If you thought Charlie Cale’s cross-country odyssey was winding down, think again. Poker Face returns with a triple-header that’s less “back on the run” and more “back in the game”—and the game is afoot. Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne are still dealing from the top of the deck, but this time, the stakes are existential, the guest stars are dazzling, and the mysteries are as twisty as the culprits’ motivations.
Poker Face – Season 2 switches things up by playing with perspective. Each episode opens with a peak into the culprit’s world, soaking in their motives, their mess, and the tainted desires that make bad decisions happen. But when things go bad, our perspective flips and there’s Charlie (Lyonne), already orbiting the scene. This season, she doesn’t just ride into town during the aftermath, she’s already part of the story. Whether by sharing a smoke from her fruity pink vape, lending an ear, or being the one person who notices the overlooked. It’s a reversal that proves Charlie should be on a pedestal in the museum of the greatest quirky detectives of all time.
While the culprits are locked into their own narratives and needs, Charlie cares about the lives they’ve taken. In the “Last Looks” episode 202, she shares those thoughts with guest star, Katie Holmes, “I get it. Caring about someone even if they’re gone. Wanting to give them a little bit of dignity, even if they’ll never know it.”
Charlie’s gift is more than lie detection; it’s connection (my apologies for the rhyme, but I’m lyrically inclined). She sees the red strings tying each episode together like a murder board, but she also sees people—the ones who are gone and the ones who mourn—and they matter to her. In Season 2, Charlie’s immersion in the lives tied to each episode isn’t just a trick of structure; it’s the pulse of the show.
“Last Looks” also features the line, “life among the dead, what kind of life is that?” If you’ve become as attached to Charlie as I have, maybe you’re been wondering if she ever looks around and asks herself: Am I the bad penny? She seems so sad when Greta (Holmes) shares that life among the dead is draining hers away. Perhaps Charlie is starting to feel the weight of that too. As the audience, we definitely feel it in “One Last Job” episode 207, guest starring Corey Hawkins, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Sam Richardson. There’s a montage set to “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None The Richer—if that gives you a hint.
From a truly bizarre pair of police officers and a cosmic alligator in the Florida Keys. To a minor-league ballpark that’s pure Americana with a wink at Major League (1989). Then on to a version of The Bad Seed (1956) that’ll make you want to watch the original. The show’s nomadic nature is a joyride across the weirdly wacky pockets of the country—and the people Charlie can’t help but connect with. By the end of the season, she settles down in an illegal sub-let apartment for multiple episodes. That’s where we get to see the relationships that started as necessities in season 1 and earlier in season 2 start to look like friendships. And after the events of “Whack-a-Mole” (episode 203), she has the courage to get to know a couple of people whose main mode of transportation isn’t a coffin.
Don’t worry. Season 2 is still hilarious. Some of the set-ups are so wild you start to suspect they might be true. This season is also a Hollywood homage—with various sub-genres and more movie winks sprinkled throughout. And it’s an Americana mixtape made in the writers’ room, playing everything from Hitchcock to Spielberg in the background. Each episode is its own mini-movie, with a distinct look, tone, and a guest star lineup that leaves you wondering: Rian and Natasha, Are the stars showing up during your sauna time like they had no idea you’d be there, or do you still text them emoji-filled invitations? Oh look, Rian answered us (kind of), “One of the pleasures of that [Columbo] era of TV that I remember is, sort of, just the fun guest stars appearing every week. And when I look at the roster we ended up with this season, it’s pretty crazy.”
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EPISODE 201: “The Game is a Foot”
Streaming May 8
Written by Laura Deeley | Directed by Rian Johnson
Even with a mob hit out on her, Charlie Cale can’t help but get involved when a friend’s sister dies under circumstances that are just a little too neat. Cynthia Erivo takes a triple bow as sisters, each more compelling than the last, but it’s the caretaker—tethered to their ailing mother, played with biting wit by Jasmine Guy, who sets things in motion. Before changing the will, Guy’s mama calls charity “organized malingering.” Cue chaos, cue “holy butt munch,” and cue Charlie, who once again proves that optimism can beat the sharpest culprit.
Guest Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Jasmine Guy, Jin Ha
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EPISODE 202: “Last Looks”
streaming May 8
Written by Alice Ju & Natasha Lyonne | Directed by Natasha Lyonne
From family drama to a family-run funeral home turned film set—because Poker Face has a weird way of making the intersection of death and Hollywood feel hilarious and heartfelt. Charlie uses her uncanny perception to track down a missing person, but this time, the suspect doesn’t lie. “There is no out,” is the theme of the episode, and for once, Charlie’s lie detection skill turns into a stumbling block. Along the way, she makes a new friend, delivers a dose of empathy, and, shares some CB radio banter with the “movie car guy” Kevin Corrigan.
Guest Stars: Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes, Kevin Corrigan, Kathrine Narducci, Sherry Cola
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EPISODE 203: “Whack-a-Mole”
streaming May 8
Written by Wyatt Cain | Directed by Miguel Arteta
Just when Charlie thinks she might catch her breath, she finds herself wedged between the FBI and the mob, with no telling who’s on which team. The rules of engagement change with every new face—and in this episode, there are plenty. If you like your mysteries with a side of whiplash, this is the one that will have you ducking for cover as alliances shift and bodies drop. Charlie’s challenge? Figure out who’s playing who before she’s the next one to get whacked.
Guest Stars: John Mulaney, Simon Helberg, Rhea Perlman, Richard Kind, Chris Bauer, RJ Brown, Gregg Bello
Last, Last Looks
Season 2 of Poker Face is just as sharp, adorably silly, sensitive, and addictive as the first. With standout guest stars, inventive mysteries, and Natasha Lyonne at her most watchable, this cozy and clever “howdunit” feels good—even with all the murdery-ness. If you want a show that’s as much about the puzzling people as the procedural, come sit by us. Now, how do we convince Peacock and Netflix to give us the Charlie Cale x Cordelia Cupp crossover we deserve?
New episodes of Poker Face stream Wednesdays on Peacock. Buckle up, babes, and remember: it’s not just about catching the killer—it’s about why we care
The Big List of Season 2 Episodes and Dates
- EP 201 “The Game is a Foot” – May 8
- EP 202 “Last Looks” – May 8
- EP 203 “Whack-a-Mole” – May 8
- EP 204 “The Taste of Human Blood – May 15
- EP 205 “Hometown Hero” – May 22
- EP 206 “Sloppy Joseph” – May 29
- EP 207 “One Last Job” – June 5
- EP 208 “The Sleazy Georgian” – June 12
- EP 209 “A New Lease On Death” – Airing June 19
- EP 210 “The Big Pump” – June 26
- EP 211 “Day of the Iguana” – Airing July 3
- EP 212 “The End of the Road” – July 10
The Big List of Season 2 Guest Stars:
Adrienne C. Moore (Orange is the New Black, Juror #2)
Alia Shawkat (Blink Twice, Search Party)
Awkwafina (The Farewell, Crazy Rich Asians)
Ben Marshall (Saturday Night Live)
B.J. Novak (The Office, Vengeance)
Carol Kane (Between the Temples, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt)
Cliff “Method Man” Smith (Power Book II: Ghost, The Deuce)
Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, The Piano Lesson)
Cynthia Erivo (Wicked, Harriet)
David Alan Grier (St. Denis Medical, In Living Color)
David Krumholtz (Oppenheimer, Numb3rs)
Davionte “GaTa” Ganter (Dave, Anyone But You, Rick and Morty)
Ego Nwodim (Mr. Throwback, Saturday Night Live)
Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent, Eric)
Geraldine Viswanathan (Thunderbolts*, Drive-Away Dolls)
Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul, Parish)
Haley Joel Osment (Blink Twice, Wednesday)
Jason Ritter (Matlock)
John Cho (Searching, Star Trek)
John Mulaney (John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA)
Justin Theroux (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, White House Plumbers)
Kathrine Narducci (Euphoria, Alto Knights)
Katie Holmes (Our Town, Ray Donovan, Rare Objects)
Kevin Corrigan (Narcos: Mexico, Godfather of Harlem)
Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales)
Lauren Tom (Interior Chinatown, Futurama)
Lili Taylor (Outer Range, American Crime, The Conjuring)
Margo Martindale (The Americans, The Sticky)
Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets, Togetherness)
Natasha Leggero (Another Period, Old Dads)
Patti Harrison (I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson)
Rhea Perlman (Cheers, Matilda)
Richard Kind (Only Murders In The Building, Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso, Veep)
Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This, Joy Ride)
Simon Helberg (Annette, The Big Bang Theory)
Simon Rex (Red Rocket, Blink Twice)
Taylor Schilling (Dear Edward, Orange is the New Black)
