Poker Face Season 2 has been as good, if not better than, the first season. The standards for that season were already high, so it’s nice to see it continue to deliver consistently funny and intriguing episodes. They prove why Poker Face is one of the best murder mystery TV shows. Hopefully, Peacock plans to keep making new seasons for many years to come. I have loved most of the Poker Face Season 2 episodes, but one of my favorites involves a “pigtailed demon child.”
Poker Face Season 2, Episode 6, “Sloppy Joseph,” takes Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) into an elite primary school. Most of the children have normal adjustments to life, success, and failure, but one particular girl only wants to be the best. As the lunch lady, Charlie thinks this will be an easy job, away from murder. However, this is far from the truth. She meets an aggressive child who makes her life a bit of hell. This episode stands out for many reasons, so let’s discuss a few of them.
Warning: Poker Face Season 2 Episode 6, Sloppy Joseph spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
I Found “Sloppy Joseph” Equally Hilarious And Scary
Poker Face often balances comedy and drama effortlessly. It’s a show that so many fans love for its clever writing. Rian Johnson is clearly a fan of so many genres, and that’s reflected in the best Poker Face episodes. The series often does drama and mystery well, but “Sloppy Joseph” is one of the few episodes from this Peacock show that feels like a horror series. It plays into those classic horror movie elements in the best way.
Stephanie (Eva Jade Halford) is terrifying. You don’t know what this demon child might do. She easily joins the hall of fame of creepy children. “Sloppy Joseph” starts off setting the perfect tone by showing Stephanie googling how to kill a... boy’s self-esteem. It automatically makes you afraid of what this child will do to succeed.
It doesn’t even fully lean into jump scares or other elements of monster movies, but “Sloppy Joseph” does just enough to creep you out. It also doesn’t forget to be hilarious. Charlie and Stephanie have some funny scenes, like Stephanie’s attempts to lie to Charlie and her becoming more shocked when called out on her lies.
Stephanie running down the halls after screaming about socialism may be one of Poker Face’s most hilarious and memorable moments. It’s also just funny to think of a child terrorizing these fully grown adults.
I Think It’s Cool How It Ventures A Bit From Poker Face’s Norm
Poker Face has a great lineup of adult guest stars. These adults usually do some despicable things to other adults. We see the murder happen, then watch as Charlie solves it. “Sloppy Joseph” starts with a murder, but this time, it's a gerbil named Joseph. That may make Stephanie’s crime seem harmless in comparison. However, no, she feels just as much of a criminal mastermind as many of these grown-up characters.
“Sloppy Joseph” also scares you into thinking the series is going to go extremely dark with Stephanie murdering Elijah (Callum Vinson). Luckily, it doesn’t go as far as child murder, but the series takes plenty of dark turns in Season 2. Because of the gerbil twist, this episode solves one of the issues of Season 1 by not being a straightforward murder case.
Stephanie also becomes more sinister as “Sloppy Joseph” progresses. Usually, the criminal in these episodes have some remorse for their crimes, or they stay at the same level of evil. The Cynthia Erivo episode and this one show how a character can just succumb to their darkest whims. Unlike Erivo’s episode, Stephanie is not a caring character who gets pushed over towards becoming a morally corrupt character. She has rotten traits from start to finish.
It Reminds Me A Lot Of Some Classic Movies With Demon Children
Stephanie reminds me so much of Rhoda (Patty McCormack) in The Bad Seed. However, Stephanie is a little less deadly but just as cunning and clever. I also see shades of Henry (Macaulay Culkin) in The Good Son. I also see Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), who isn’t technically a child, from Orphan. She is the epitome of a creepy child.
Stephanie probably gets traits from all your favorite little demon children. Much credit to Eva Jade Halford because she really brings this character to life. She has the characteristics of some of our favorite horror movie villains, but embodied in this wicked child. Rian Johnson and his team pay homage to those brilliant, creepy children in “Sloppy Joseph.”
I Was Horrified By The Poker Face Death Scene
Poker Face does not shy away from ruthlessly murdering characters. However, something about the gerbil’s death is insanely gruesome. It could be the blood splattering everywhere. It could be the fact that we see it all over children, and that look on Elijah’s face when he accidentally kills Joseph. It’s also made more horrendous that we see several shots of the gerbil before he meets his death.
Animal deaths in general are hard to watch on screen or read about in books. Animals just feel so innocent. I can barely remember most of Poker Face’s death scenes, but the death of Joseph has now been permanently set in my head. The little guy did not need to go out like that in “Sloppy Joseph.” Justice for Joseph.
I Believe Stephanie May Be Charlie’s Best Foe Yet
Poker Face excels at creating very entertaining weekly foes for Charlie. John Mulaney’s character in his Season 2 episode is a really fun one, but I don’t think any of them from Season 2 top Stephanie. The character is just so perfectly unhinged. She does all this just to continue to be on top. It’s such a ridiculous motive that feels very appropriate for a demon child.
Additionally, Stephanie isn’t mature and old enough yet to really go against Charlie. However, you know that once she reaches Charlie’s age, she’ll be able to outsmart her easily. This makes her threat at the end so funny and terrifying. If anyone is going to figure out how to successfully lie to Charlie, Stephanie will.
I need Poker Face to bring Stephanie back in a potential Season 3 for another battle against Charlie. Let’s see who wins this one.
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