While Rian Johnson has created a big screen mystery franchise centered around Knives Out and Glass Onion's Benoit Blanc, he is also behind the TV mystery series Poker Face, which marks Johnson's first venture on TV.
Poker Face is am original Peacock show, joining the ranks of Bel-Air, A Friend of the Family and The Calling, among others. This mystery-of-the-week series features an all-star cast, led by Natasha Lyonne and similar to the classic detective series Columbo.
Here is everything that we know about Poker Face.
Poker Face UK release date
After Poker Face drew up a solid fan base in the US, it hopes to do so again in the UK when the series premieres on Friday, May 26, on Sky Max and the NOW streaming service. All 10 episodes of the mystery series are going to be available to watch immediately.
Poker Face plot
Get ready to meet TV’s newest brilliant detective, Charlie Cale. Here is the official synopsis for Peacock’s new mystery series:
"Poker Face is a 10-episode mystery-of-the-week series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve."
Poker Face episodes
Here is the synopsis for all of the Poker Face episodes that have been released:
Poker Face episode 1, "Dead Man's Hand"
"When a close friend meets an untimely end, Charlie Cale, a casino cocktail waitress with an uncanny knack for identifying lies, is determined to unravel these mysterious events, even if it endangers her own life." Read WTW's Poker Face episode 1 ending explained feature to see how Charlie cracked the case.
Poker Face episode 2, "The Night Shift"
"Wounded and on the run, Charlie is forced to make a pit stop in desolate New Mexico where she tries to clear the name of a trucker framed for the murder of a local."
Poker Face episode 3, "The Stall"
"Charlie takes a job at a family-run Texas BBQ joint and must use her skills of perception to sniff out the truth behind a shocking death."
Poker Face episode 4, "Rest in Metal"
"Charlie goes on tour with has-been metal band Doxxxology, a motley crew of dejected rockers who've spent decades trying to write a new hit; Charlie suspects foul play when one musician winds up dead."
Poker Face episode 5, "Time of the Monkey"
"Working at a retirement home, Charlie makes friends with two rebellious old ladies who may have taken matters into their own hands." Read WTW's Poker Face episode 5 ending explained feature to see how Charlie cracked the case.
Poker Face episode 6, "Exit Stage Death"
"Charlie's waitress job at a dinner theater is interrupted by a tragic death on stage during a performance by two washed-up television stars; when she starts to investigate, deadly motivations come to light." Read WTW's Poker Face episode 6 ending explained feature to see how Charlie cracked the case.
Poker Face episode 7, "The Future of the Sport"
"While working at a go-kart complex, Charlie becomes involved in a bitter feud between an aging race car driver and a hotheaded young upstart, whose rivalry has explosive consequences." Read WTW's Poker Face episode 7 ending explained feature.
Poker Face episode 8, "The Orpheus Syndrome"
"A special effects artist unearths a past project to find closure from the guilt of a fatal on-set accident; when old demons resurface, Charlie is left to unravel a new deadly plot."
Poker Face episode 9, "Escape from Shit Mountain"
"Charlie finds herself stranded in a motel during a blizzard; in order to survive the night, Charlie must decipher the deadly tension between her questionable companions."
Poker Face episode 10, "The Hook"
"Charlie faces her greatest challenge yet when she is caught in the crossfire of a deadly power play that puts her in the sights of two ruthless crime syndicates and the FBI."
Poker Face trailer
The official trailer for Poker Face is now available. In addition to teasing some of the different cases that Lyonne's Charlie Cale is going to be dealing with, it also highlights the strong ensemble of guest actors set to appear across different episodes. Watch the Poker Face trailer, as well as the previously released teaser trailer, below.
Poker Face cast
Natasha Lyonne leads Poker Face as Charlie Cale. Lyonne's career dates all the way back to 1986 when she appeared in multiple episodes of Pee-wee’s Playhouse, but she is better known for roles in American Pie, But I'm a Cheerleader, Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll.
She's joined by an incredible ensemble of actors across the series' 10 episodes. Here's just a sampling of who is going to appear:
- Adrien Brody
- Benjamin Bratt
- Cherry Jones
- Chloë Sevigny
- Ellen Parkin
- Hong Chau
- Jameela Jamil
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Lil Rel Howery
- Luis Guzman
- Nick Nolte
- Rhea Perlman
- Ron Perlman
- Simon Helberg
- Stephanie Hsu
- Tim Blake Nelson
- Tim Meadows and more
Check out IMDb for the entire cast.
Poker Face creator Rian Johnson
Rian Johnson is best known for his movies like Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Knives Out, but he is making his TV debut with Poker Face. He wrote and directed all 10 episodes of the series.
"I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character-driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching,” said Johnson. “It’s my happy place."
He also shared his excitement with a tweet when the teaser trailer was released:
For the past year I’ve been making my first tv show with my friend @nlyonne & a ton of talented people. It’s an old school case-of-the-week mystery series called POKER FACE, it premieres January 26th on @peacock, and I’m VERY excited about it. BEHOLD A TEASER! #PokerFacePeacock pic.twitter.com/56fbAenjfMOctober 26, 2022
How to watch Poker Face
Poker Face is only available for Peacock Premium subscribers. While Peacock has a free version, it doesn’t allow users to watch Peacock original series. So you have to add Peacock to your monthly streaming budget if you plan on checking Poker Face out.
Those in the UK can watch Poker Face starting May 26 on the Sky Max channel, which is available for those with a Sky TV subscription, or the NOW streaming service.
Is there going to be a Poker Face season 2?
Charlie Cale is staying on the road, as Poker Face has been renewed for a second season, according The Hollywood Reporter. Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne are going to back for more mysteries, but as to when you can expect Poker Face season 2 that's still TBD, as no hints were given on a potential release date.
