Natasha Lyonneis back for the 2nd season of the Peacock seriesPoker Face . The inverted police detective stories , give up in the same manner popularized by Columbo , carry on with the same formulaic , grammatical case - of - the - hebdomad style for season 2 . Lyonne ’s Charlie is on the ladder from a mafia boss connive by her special talent as a human Trygve Lie demodulator . emotional to live like a nomad while evading the mob , Charlie roams across America , lands odd jobs , meets peculiar people , and coincidently gets caught up in a slaying every time .
A criminal offence comedy - drama procedural with a twist and an unbelievable list of guest stars ( even more so than in season 1),Poker Faceis a delicious sentinel . produce byRian Johnson , best known for theKnives Outmovies , the look and tone are reminiscent of his other work . Lyonne set her signature tune stamp on the series , creating a special murder mystery sauce that flat - out works .
Charlie’s cases are even more ridiculous this season
Charlie is n’t a detective , but she keeps finding a way to insert herself into the midriff of family line dramatic event , Centennial State - worker competition , and schooltime yobbo . With any other lead grapheme , it might be inconceivable to conceive that this mortal would befriend hoi polloi everywhere she give-up the ghost ( we ’ll give a pass to the whole repeated slaying thing ) . But Charlie has a unique personality . She ’s a serial optimist who draw near every somebody and every situation with a smile . Her ego - detached attitude and genuine involvement in knowing more about her surroundings instinctively drag people toward her . It pass again and again .
Charlie also has no trouble get hold work as a parking lot attender , a haunted house mummy , an apple selector , a zoological garden employee , and a ball girl for the local baseball squad . Every situation starts off positively , with Charlie stimulate into her channel . Like clockwork , someone within her field is murdered . She could easy duck out and remain out of the drama . But her uncorrectable power to call masses out on their shit solution in Charlie ’s conscience not allow her to morally ignore fact that do n’t add up or someone who is clearly hiding something . Charlie is a exemplar amateur tec with a substantial moral ambit and a deep desire to do the right thing .
Season 2 is even better than season 1
Poker Faceseason 2is like time of year 1 in its formulaic style . The first third of every episode presents the case and the killer , and the final two - third show how Charlie plays into the story and eventually identify the killer . But season 2 is sillier and more lighthearted . Some episodes poke fun at stereotypes , mutual film image , and even democratic internet meme .
The mystifier Charlie pieces together in this season are varied , involving people , animals , and , yes , even kids . The method of murder are unlike anything you ’ve seen in season one , even more far - fetched and downright ridiculous . While every episode has a bushed body , the office are n’t as cut and dry as in time of year 1 .
The fiber continue to be over - the - top , cartoonish , and absurd . Think Kumail Nanjiani play an Energy Department drink - addicted Florida detective with a blonde mullet and a pet alligator . Rhea Perlman is a minacious Maffia hirer , and Cliff “ Method Man ” Smith draw a meathead gym possessor . Cynthia Erivo even bring multiple characters in one episode , showing she really can do it all .
Lyonne is admittedly not everyone ’s cup of tea . She has a certain style — a toughened Bronx girl persona — that she turns on and off . But there ’s something magnetic about her on - screen energy . you could realise why people are drawn to the character and want to be her champion . Even when Charlie is blab to no one in particular and mumble words under her breath , you ca n’t help but chortle at her nimble humor and sarcasm . I laugh out loud on several occasions throughout the season — episode six , where she runs into a “ devil child , ” is a highlighting .
This season , Charlie takes more of a backseat to the many guest virtuoso in uproarious roles . Along with those cite , Poker Faceseason 2 feature Alia Shawkat , Awkwafina , Carol Kane , David Alan Grier , Gaby Hoffman , Giancarlo Esposito , Jason Ritter , John Cho , John Mulaney , Katie Holmes , Margo Martindale , Melanie Lynskey , Richard Kind , Sam Richardson , Simon Helberg , Taylor Schilling , and more . The Edgar Guest cast list is like reading the call sheet for a grownup Hollywood issue , and each role player ’s unique flavor melds beautifully opposite Lyonne ’s .
The exploration of Charlie
The latter half of the episodes ( up to instalment 10 ) are arguably weaker than the first one-half , but they ride the story onward when it occur to Charlie ’s personal maturation . In each place , she learns something new about herself and explores avenues she did n’t in season 1 , let in having her first on - screen romantic encounter . Coming into her own , Charlie is learning to live with her gift , even if it develop in the way from sentence to time . OK , a lot of the time . But we at long last get to see a bit more of who Charlie is , not just what she can do .
Still , Charlie remain the same raspy - voiced , bitingly funny , wizardly new char who is n’t afraid to flummox her nose where it does n’t belong to , try anything once , and use her gift of being able to sniffle out prevarication for good . She ’s range the U.S. , going nowhere and everywhere fast . You ’ll sleep with going along for the ride and get to know the eclectic premix of citizenry she fulfill along the way . Even though there ’s satisfy closure at the end of every episode of the feel - good show , you ’ll be unrestrained to keep going and see what Charlie ’s next adventure will be . Who will die , how , and why ? Where will Charlie stop up next ?
The first three episodes ofPoker Faceseason 2 premiere Thursday , May 8 , onPeacock , followed by unexampled episode weekly . Digital Trends was given other entree to the first 10 episode of the 12 - episode time of year .
