Critics have seen Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face, and they are absolutely loving the latest mystery-comedy offering. It sounds like those interested might want to go "all-in" on a Peacock Premium subscription, because it doesn't seem like these reviews are bluffing about how good the new show is.
One common theme in Poker Face reviews is the mention of its clear nods to classic television mysteries. Many reviewers, like Variety's Daniel D'Addario, noted the series plays out in the same format as the classic detective series Columbo. D'Addario noted that while this format removes the "Whodunit" element of the mystery series, Poker Face makes up for it in two other key ways:
The crimes Charlie investigates are not difficult to crack — and, as with 'Columbo,' we’re ahead of the game, watching what has happened first, before our detective puzzles it out over the next hour or so. But the stories are creatively built and beautifully cast .
The mystery may be spoiled for the viewer before the episode really gets rolling, but there are plenty of other bright spots to the show. Many of the reviews pointed to a number of memorable guest stars who appear, such as actors Adrien Brody and Tim Meadows.
Linda Holmes of NPR had positive praise for Natasha Lyonne's performance as Charlie, while noting it's not a wide departure from her previous acting roles. Holmes pointed to the similarity to Lyonne's other performances in her review, while adding that there are some key differences that set her Charlie apart:
On the one hand, she is an actor who is always herself — she doesn't often disappear into roles in a way that will make you say, 'Oh wow, that's Natasha Lyonne?' But at the same time, there are shadings to her work here that are different from, for instance, her highly regarded role in Netflix's Russian Doll. She's more relaxed and under control in this part, still funny and still utterly unique, but also careful and deliberate. Charlie is a good bit happier, too, even when she's in trouble.
Natasha Lyonne's Charlie is a former poker player on the lam with the intuition to figure out when people are lying to her. While Charlie is not a detective, her ability to determine the truthfulness of others ultimately serves her as she works her way through various murder mysteries in her travels across America.
The Verge's Charles Pulliam-Moore was another who pointed out that unlike Rian Johnson's hit films Knives Out and Glass Onion, which do tie-in to the series in one fun way, the audience won't be in the dark on what's going on. Audiences will know who committed the crime before Charlie, but there is an advantage to Poker Face being unlike Johnson's other murder mystery offerings:
With Knives Out, you’re meant to be trying to work through the mystery along with Benoit Blanc and appreciating the craftsmanship that goes into building a narrative puzzle like Glass Onion. The same is true for Poker Face to a certain extent. But between the show’s episodic format, and the space it gives its guest stars to chew up the scenery before Charlie solves the case, it ends up feeling much more lived-in and less twee than its Netflix cousins.
Immersion is often key in a quality series, so that sounds like high praise for Poker Face. It may not blow viewers minds in the same way a horrifically stupid crime might, but it has a world that feels "lived-in" and another nod to an impressive lineup of guest stars.
If there is any gripe about Poker Face online, it might be the one from TVLine. While Dave Nemetz was overall a fan of the Peacock original, he did caution viewers that their patience in episodes may wane due to the amount of setup that takes place every episode:
Your tolerance for Poker Face‘s languid pace may vary as well: Episodes routinely run well over an hour, and the extended opening scenes detailing each week’s crime can run close to 20 minutes before Charlie even gets to town.
That criticism aside, critics are largely big fans of Poker Face. Some, like The Mary Sue's Rachel Leishman, are already ready for more episodes, as she wrote in her positive review for the show:
There has not been a show like this, that has me begging for more episodes and on the edge of my seat each week, in quite some time, and of course it is Rian Johnson (and Nora and Lilla Zuckerman) who has brought it to me.
Does anyone else want to binge a bunch of Natasha Lyonne shows and Rian Johnson projects after reading about how great they are? Luckily, we'll get the best of both worlds in Poker Face, which seems like it could be be a major hit for Peacock if it finds an audience.
Poker Face premieres on Peacock on Thursday, January 26th. Critics are mostly positive about the new series, but it remains to be seen if the audience scores will also be just as positive for the mystery show.
