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| language = English
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Revision as of 07:36, 26 February 2023

This article is about the American television series. For the Australian film, see Poker Face (film). For British game show, see PokerFace. For other uses, see Poker face.
Poker Face
Promotional poster
Genre
Created byRian Johnson
StarringNatasha Lyonne
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producers
ProducerCameron Angeli
Production locations
Cinematography
Editors
  • Bob Ducsay
  • Glenn Garland
  • Shaheed Qaasim
  • Paul Swain
Running time47–67 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkPeacock
ReleaseJanuary 26, 2023 (2023-01-26) –
present (present)

Poker Face is an American crime drama television series created by Rian Johnson for the streaming service Peacock. Stylized as a "case-of-the-week" murder mystery series, it stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, a casino worker on the run who entangles herself into several mysterious deaths of strangers along the way.[1][2]

Peacock announced the series in March 2021, with Lyonne attached and Johnson as director.[2] Nora Zuckerman and Lilla Zuckerman were named as co-showrunners.[2] Poker Face consists of 10 episodes and debuted on January 26, 2023.[1][3] The series has received critical acclaim. In February 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.[4]

Premise

Poker Face is a murder mystery series stylized as a character-driven, case-of-the-week mystery,[5] with each episode adapting the howcatchem format popularized by Columbo.[6]

The series centers around Charlie Cale, a casino worker with an innate ability to detect lies, traveling across the United States on the run from the casino boss following a suspicious death. Along the way, she encounters colorful characters and solves homicides in a variety of settings.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

  • Benjamin Bratt as Cliff LeGrand, the casino head of security, who chases Charlie across the country[7]
  • Ron Perlman as Sterling Frost Sr., the casino owner[8]

Guest

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten by [17]Original release date [18]
1"Dead Man's Hand"Rian JohnsonRian JohnsonJanuary 26, 2023 (2023-01-26)

Human lie detector Charlie Cale leads a dead-end existence as a chainsmoking, beer-swilling casino cocktail waitress after being blacklisted from poker tournaments by elusive casino tycoon and Nevada town namesake Sterling Frost Sr. She applies her unique gift to investigate the mysterious death of her close friend/co-worker and reluctantly agrees to help Sterling Jr. one-up a dishonest longtime casino patron.

Guest stars: Adrien Brody, Dascha Polanco, and Noah Segan
2"The Night Shift"Rian JohnsonAlice JuJanuary 26, 2023 (2023-01-26)

Near Albuquerque, Charlie befriends laconic trucker Marge, who is wrongfully accused of murder after security camera footage shows Marge removing a corpse from her trailer.

Guest stars: Hong Chau, Megan Suri, Colton Ryan, John Ratzenberger, Brandon Micheal Hall, and Chelsea Frei
3"The Stall"Iain B. MacDonaldWyatt CainJanuary 26, 2023 (2023-01-26)

Charlie learns about the poetry of wood and brisket as a new hire at the legendary Boyle's BBQ in Texas, befriends an indefatigable wild dog, and uncovers a murder plot when one Boyle brother wants out of the family business after an epiphanic viewing of Okja.

Guest stars: Lil Rel Howery, Danielle Macdonald, Shane Paul McGhie, and Larry Brown
4"Rest in Metal"Tiffany JohnsonChristine BoylanJanuary 26, 2023 (2023-01-26)

Ruby Ruin, an employee at a big-box hardware retailer, and her has-been Doxxxology bandmates are cursed by their single hit, "Staplehead", whose royalties go solely to their former drummer. Desperate for a new hit to change their lives, the band resorts to murder after hiring an idiosyncratic, passionate young drummer, who offers to contribute new material. Charlie tags along as the band's merch seller and suspects foul play.

Guest stars: Chloë Sevigny, Nicholas Cirillo, Chuck Cooper, and John Darnielle
5"Time of the Monkey"Lucky McKeeWyatt Cain & Charlie PeppersFebruary 2, 2023 (2023-02-02)

Charlie befriends subversive best friends and 1970s radicals Irene and Joyce at Mossy Oaks Retirement Home. The two feisty women take matters into their own hands when their former cult leader, who they assumed was killed years ago in a raid, arrives as a new resident.

Guest stars: Judith Light, S. Epatha Merkerson, K Callan, Reed Birney, Simon Helberg, and Darius Fraser
6"Exit Stage Death"Ben SinclairChris DowneyFebruary 9, 2023 (2023-02-09)

Stars of the long-running sitcom Spooky and the Cop, feuding actors Kathleen Townsend and Micheal Graves reunite for a one-night-only performance of Ghosts of Pensacola. However, when Micheal's much younger wife Ava dies during the performance, new dinner theater waitress Charlie must walk the line between what is real and performative.

Guest stars: Ellen Barkin, Tim Meadows, Audrey Corsa, Jameela Jamil, Niall Cunningham, and Chris McKinney
7"The Future of the Sport"Iain B. MacDonaldStory by : Joe Lawson & CS Fischer
Teleplay by : Joe Lawson		February 16, 2023 (2023-02-16)

The rivalry between declining third-generation veteran race car driver Keith Owens and hot-headed up-and-comer Davis McDowell comes to a head at the Peach Tree Speedway's Late Model Championship via sabotage and a deadly accident.

Guest stars: Tim Blake Nelson, Charles Melton, Leslie Silva, Angel Desai, Jasmine Aiyana Garvin, and Jack Alcott
8"The Orpheus Syndrome"Natasha LyonneNatasha Lyonne & Alice JuFebruary 23, 2023 (2023-02-23)
Guest stars: Nick Nolte, Cherry Jones, Luis Guzmán, Rowan Blanchard, and Tim Russ
9"Escape from Shit Mountain"[19]Rian Johnson[6]Nora Zuckerman & Lilla ZuckermanMarch 2, 2023 (2023-03-02)
10"The Hook"[19]Janicza Bravo[6]Rian JohnsonMarch 9, 2023 (2023-03-09)

Production

Development

The project was announced in March 2021, with Rian Johnson serving as creator, writer, director and executive producer. Johnson stated that the series would delve into "the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching."[1] The series was inspired by Columbo, being referred as a "howcatchem". Johnson also used Magnum, P.I., The Rockford Files, Quantum Leap, Highway to Heaven and The Incredible Hulk as influences for the tone of the series.[20][21] Johnson was interested in "doing that Columbo or even Quantum Leap thing of having every episode be an anthropological deep dive into a little corner of America that you might not otherwise see."[22] On February 15, 2023, Peacock renewed the series for a second season.[4]

Casting

The announcement of the series included that Natasha Lyonne would serve as the main lead actress.[1] She was approached by Johnson about working on a procedural project together, with Lyonne as the lead character.[22] As Johnson explained, the role was "completely cut to measure for her."[21] While the series and lead character would share things in common with Columbo, the writers sought to differentiate the lead character by having her work outside of the law.[22]

Due to the series' procedural aspects, the episodes feature several guest stars. Johnson was inspired by the number of actors who guest starred on Columbo, wanting to deem each guest star as the star of the episode, which allowed them to attract many actors.[21]

In April 2022, Benjamin Bratt joined the series.[23] Instead of a guest role, his character would recur as Cliff, the head of security at a casino where Charlie works.[24] When she escapes the casino, his character would go after her, deeming it "a ticking clock for the show".[25]

Filming

According to the director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission, filming was based in Newburgh, New York, and ran from April through October 2022, in locations throughout the mid-Hudson Valley.[26] At least one episode of the series was filmed in late August 2022 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[27] Outdoor scenes were filmed in Laughlin, Nevada, in September 2022, with the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino depicting the fictional Frost Casino.[28]

Release

Poker Face premiered on January 26, 2023, with the first four episodes available immediately and the rest debuting on a weekly basis.[3]

International sales for the series are handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution.[29] The series is available on Citytv+ and Citytv in Canada[30] and on Stan in Australia.[31]

Reception

Poker Face was met with critical acclaim upon release. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 99% approval rating with an average rating of 8.6/10, based on 77 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "With the incomparable Natasha Lyonne as an ace up its sleeve, Poker Face is a puzzle box of modest ambitions working with a full deck."[32] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 84 out of 100 based on 38 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[33]

Chicago Sun-Times's Richard Roeper gave a rating of 3.5 out of 4 stars and said, "The beauty part is watching the amazing Natasha Lyonne's Charlie puzzle out the crime in clever and often hilarious fashion."[34] Linda Holmes of NPR felt Lyonne's "unforgettable" performance proved herself to be the "Peter Falk of her generation".[35] Ben Travers of IndieWire gave the series a B and stated "All this star power is enough to guarantee Poker Face will be, at least, an enjoyable diversion. But... it's hard to shake the feeling that Poker Face isn't as good as it could've been."[36] The Atlantic's Sophie Gilbert believed the show succeeded in its first episodes "by attending to the emotional cadences of overlooked people and places" but criticized the characters of later episodes for falling into tropes. Gilbert, however, concluded, "In renovating the crime procedural so persuasively, Johnson and Lyonne are making clear a truth that's largely been forgotten in the undisciplined era of streaming: Structural constraints can be liberating for storytellers."[37]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Maas, Jennifer (March 16, 2021). "Rian Johnson Mystery Series 'Poker Face' Starring Natasha Lyonne Ordered at Peacock". TheWrap. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Russell, Shania (August 10, 2021). "'Poker Face': Natasha Lyonne And Rian Johnson's Peacock Mystery Series Finds Its Showrunners". /Film. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Campione, Katie (October 26, 2022). "Natasha Lyonne Uses Her Uncanny Lie Detecting Ability To Solve Crime In Peacock's 'Poker Face' Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Campione, Katie (February 15, 2023). "'Poker Face' Scores Season 2 Renewal At Peacock". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  5. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 16, 2021). "Natasha Lyonne To Star In Rian Johnson Mystery Series 'Poker Face' Picked Up By Peacock From MRC Television". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Jarvey, Natalie (December 14, 2022). "Poker Face Is Rian Johnson's Modern Take on Retro Mystery TV". Vanity Fair. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 20, 2022). "Natasha Lyonne, Rian Johnson Peacock Series 'Poker Face' Casts Benjamin Bratt (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d Otterson (August 15, 2022). "'Ron Perlman, Nick Nolte, Charles Melton, Tim Blake Nelson Join Peacock Series 'Poker Face' (EXCLUSIVE)'". Variety. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 26, 2022). "Adrien Brody Joins Natasha Lyonne In Rian Johnson's Peacock Series 'Poker Face'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (June 3, 2022). "Dascha Polanco & Lil Rel Howery Join Natasha Lyonne In Rian Johnson's Peacock Series 'Poker Face'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  11. ^ Adekaiyero, Ayomikun (January 27, 2023). "Here's where you might recognize the cast of the new murder-mystery series 'Poker Face' from". Business Insider. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Petski, Denise (June 30, 2022). "'Poker Face': S. Epatha Merkerson & Judith Light To Star In Rian Johnson's Peacock Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  13. ^ Otterson, Joe (June 29, 2022). "'Big Bang Theory' Alum Simon Helberg Joins Natasha Lyonne, Rian Johnson Series 'Poker Face' at Peacock (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  14. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 12, 2022). "Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joins Natasha Lyonne, Rian Johnson Peacock Series 'Poker Face' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  15. ^ Petski, Denise (April 14, 2022). "'Poker Face': Stephanie Hsu Joins Natasha Lyonne-Rian Johnson Peacock Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  16. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 15, 2022). "'Umbrella Academy' Star David Castañeda Joins Natasha Lyonne, Rian Johnson Peacock Series 'Poker Face' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  17. ^ "Poker Face". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  18. ^ "Shows A-Z – Poker Face on peacock". The Futon Critic. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  19. ^ a b Gallucci, Nicole (January 26, 2023). "'Poker Face' Episode Guide: How Many Episodes in Rian Johnson's New Peacock Show?". Decider. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  20. ^ Weakland, Russ (January 18, 2023). "Rian Johnson Says 'Poker Face' Carries the Legacy of 'Columbo' and 'Quantum Leap': 'It Is the Heart of What I Am Trying to Get At'". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c Alison, Herman (January 25, 2023). "Rian Johnson Mastered the Whodunit. Now He's on to the "Howcatchem."". The Ringer. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c Bojalad, Alec (January 25, 2023). "Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face Is Bringing Columbo Energy Back to TV". Den of Geek. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 20, 2022). "Natasha Lyonne, Rian Johnson Peacock Series 'Poker Face' Casts Benjamin Bratt (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Squires, Betty (January 19, 2023). "Benjamin Bratt Has More Fun Playing the Bad Guy". Vulture. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  25. ^ Karen, Butler (January 25, 2023). "Benjamin Bratt calls his 'Poker Face' character 'shark-like'". United Press International. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  26. ^ Ziemer, Tracy (March 22, 2022). "TV series 'Poker Face' to film in Hudson Valley". Times Union. Albany, New York. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  27. ^ Gomez, Adrian (August 22, 2022). "Benjamin Bratt, Natasha Lyonne to film 'Poker Face' in ABQ". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  28. ^ McMillen, Bill (September 20, 2022). "'Poker Face' doesn't give much away during production in Tri-state". Mohave Valley Daily News. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  29. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (May 20, 2022). "L.A. Screenings Intros New Format for Program Showcase". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  30. ^ Jaffer, Murtz (January 23, 2023). "'The Bachelor,' 'Teen Wolf' and a rom-com with JLo: Here's what's on Netflix, Prime and more this week". Toronto Star. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  31. ^ Lynch, Kevin (February 4, 2023). "'Poker Face': When and Where to Stream Rian Johnson's New Mystery Series". CNET. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  32. ^ "Poker Face: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  33. ^ "Poker Face: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  34. ^ Roeper, Richard (January 25, 2023). "'Poker Face': Natasha Lyonne unravels mysteries as she travels the country". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  35. ^ Holmes, Linda (January 25, 2023). "No lie: Natasha Lyonne is unforgettable in 'Poker Face'". NPR. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  36. ^ Travers, Ben (January 25, 2023). "Rian Johnson's 'Poker Face' Is a One-Episode Wonder — with a Decent Detective Procedural to Boot". IndieWire. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  37. ^ Gilbert, Sophie (January 25, 2023). "The Sly Darkness of Poker Face". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
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