I watched Rian Johnson’s Poker Face on Peacock – and it’s nothing like Knives Out
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It’s no secret that Peacock is the black sheep of the streaming family. While Netflix and Disney Plus have extensive and excellent back catalogs, Peacock’s lack of top-tier originals has caused audiences to eschew it in favor of its more popular cousins.
Now, however, the NBC Universal streamer has a truly stellar TV show to rival his peers: Poker face. The brainchild of Rian Johnson (Knives out, Star Wars), Poker face is a sensationally good detective comedy series that will do more than just the Knives out-shaped emptiness in your life. I’d even go so far as to say it’s the best Peacock show of all time – and one that will convince you to finally sign up for the service.
The truth is out there
Poker face stars Natasha Lyonne (Russian doll) as Charlie Cale, a drifter who possesses the seemingly supernatural ability to detect lies. Or, in Cale’s catchphrase-esque terms, when a person gives her “crap.”
When Charlie becomes inadvertently involved in the death of a casino owner, she is forced to go on the run to avoid the casino’s head of security-hitman Cliff LeGrand (Benjamin Bratt). Along the way, Charlie becomes embroiled in murder mysteries in the style of the case of the week, which regularly put her innate ability to good use, albeit reluctantly.
Given Johnson’s involvement – Poker face marks his first foray into television – there are striking parallels between Charlie and Knives out‘s Benoit Blanc. The duo are extraordinary sleuths, but aren’t as emotionally disconnected as, say, Sherlock Holmes. Instead, it’s their “everybody” characters – complete with their comically awkward ability to get caught up in murder-based escapades – that make Charlie and Blanc likeable, entertaining individuals.
However, it is here where the similarities end. Where Knives out and his successor – Glass onion – are positioned as Agatha Christie-inspired whodunits, Poker face works as a ‘howcatchem’. It is a term popularly attributed to Columbo-like shows and movies, where viewers watch the murder take place, discover the identity of the perpetrator, and then watch the detective put the puzzle pieces together. Think of it as a reverse Knives out and you will *ahem* deduce what I mean.
unlike Columbo, Charlie is not your typical detective. She’s essentially a walking lie detector, not a qualified detective, which isn’t much use when it comes to solving complicated murders. Still, Charlie’s sheer determination to get to the bottom of the truth (with the help of some excellent supporting characters, but more on them later) and ability to spot people’s lies make her incredibly effective in a job she’s called upon to do. would be custom made.
Part of Poker face‘s great appeal is his ability to engage his audience in his mysteries as well.
Yes, we see how each killer commits his crime, so we are already one step ahead of Charlie in knowing who the culprit is. However, eagle-eyed viewers can see the signs pointing to the killer’s motives, the careless disposal of evidence, and other puzzle pieces that Charlie must uncover in order to solve the mystery. It makes for an enjoyable, participatory viewing experience, especially when some seemingly important clues turn out to be red herrings.
There were a few times when I thought I’d solved the events leading up to individual episode murders, only to have those pieces of evidence obsolete. They made me look amusingly silly, but that’s part of it Poker face‘s charm. It aims to subvert your expectations of a sleuth-based series, and the addition of bluffs mostly shows how intelligently it’s put together.
Deepening of the research
Poker face‘s clever and intricate storytelling intertwines throughout its run – at least during the six entries I’ve seen so far. Sure, it’s positioned primarily as a howcatchem, but it’s a genre tapestry that borrows from thrillers, horror productions, and slapstick comedies to help set it apart from its peers.
It helps that Charlie is an engaging and engaging character. Lyonne’s quirky, outgoing protagonist is an on-screen stunner whose witticisms and creepy observations make her instantly likable. Charlie isn’t an archetypal hero by any means – she misses the chance to train as a detective throughout the series – but she’s a do-gooder nonetheless; a trait that makes her journey worth investing in.
And what a journey it is. From her explanatory origin story in the premiere – as revealed by guest star Adrian Brody – through the sixth episode, Poker face effortlessly convinces you to enjoy the ride. Charlie’s cross-country excursion, all in the name of dodging Bratt’s Cliff, puts her in all sorts of weird and wonderfully funny situations, with each episode acting like a chapter-based pit stop as she speeds along in her trusty Plymouth Barracuda.
Whether it’s the criminals in question, characters helping Charlie uncover the truth, or just side-splitting cameos, Poker face‘s supporting ensemble is as eccentric, disturbing and endearingly off-putting as it gets.
From Brody’s egotistical Sterling Frost and Hong Chau’s eccentric trucker Marge to Lil Rey Howery’s charmingly diabolical Taffy and Simon Helberg’s skittish FBI agent Luca, Poker face is full of stars. Each of the show’s 40 well-known actors brings plenty of humor, drama, action, menace, sadness, and relatability to their characters.
Poker Face’s great appeal is its ability to engage its audience in its mysteries
They brilliantly bounce off Lyonne’s Charlie, regardless of the depth of their conversations with Poker facealso takes center stage, chewing up the scenery and delivering some insanely funny moments along the way. There aren’t many creatives who can turn a restaurant scene about a truck driver’s fox logo, or a dog buddy who likes to listen to xenophobic radio stations, into a hilarious must-see television. Johnson, co-showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, and Poker faceHowever, the book’s wider writing team absolutely gets it. I guarantee you’ll be laughing out loud at least three times (if not more) per episode.
As good as Charlie does, Bratt’s Cliff’s ever-present threat also ensures she’s never safe. This is not a show where the protagonist can stroll around the US, solving murders and making friends. With Cliff on her tail, Charlie is always looking over her shoulder; the ensuing, elaborate cat-and-mouse game adds a constant undercurrent of tension throughout.
Poker face is not a complete knockout. The anthology-based style of the episodes means that some entries are weaker than others, with narrative cohesion and the sometimes tedious character decision leading among my complaints.
The show’s release schedule – four episodes fell on launch day – means that by the fourth episode I was starting to get a little tired of Poker Face’s formula. Sure, Episode 4’s story was still mostly entertaining, but the explanatory story beats and other creative flaws (like the convenient nature of Charlie’s arrival) took some of the fun out of it. Of Poker faceWith the remaining episodes coming out weekly from now on, I hope those issues will sort themselves out.
My verdict
Poker face feels like a seminal moment for Peacock. NBCU’s streamer is far from the best streaming service out there, and that’s mostly due to its lack of must-watch movies and shows.
However, Rian Johnson’s inaugural TV series could be the making of Peacock. In much the same way as that Stranger things turned Netflix into the world’s most popular streamer, or Ted Lasso made it worth signing up for Apple TV Plus, Poker face is the show that Peacock’s fortunes will change.
Fans of Johnson’s previous works will come for its signature style. Some viewers will be intrigued by comparisons to Knives out. Other onlookers might even be drawn to the 1970s aesthetic and its callbacks to a bygone era of detective stories. Combine these elements Poker face one of the most surprising (and best!) shows of 2023 so far – and you can bet I’ll be back for more comedic misadventures with Charlie as Poker face will get another season or two.
For more Peacock coverage, read what we know John Wick TV spin-off The Continental. Or see if the Peacock free trial is still available.
Poker Face is now streaming on Peacock in the US and City TV Plus in Canada. It’s not currently available in the UK and Australia, but if it does release in these territories it will likely land on Now TV (UK) and Stan (Australia).