Charlie Cale has taken Peacock subscribers by storm in the new “case of the week” murder mystery series Poker Face from Glass Onion writer/director Rian Johnson. Natasha Lyonne gives every bit the hilarious and eccentric performance you’d hope for from a “human lie detector,” and the guest stars who pop up in each episode are icing on the cake for the smart twist on the “howcatchem” formula. Social media users continue to heap praise on all involved, as the series reached the halfway point in the season that fans are hoping will be the first of many.
Natasha Lyonne is the “Columbo” of Poker Face, playing Charlie Cale, a woman with a gift for sniffing out bullshit who can’t help but use her powers for good — even when her best intentions result in more tragedy. The amateur detective is also on the run, having made some very powerful enemies in the series premiere that set up Charlie’s nomadic lifestyle.
The Peacock series opened to rave reviews — even eliciting praise from Stephen King — and five episodes in, the fanfare hasn’t really died down. Comedian Patrick Monahan thinks there should be a united front in Hollywood to ensure a lengthy run for Poker Face, tweeting:
If the folks over in showbiz could work together on putting out a “Law & Order” sized library of “Poker Face” episodes for me to delight in over the coming years that would be greatly appreciated thanks in advanceJanuary 30, 2023
Film executive Franklin Leonard seconded that request in his own tweet, positing that maybe a few hundred episodes of the Natasha Lyonne-driven mystery series should suffice:
Where do I file my official demand for several hundred episodes of Poker Face? Does @peacock have a department for that, or is this tweet enough?January 28, 2023
It’s a treat to see which famous faces will grace our screens in each week’s new mystery, but one viewer pointed out possibly the only drawback to its serialized format: Every performance is so good that we are left desperate for more! In her words:
The problem with Poker Face is that every episode I want an entire series about the cast of the week.February 3, 2023
Several Twitter users expressed disbelief that the episodes seem to be at least living up to — if not surpassing — Charlie Cale’s escapades from previous weeks. Episode 5, in particular, “Time of the Monkey,” took fans for a ride, thanks to the spectacular work of guest stars Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson.
The feisty retirement home besties won over the viewers and Charlie alike. If we’re talking about guest stars who we need to see more of, this fan seems to have a recommendation:
Somehow each episode of POKER FACE is better than the last. Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson fucking rule so hard. pic.twitter.com/DIGtnurCR2February 3, 2023
Even though Natasha Lyonne has some amazing support from the actors around her, anybody who’s a fan of her work in Russian Doll, Orange Is the New Black and more knows just how much she is capable of, and that was enough to attract many to what has become one of the best shows on Peacock. Take it from this fan:
watching poker face just to see natasha lyonne play another bitch who girlbossed too close to the sun pic.twitter.com/CPjE2SiBZzJanuary 31, 2023
There are five episodes remaining in the first season of Poker Face, so if you haven’t jumped on the Charlie Cale bandwagon yet, you still have plenty of time to catch up with our new favorite case-of-the-week sleuth. Be sure to also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon.
