From the incredible mind of Rian Johnson comes Poker Face, a murder-of-the-week anthology that can confidently be dubbed one of the most creatively written shows on air. This road trip adventure sees Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale moving from location to location, happening upon murder investigations she can’t help but solve using her extraordinary ability to know when someone is lying.
There’s no way I can effectively describe just how fresh and unique this entire series is and do it justice. Each episode is structured in a way that we (as an audience) see a murder play out, and then we watch as Charlie Cale uses her superhuman intuition to find the truth amongst all the bullshit. This setup seems strange and anticlimactic at first, but it works on so many levels. Despite the fact that we know whodunnit, each episode is littered with unforeseen twists, turns and reveals to retain the shock-factor of a typical murder-mystery. It’s less about the “who” and more about the “how” or “why”, creating a murder-mystery experience that’s entirely new and inventive. One concern I had after the about three episodes is whether this “gimmick” of seeing the murder then experiencing the journey with Charlie would become repetitive. Thankfully, that’s not the case – Rian Johnson manages to bring a unique tone and fresh vibe to each of the character-centric stories being told, ensuring it never feels like you’re watching the same thing twice.
Speaking of the narrative, the series is made up of both episodic arcs and a single continuous arc that spans the length of the season. With each passing episode, the setting changes, characters are swapped out there’s a new group of Hollywood’s finest actors ready to kill or be killed. Some of the episodic arcs are more riveting and more surprising than others, but all of them are brilliantly written – the series never misses a beat. One thing that’s evident from Rian Johnson’s work on the Knives Out franchise is that he knows how to successfully subvert an audience’s expectations with clever writing. That’s even more clear here as he does it in every single episode without fail. Just when you know where things are going Rian sweeps the rug from under your feet and catches you off guard in the most satisfying way possible. Every micro detail is so intricately thought out, with hints and misdirects being weaved in even when you’re not even looking for anything. The dialogue is clever and witty, playing into the no-bullshit attitude of Charlie Cale.
Tonally, this series has Rian Johnson written all over it. There’s plenty of serious, hard-hitting character arcs throughout, but there’s also a quirky and silly charm to the episodic narratives to contrast those serious beats. Each episode is lined with witty one-liners and laugh-out-loud moments, predominantly delivered via Charlie’s dry personality. It keeps the tone upbeat, maintaining a certain level of fun while watching Charlie’s lie-detecting investigation play out. Does one episode or two have moments that teeter on being too silly? Yeah, but not at a level that I didn’t still enjoy. Part of the fun Rian brings to the series stems from seeing A-list talent show up for one-episode cameos. I’d love to talk about who shows up, but I’d hate to ruin the experience of anticipating the next episode just to see who makes an appearance.
Someone in the series who I can talk about is Natasha Lyonne. Her performance as an amateur Sherlock Holmes is utterly incredible in every single episode. Her work on Orange is the New Black is and will always be a highlight of her career, but she’s so exceptional in this series that it just wouldn’t work without her. The infectious charm and wit she exhibits through nearly every scene is fantastic, presenting a protagonist who is an absolute joy to follow. The range she exhibits it fantastic – she’s able to hit comedic, tense and emotional beats with ease and sell us on everything the character is going through. It’s rare to have a performance where the actor has natural chemistry with every other character, but that’s what we have here. No matter who she’s acting opposite, the back and forth dialogue is quick-witted and fun, making for a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
In the end, Poker Face is so exceptional from beginning to end that I can hardly pick a single fault. Rian Johnson has crafted a riveting murder-mystery anthology series that continuously one-ups itself with each passing episode. The narratives explored across the season are all deeply engaging and each bring something unique to the series. Rian subverts expectations and writes intelligent dialogue to bring these characters and stories to life. Without a doubt this will be one of the best series’ of the year. At this rate, with 10 episodes that all feel unique and inventive, I’d gladly take multiple seasons of this series in a heartbeat.
9.7/10
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