows a certain formula. The basic structure is this: we meet the guest stars in the lead-up to the murder, we move back before the killing to see how Charlie fits into the picture, and finally, she solves the mystery. From there, the plot deals some form of karmic justice, and our heroine moves on to the next location. The show changes up the format just enough over the course of the season to keep it from getting stale. Although the regular 45-50 minute runtime often leads to a quicker mystery-solving. It’s a tricky equilibrium, but the hit-to-miss ratio is still in favor of the “hits.”
Part of what makes Poker Face so engaging is the way it balances tone. The series is primarily a comedy, a tough act to pull off when someone needs to die each week. It’s a testament to the writing team that the show remains funny while never selling short the heinous crimes committed. That said, there is a tendency this season to veer onto the goofy side to the detriment of that balance. The most egregious being an episode wherein a Florida cop (Kumail Nanjiani) gets eaten by his pet alligator after it consumes a ton of cocaine. It’s a rare installment where the death, as bizarre as it is, feels a bit too trivial.
Even the show’s weaker episodes hang together thanks to a tremendous lead performance by Natasha Lyonne. Not since Adrian Monk have we been blessed with such a charming TV “detective.” Charlie Cale is resourceful and determined, despite frequently finding herself in over her head, and Lyonne seems to find chemistry with everyone she encounters. That last part is especially important because Charlie is usually absent from the first act of each episode. Lyonne’s ability to establish a connection with a character in only a few minutes is the glue that holds it all together.
Obviously, there’s another half to this equation. Poker Face is full of quality guest stars, although this recent season feels front-loaded. The first two episodes feature Cynthia Erivo playing five identical sisters along with Giancarlo Esposito and Katie Holmes as troubled owners of a funeral home. Erivo gets the big, splashy acting challenge of playing 5 different people, but Esposito and Holmes are equally fascinating. That those first two episodes are among the season’s best offerings also helps. Still, there are plenty of interesting guest turns from the likes of John Mulaney, Corey Hawkins, Melanie Lynskey, John Cho, and Alia Shawkat among many, many more. You’re guaranteed at least one quality guest appearance per episode.
Season 1 utilized Rian Johnson’s visual style, even when he wasn’t directing. For season 2, Johnson is only around for the first episode, leading other directors, including Lyonne, to pick up the slack. The results are mixed, with some episodes eager to show off their influences. We get an entire homage to the ending of Heat one week, for instance. As the season goes on, the show settles more into a comfortable rhythm than the visual inventiveness that came before.
For many shows, a second season is a chance to fully define what can be done with the premise. With Poker Face, the writers want to see what happens with Charlie when she isn’t running. It’s an intriguing idea, even if it doesn’t always lead to great episodes. Still, the series finds an interesting way back to something like the status quo by season’s end. Maybe the trick is that there isn’t a grand innovation each week, just a solid hour with a fun character solving a murder. Sometimes that’s all you need.
Poker Face is currently streaming on Peacock.