Most probably know what a “whodunit” is, but what exactly is a “howcatchem”? To put it simply, it’s the same formula that most detective shows and crime procedurals follow, but reversed, where the crime and killer are revealed up front, and a plucky investigator has to figure out how to prove what happened. It’s a tough balancing act to get right, but one of the best examples of a stellar and unpredictable howcatchem can be seen in the star-studded first season ofPoker Face, which should hardly be surprising, given it hails from creator and executive producerKnives OutfilmmakerRian Johnson.
WhenPoker FaceSeason 1 first debuted in 2023, it proved itself to be a sleek, stylish, and hilarious murder-of-the-week series that successfully brought the tongue-and-cheek tone of theKnives Outfilms to the small screen. Complete with meticulous attention to detail and a stellar lead performance fromNatasha Lyonne, Season 1 finally gave Peacock the bonafide seller the streamer needed. Now, two years later, Season 2 brings with itthe same directorial flair, witty writing, and great performances from a star-studded cast, even if it doesn’t pack quite as strong a punch as its predecessor.
What Is ‘Poker Face’ Season 2 About?
As was the case in Season 1, each episode ofPoker FaceSeason 2 follows a new misadventure for Charlie Cale (Lyonne) — a charismatic and lovable drifter who happens to have a borderline miraculous gift. Essentially,Charlie is a human lie detectorwho can always tell whether something someone is telling her is either the truth or, as she bluntly puts it, “bullshit.“Season 1 saw Charlie being relentlessly pursued across the U.S.by a bloodthirsty bodyguard (Benjamin Bratt), all while taking odd jobs that almost always ended up with someone getting killed, leading her to become an impromptu detective to avenge those she formed a close bond with.Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off, with Charlie still solving a new mystery at every pit stop, all while outrunning some scorned mobsters.
Every episode ofPoker Faceessentially follows the same dual-narrative format, with the first half focusing on the motive and explanation for the episode’s main crime and the second half revealing Charlie’s involvement, as well as how she starts to put the pieces together. This format of showing the murder and even the killer first and then proving how things were done later has been used in crime procedurals before,such asMonk, but what helpsPoker Facestill feel fresh and fun is the main question it constantly poses for itself. How does one make a murder-mystery story compelling when the crime is revealed up front and the main character can always tell when someone’s lying? The answer is effectively simple:sharp writing, well-developed characters, and consistent subversion of expectations, all of which the team behindPoker Facehas consistently demonstrated impeccable aptitude for.
It also helps to have a main protagonist that is consistently fun to follow, andPoker Face’s lead is that and then some.Lyonne injects her character with infectious likability and effortless personality, with Charlie being more than worthy of being counted amongthe great fictional detectives like Columbo (Peter Falk), Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), and even her spiritual sibling Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Yet one of Charlie’s best qualities as a detective is that she technically isn’t one. She’s just a friendly face driving through the countryside who makes friends with almost everyone she meets, even when they turn out to be killers.
One Episode of ‘Poker Face’ Season 2 Stands Out Above the Rest
Poker Face’s first season set an incredibly high bar, doing for episodic crime procedurals whatThe Pittrecently did for medical dramas. Although its format might be more typically suited for network TV, the Peacock series has the benefit of being unburdened by network TV restraints.Poker FaceSeason 2, of which the first ten episodes were provided for review, doubles down on that format with even more self-containment than before, abandoning an overarching narrative pretty early on in the series. Being able to jump into any episode with limited to no knowledge of the ones prior is certainly refreshing, though that also meansthere isn’t too much in the way of larger character developmentfor Charlie to chew on.
Compared to Season 1,Poker FaceSeason 2 isn’t quite as compelling. None of the first ten episodes are flat-out awful and even come complete with solid performances from its guest cast of big names, with notable standouts includingCynthia ErivoandGiancarlo Esposito. However, unlike the series' prior achievements,Season 2’s episodes don’t offer as many laughs as Season 1, and they’re sadly a great deal more predictable. Several of them don’t even seem to utilize Charlie’s signature trademark of always being able to spot a lie.
‘Poker Face’ Season 2 Adds ‘Shang-Chi,’ ‘The Wire’ Stars
They join an already star-studded guest cast.
While the majority of Season 2’s offerings range from somewhat forgettable to perfectly okay, there are some terrific episodes — and they just so happen to flipPoker Face’s familiar format on its head.One fantastic episode, directed byGet Shorty’s Adam Arkin, stands tall among the rest; Charlie starts working at a private grade school, where the mystery that unfolds sets itself apart from just about every other episode to date. Of course, being a mystery show, we wouldn’t want to give too much away, but this mid-season installment is filled to the brim with one of the show’s best villains so far, some great humor, and even a surprising amount of heart.
‘Poker Face’ Still Has Gas in the Tank for Future Seasons
It’s somewhat appropriate thatPoker FaceSeason 2 almost feels like taking a cross-country road trip.This leg ofPoker Face’s journey is definitely closer to a travel day, as there are a good number of slow moments that don’t offer a lot of engaging sights. However, those moments quickly fade in the rearview mirror when some of Season 2’s best episodes make themselves known; in addition to the episode previously mentioned, other entries, likeaHeat-inspired heist(which also happens to be directed by Arkin) and one where Charlie gets caught up in a high-profile hostage situation, are also major standouts.
Some bumps in the road keepPoker FaceSeason 2 from being a bonafide home run like Season 1. That being said,the consistently greatdirecting and writing, along with Lyonne’s performance and charisma, still make this show a ride worth taking.While it may be time for Charlie Cale to start earning more development moving forward, it’ll still be exciting to see what kind of acePoker Facehas up its sleeve — not just for its remaining two episodes, but the potential future of this fun howcatchem show.
Poker FaceSeason 2 premieres May 8 on Peacock.
Poker Face
Poker Face Season 2 is a delightful return to form for the murder-mystery genre, but it may need to step up its game in the future.
