Liars beware because Charlie Cale and Poker Face return next week. The working class amateur detective is touring America helping bring bad guys to justice with her innate ability to detect any fib, big or small.
The second season follows the same formula. Cale is in a different locale almost every episode and she is caught up in some sort of death. The opening shows what drove the suspect and how they committed the crime while the latter half follows our protagonist using her wits to uncover the mystery. It’s a method that works for the series so there is no reason to change a good thing.
Poker Face is exceptional at making you feel invested in the different characters, whether victim or culprit. The story telling helps garner sympathy or disdain depending on the situation. While some shows can run an entire season without saying anything, it’s impressive how much development can be done in a single episode since they all can stand on their own. Part of that is due to its revolving door of talented guest stars, but also because of the creativity of the writing. Mystery isn’t a new genre yet there is always something fresh and entertaining to see, especially all the complications that come up.
The humor is also top notch from sharp dialog to memorable one-liners to great joke builds and more. Compound that with some outlandish situations and you have a series that doesn’t take itself so seriously. It fact, it can lean into the absurd, which makes it such an amusing watch. There are tiny details that help bring everything together whether it’s little social media videos in a credits scene or nods to cinema. That extra care adds to the fun.
One area where the second season of Poker Face lags behind from the inaugural one is the lack of urgency. Previously, you felt the danger Charlie was in while she was on the run. That helped up the stakes and provide an overarching narrative despite the mystery of the week format. Here, that absence of tension takes a little bit away from the overall feeling. In addition, it’s a little less engaging without that season long linking element. There is a recurring aspect with an aura of mystery, but it isn’t nearly as gripping.
Though it doesn’t reach the highs of the first season, Poker Face season two still continues what made it so enjoyable with clever writing and situations and a laundry list of entertaining high profile guest stars.
The three-episode season two premiere of Poker Face is Thursday, May 8, on Peacock.
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