On the heels of writing and directing Glass Onion comes Rian Johnson’s next project, Poker Face, a Peacock series scheduled for release later this month. It’s a murder mystery crime show, minus Benoit Blanc, produced by both Johnson and Natasha Lyonne, who also stars in the show. The streaming service announced the series in March 2021, and the final product has finally come to fruition with a very '70s-style vibe as displayed in the trailer, which given the nature of the series, is surely a throwback to the detective shows of the 1970s. Although, almost anything with Lyonne attached is likely to exude such a vibe as well.
A callback back to such shows as Columbo, Poker Face will have one major difference: the main character is a detective on accident, which purposely makes for comedic situations. Lyonne’s character isn’t a private eye nor is she a police officer who rose through the ranks to become a detective. Rather, she’s a woman with a superhuman-like ability that enables her to solve the murder mysteries she encounters.
Make no mistake though, Poker Face isn’t a show about superhumans. Lyonne’s character is a regular woman with an astutely unique ability. Fans of Johnson’s other movies like Knives Out and Glass Onion as well as shows such as Russian Doll, which also starred Lyonne, are sure to fall head over heels for Peacock’s new series, Poker Face.
Poker Face: The Plot
The plot of Poker Face centers around Charlie Cale as she travels around in her Plymouth Barracuda investigating crimes and encountering other colorful characters along the way. What sets her apart from those who cross her path is that she has an impeccable ability to know when someone is lying. She is a human lie detector of sorts, and her unique talent appears to get her into a bit of comedic trouble along the way as she travels the road accidently solving crimes.
Because of her uncommon skill for reading people, to say the least, coupled with the way her brain works, she falls into solving mysteries wherever she goes. Based on the show’s trailer, it doesn’t appear Charlie seeks out the murders she happens to be in the vicinity of, rather they essentially fall into her lap. She’s a “death magnet” as she describes herself in the trailer, and as a result, she can’t help but work her magic. Unfortunately, it appears her abilities manage to snag the attention of some unsettling characters that are sure to lead to some top-notch Johnson shenanigans as the show unfolds throughout the season. In short, it’s a comedy-drama that’s been described as a case-of-the-week mystery series.
Poker Face: The Cast
At the helm of the star-studded cast of Poker Face is none other than the dryly witty and perfectly cast Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, the woman with the ability to know whether someone is lying. Unlike other murder mystery projects from Johnson, Charlie’s character was specifically written for Lyonne. In fact, he’d written the role for her before he’d even discussed it with her. Only after he pitched the idea to her over dinner did she realize there was a project to produce and star, which she jumped at the chance to be a part of.
Given the show’s case-of-the-week style, the cast is littered with some pretty big names who are set to make an appearance in at least one episode. As officially indicated in the show’s trailer, the series includes a long list of stars such as Adrian Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Cherry Jones, Chloe Sevigny, David Castaneda, Ellen Barkin, Jameela Jamil, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judith Light, Lil Rel Howery, Nick Nolte, Ron Perlman, Stephanie Hsu, and Tim Blake Nelson. Other familiar faces are sure to make an appearance given the nature of the show, so audiences can expect a new set of recognizable faces every week.
Other than Lyonne and a few others listed above, many familiar actors tied to the series are seemingly inconsequential due to the case-of-the-week layout of the series. However, such a situation should delight potential fans who could possibly see an array of actors make special appearances on the show. It’s also a safe bet that at some point Johnson will attempt to bring in Daniel Craig’s Knives Out character, Benoit Blanc, as a special cameo. Such a prediction isn’t outside the realm of possibilities given that Lyonne made a cameo appearance as herself in Glass Onion. Needless to say, the star-studded cast of Poker Face, thanks to Johnson’s writing and directing, is sure to bring in an audience for the series.
Release Date
The first four episodes of Poker Face will be available to stream via Peacock on January 26 with new episodes released on a weekly basis every Thursday.