TV

Poker Face

Charlie Cale is Columbo for the streaming era.

Photo: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock

Having already defined the modern mystery movie with Knives Out and Glass Onion, writer-director Rian Johnson turns to the small screen with Poker Face, a mostly episodic new mystery series streaming on Peacock.

Natasha Lyonne stars as Charlie Cale, a woman with an uncanny ability to tell if somebody is lying. When circumstances force her to hit the road, Charlie keeps getting in situations where somebody is dead and she’s the key to identifying the killer. The show, by virtue of its episodic nature, has an all-star cast of supporting players, including Adrien Brody, Time Blake Nelson, Stephanie Hsu, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hong Chau, Chloë Sevigny and many more.

  1. Episode 10 The Hook
    Poker Face Season-Finale Recap: How Deep to Dig the Hole Poker Face has one last big reveal up its sleeve.
  2. Episode 9 Escape From Shit Mountain
    Poker Face Recap: What Are Men to Rocks and Mountains? Joseph Gordon-Levitt crackles with chaotic energy in Poker Face’s best episode yet.
  3. Episode 8 The Orpheus Syndrome
    Poker Face Recap: Don’t Look Back Other installments have made Charlie’s role small, but in this episode (directed and co-written by Natasha Lyonne), she’s almost unnecessary.
  4. Episode 7 The Future of the Sport
    Poker Face Recap: Listen, All Y’all, It’s a Sabotage What is Charlie’s life at this point but a series of left turns?
  5. Episode 6 Exit Stage Death
    Poker Face Recap: There Are No Small Roles This week’s episode feels like an experiment — can you make a satisfying episode of Columbo that barely stars Columbo?
  6. Episode 5 Time of the Monkey
    Poker Face Recap: You Can’t Kill the Revolution Irene and Joyce’s murder is pretty badass to watch — like if The Golden Girls joined Fight Club.
  7. Episode 4 Rest in Metal
    Poker Face Recap: You Can’t Un-murder Someone Doxxxology’s got a killer new song.
  8. Episode 3 The Stall
    Poker Face Recap: The Dead (Meat) Poets Society When two brothers who run a barbecue stall have a beef, Charlie uncovers a meaty conspiracy.
  9. Episode 2 The Night Shift
    Poker Face Recap: Little Miss Galahad Despite the Columbo inspiration, Charlie is a drifter with a strange power, not a detective with any jurisdiction.
  10. Episode 1 Dead Man’s Hand
    Poker Face Series-Premiere Recap: A Knives Out TV Mystery Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s weekly whodunit kicks off with a fun low-stakes romp.

The Latest on Poker Face

  1. now streaming
    The 6 Best New Movies and TV Shows to Watch This WeekendNatasha Lyonne in a mystery-of-the-week show? What a concept!
    By Savannah Salazar
  2. tv review
    Poker Face Shows Its HandRian Johnson’s murder anti-mystery is direct, sturdy, and radically uninterested in catching viewers by surprise.
    By Kathryn VanArendonk
  3. party report
    Poker Face’s Natasha Lyonne Is Finally Playing Someone Who Likes PeopleRian Johnson and Lyonne explain how they created the next iconic sleuth.
    By Bethy Squires
  4. party report
    Benjamin Bratt Has More Fun Playing the Bad GuyHe portrays a merciless head of security menacing Natasha Lyonne on Peacock’s Poker Face.
    By Bethy Squires
  5. the vulture transcript
    Natasha Lyonne and Abbi Jacobson Are Ready to Burn Down TVThe showrunners and friends discuss saying no to mainstream, formulaic comedy onscreen.
    By Vulture Editors
  6. vulture festival 2022
    Natasha Lyonne, Director-at-Large, Is ‘Addicted’ to Zooming In“If I just had Nick Nolte and a zoom gun and a weird room, that would be my personal heaven.”
    By Jason P. Frank
  7. casting call
    Natasha Lyonne to Star in Rian Johnson Mystery Series of Our DreamsMaybe detective Benoit Blanc will make a cameo?
    By Charlotte Walsh
  8. last night on late night
    Don Cheadle Squirted Mousse at Audience MemberPlus: Betty White just lost $5 on her 50-year-old poker game, and more, on our daily late-night roundup.
    By Caroline Shin
  9. clickables
    Watch Idina Menzel Own ‘Poker Face’ With the New York PhilharmonicFlutists be feeling it (kind of).
    By Amanda Dobbins
  10. gaga
    Lady Gaga Involved in Actual National Security SituationA soldier stealing classified documents used Gaga as a cover.
    By Willa Paskin
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