While it's still rather early days in the 2026 movie schedule, it's no secret that Ghostface's return to theaters recently was a big success, and it sounds like Paramount and Spyglass are wasting no time. Reportedly, Scream 8 is already in the works, and notably, the names being tapped to write the script seem to indicate the franchise could go into a new and interesting direction.

The big quote in Scream is "Do you like scary movies?" Of course, but per Deadline's report that Lilla and Nora Zuckerman are working on the Scream 8 script, it seems the question might be "Do you like whodunnits?"

See, the Zuckerman sisters are best known for being the showrunners on the Peacock mystery show Poker Face. I have to wonder if the hire means the franchise hopes to be more of a whodunnit dressed in a Ghostface mask, and you know what? I dig that.

Aside from Poker Face, which Peacock sadly pulled the plug on (but it could come back at some point with Peter Dinklage as the lead), the Zuckerman sisters have worked on a few other notable TV shows. They were producers on Haven, Suits, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and Prodigal Son. Interestingly enough, none of those are horror projects. Perhaps, their closest dip into it was as producers on Buffy The Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale – you know, Hulu's Buffy show that was recently cancelled.

Another interesting development here is that the report does not include the producers of the last three Scream movies, James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick. I should note that those guys' production company, Radio Silence, currently has its hands wrapped up in The Mummy 4, starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, set to be released in 2028. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who directed the 2022 and 2023 Scream installments, will helm the action-adventure sequel.

Now, I'm tentatively on board with the Zuckerman sisters hiring because I think it does feel like it's time for Scream to have a new angle. The last installment made a lot of money ($204 million worldwide against a $45 million production budget), but it also earned the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the franchise with a 31%.

CinemaBlend's own Scream 7 review gave the movie a terrifying 1.5 out of 5 stars, saying that the movie had him "solving half of the plot in the second act" and the only reason he didn't was "because it is complete nonsense". I wonder if feedback like this had the franchise going to writers proven to write a good mystery?

I don't think Scream would have been around for 30 years if it weren't for the whodunnit quality of the first one, so here's hoping the Zuckermans can revive some of that in Scream 8 with their hiring. There's no release date set, but we'll keep you updated as we learn more.

Despite Poker Face earning critical acclaim in its two seasons, Peacock announced last November that it was cancelling the comedy-drama mystery series. And yet, this doesn’t necessarily spell the end of Poker Face, though if it does come back, it’ll look a lot different. Efforts are underway to not only set up the Rian Johnson-created show on another streaming service, but to also have Peter Dinklage take over the role of Charlie Cale from Natasha Lyonne. The Game of Thrones star has now shared an update on how these wild revival plans are going.

Dinklage addressed the possibility of Poker Face Season 3 happening while chatting with Deadline. For what he’s most recently heard from Johnson, the biggest hurdle in the moment is find the series a new home, with the actor sharing:

For any other TV show, having a male actor taking over playing the same lead role that an actress previously occupied would be a daunting and convoluted prospect, but evidently Peter Dinklage and Rian Johnson aren’t sweating it. Instead, the main holdup on bringing Poker Face back remains figuring out where the show will be placed next. Assuming that can be worked out, I’m curious if Peacock will still be able to keep the first two seasons on its platform, or if this will be a permanent move situation, like how the Marvel TV shows that were initially released on Netflix can now only be exclusively streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

In any case, Peter Dinklage joked that the series can be renamed to Roulette Face if necessary. It doesn’t have the same ring as Poker Face, but if that’s what it takes to overcome certain legal complications, then I’ll make do. Though best known in the TV realm for playing Tyrion Lannister for the entirety of Game of Thrones, Dinklage was most recently a series regular on the first season of Dexter: Resurrection, though let’s just say we won’t be seeing his character again whenever Season 2 arrives.

Aside from the streaming service transition, the biggest mystery surrounding Poker Face’s future is how the changeover from Natasha Lyonne to Peter Dinklage as Charlie Cale is going to work. Will this next season somehow occupy the same reality as the first two seasons, or will Poker Face become more like an anthology series where the only thing Dinklage’s Charlie shares in common with Lyonne’s is the innate ability to tell when people are lying. As for why Lyonne won’t continue playing Charlie, she said last month it’s because she wants to focus on directing movies.

Hopefully we know by the end of 2026 if Poker Face will live on or not. I’m eager to learn what reason Rian Johnson comes up with for Charlie Cale’s baffling transformation, as well as for Peter Dinklage’s version to solve his own assortment of unique crimes. Fingers crossed one of the other big streaming services will welcome Poker Face into its library of content.

There were a lot of shows canceled in 2025 and, as of right now, Poker Face is included in that list. The Natasha Lyonne-led mystery crime dramedy was axed by Peacock in November, but it was also announced that the series' creator, Knives Out filmmaker Rian Johnson, would shop it around for a potential third season, with Peter Dinklage taking over Lyonne’s role as Charlie Cale. Now, Lyonne is opening up about why she wanted to step back and if she’d ever step back into her role.

It was a surprise when Dinklage was announced to be in talks to play Charlie, while Lyonne would be staying on as an executive producer of the show. However, it sounds like this is what Lyonne ultimately wanted. The Emmy-nominated actress told The Hollywood Reporter that she wants to prioritize feature filmmaking but is more than excited about Dinklage taking over the role:

Lyonne has really been branching out from acting in recent years, adding directing and writing credits to her resume. She's also been executive producing numerous projects as of late. With Poker Face alone, Lyonne directed three episodes and wrote two of them. Of course, she still has plenty of acting roles coming up and other projects she’s excited for.

The American Pie alum seems to be looking forward to having other passions to focus on and branching out even more. With that, it makes sense that she wanted to step down as Charlie Cale. She continued:

If or when Poker Face returns, it will be exciting to see how Dinklage pulls off Charlie Cale. Still, even with someone else donning the mantle, could Lyonne ever actually step back into those shoes? Well, it sounds like the door isn’t exactly closed on that front. As for what it would take her to return, Lyonne said the following:

It is a little too early to start thinking about Lyonne’s theoretical return to Poker Face, especially since the series hasn’t even been confirmed for a third season elsewhere. Still, fans can hope, right? As a fan, I'm also glad she'll still be attached as an executive producer if the show continues and, quite frankly, anything with Peter Dinklage is great. Of course, the Tyrion Lannister does have some big shoes to fill, given Lyonne is so perfect as Charlie.

Speaking of which, while Poker Face doesn’t have a new home yet, HBO is reportedly in the running to scoop it up, and executive Casey Bloys previously revealed that discussions are happening. Bloys seems excited at the prospect of having Dinklage back in the fold following Game of Thrones. Still, nothing is confirmed as of yet, so we'll have to wait and see what lies ahead for the mystery-of-the-week show.

In the meantime, both seasons of Poker Face are streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Rian Johnson has found success with different types of movies, from the neo-noir mystery Brick to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. However, more recently, his name has become synonymous with the murder mystery genre. Between the Knives Out series — the latest of which, Wake Up Dead Man, is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar in December — and Poker Face, Johnson has been a big part of repopularizing the genre, but it turns out the inspiration to do so had been bubbling for longer than we may have realized.

Knives Out was a hit when it was released in 2019, introducing audiences to Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, the world’s greatest detective, with his Southern drawl and wonderfully flamboyant sense of style. It turns out ole Benny rented space in Rian Johnson’s head for some time before he made his debut six years ago. Ram Bergman, co-producer on the Knives Out films, told Variety the idea was born a full decade before the first movie’s release.

In fact, he said that Rian Johnson first mentioned the concept of doing a murder mystery with Benoit Blanc when he was on his first date with Karina Longworth, who he married in 2018.

It's really special that these movies were something that Rian Johnson and Karina Longworth talked about from the very beginning of their relationship and now — more than a decade later and after seven years of marriage — the Benoit Blanc mysteries have become such a phenomenon.

There’s also another pretty cool connection between Karina Longworth and Rian Johnson’s career in murder mysteries. Apparently we have her to thank for Poker Face, as Natasha Lyonne apparently met Johnson at one of Longworth’s book signings. According to SyFy, the Orange Is the New Black star said:

So not only was Karina Longworth around for the birth of Benoit Blanc, but she was apparently instrumental in the creation of Charlie Cale.

Of course, the fate of the case-of-the-week series is up in the air right now, as Peacock canceled Poker Face after Season 2. However, Rian Johnson has confirmed that he’s shopping the series around, with Peter Dinklage possibly in talks to take over the role of the human bullshit detector.

Maybe Rian Johnson should get his wife to work some of her magic with the universe to make that happen, because I like her track record so far!

If you want to revisit Rian Johnson’s murder mystery work, Wake Up Dead Man hits theaters on Friday, December 12, while Knives Out can be streamed on Prime Video and Glass Onion on Netflix. Poker Face, meanwhile, is available on Peacock, so in order to get the best prices on all of these, be sure to check out our Black Friday streaming deals.

In case you missed the sad news, the second-season run of Poker Face that aired earlier in the 2025 TV schedule was its last, and folks with Peacock subscriptions are not getting a third season on that particular service. The mystery-of-the-week series led by Natasha Lyonne won’t return for Season 3 on the streaming service, but that hasn’t stopped series creator Rian Johnson from shopping a new take on the series featuring Peter Dinklage taking over as lead from Lyonne. For all that I’d love to see that version of the show, what is actually going on following all those rumors?

During the recent premiere of the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Johnson spoke with Deadline about the swirling rumors. He confirmed that yes, he’s actively trying to keep the Poker Face concept alive; and yes, the Emmy-winning actor is central to the pitch he’s taking out. Johnson explained:

That “wild swing” he mentions lines up with earlier reporting that Johnson now envisions Poker Face as an evolving project with new leads every few seasons — essentially handing Charlie Cale's crime-solving mantle to a different actor as the show moves forward. Natasha Lyonne herself, who also executive produced, confirmed in a joint statement that she and Johnson had been planning this shift since wrapping the Season 2 finale. Meaning Dinklage isn’t a panic-induced replacement, but already part of the long-term creative roadmap, at least hypothetically.

Even so, the situation is complicated. Season 2 performed well on Peacock, but not at the breakout level of Season 1, but the series is an expensive one with new locations, settings and guest stars on a weekly basis. Combine that with Lyonne stepping away, and the cancellation starts to make more financial sense. Still, Johnson isn’t treating Poker Face as a finished chapter. He’s treating it like a story engine worth saving, even if it shifts platforms, formats, and even leads.

And honestly, Dinklage is as inspired a pick as you could ask for. He’s funny yet can carry the dramatic weight when he needs to, and his recent work on Dexter: Resurrection tapped into everything that makes him great. So the idea of him playing a road-trip sleuth with a complicated past is definitely the kind of inspired pivot that could give the series a genuinely fresh life.

If Johnson succeeds in taking this idea “out,” whether to HBO, Netflix, Amazon, or anywhere else, fans of the original two seasons of the show should expect a very different Poker Face, but one still rooted in the old-school mystery-of-the-week DNA that made fans fall in love with it. Nothing has been officially greenlit, but Johnson's making noise publicly means this project is far from dead.

We’ll have to wait and see whether this “wild swing” actually becomes the next chapter of Poker Face. In the meantime, Rian Johnson is keeping busy with his other big franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, the newest Knives Out mystery on the 2025 movie schedule. The film arrives in theaters on November 26 and will be available to anyone with a Netflix subscription starting December 12.

After Season 2 of Poker Face aired on the 2025 TV schedule, Rian Johnson's show was unfortunately canceled by Peacock, despite its acclaim. The second season of the crime dramedy has been praised by critics, and its lead, Natasha Lyonne, who said they were bringing more “ridiculous” fun to the series for Season 2. Now, while it did get canceled, don’t count Poker Face out just yet, as there’s a wild plot to save it that features Peter Dinklage. Personally, I’d love to see him on the series, and I couldn’t be happier about the fitting TV executive expressing interest as well.

When it was announced that Peacock opted not to move forward with a third season of Poker Face, it was also revealed that creator Rian Johnson, his T-Street partner Ram Bergman, MRC, and Lyonne were shopping the show to other outlets in the hopes of a new two-season commitment. It was also revealed that while Lyonne would be staying on as executive producer, Dinklage would actually take over the role she originated, Charlie Cale.

Now, while the show has not found a new home yet, Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, revealed that he’s had conversations about the series. He said, via Deadline:

Not only is the concept of Poker Face possibly returning for another season exciting, but the fact that HBO seems to be interested makes it even better, especially when you consider Dinklage’s involvement. Of course, fans know that the actor portrayed Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s massively popular fantasy series Game of Thrones, and the role won him four Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Dinklage returning to HBO for a new series over six years after GOT ended would be pretty great.

If Poker Face were to move to HBO and Dinklage were to take over, this would mark his first role at the premium cable network since Game of Thrones ended in 2019. It sounds like Bloys is interested in bringing Dinklage back into the fold, but even though conversations have happened, there’s no telling how it will all go down. However, the fact that the exec has an interest in the show is encouraging.

Meanwhile, Dinklage has been plenty busy as of late. He can be seen in Dexter: Resurrection, streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, and he reprised his voice role as Doctor Dillamond in the much-anticipated Wicked: For Good. He's also in the crime film Roofman, which premiered earlier on the 2025 movie schedule.

Now, going back to Poker Face, conversations are still pretty early, and it’s unknown which (if any) platform, including HBO, will save Poker Face. However, I know I would love to see Dinklage make his debut as Charlie Cale, and I would love it even more if he did it on HBO.

Poker Face just got a bad beat, and it's not good news for folks with a Peacock subscription. The mystery-of-the-week series led by Natasha Lyonne won’t return for Season 3 on the streaming service, even after a solid sophomore run and plenty of critical love. That would usually be the end of the story, except there’s a crazy curveball: the team behind the show is already shopping a new two-season plan built around Peter Dinklage.

Series creator Rian Johnson, partner Ram Bergman, producer MRC, and Lyonne (who remains an EP) are taking Poker Face to other buyers with an eye on continuity and a bold twist: Peter Dinklage would step into the role of human lie detector Charlie Cale if the show finds a new home, per Deadline. Johnson and Lyonne said they’ve been planning the next phase since writing the Season 2 finale and teased that Charlie could soon be “back on that open highway.”

For newcomers, Poker Face is Johnson’s riff on a classic, Columbo-style format, with each episode presenting a murder that you watch happen, and then follows Charlie, an ex-casino employee with an unfakeable knack for calling lies, as she drifts town to town in a ’69 Plymouth Barracuda and solves what the locals can’t. The first season drew raves and awards attention; Season 2 remained one of Peacock’s beloved series, though ratings were off a bit and costs were high, according to Deadline’s reporting.

The “wild subplot” here is the proposed baton pass. Dinklage wouldn’t play a new character; he’d inherit Charlie Cale, with Johnson hoping to rotate the lead every couple of years.

TV has precedent for this kind of identity handoff (think Doctor Who, The Crown, even the mid-run swap on Bewitched), and the franchise’s case-of-the-week structure makes it easier to pull off than most. It’s also very Johnson, who, with his Knives Out films, changes ensembles around Daniel Craig every time, and he’s long been fascinated with truth-telling as a storytelling engine.

There are still questions. It isn’t clear whether Season 2 showrunner Tony Tost would continue. Distribution is TBD as CAA takes the package to market. But the creative center remains intact, that being this is Johnson’s baby, and the outlet notes he’s prepared to write and direct as needed to steady the retooled version. Lyonne, busy with projects under her Animal banner, would stay on behind the scenes as well.

From a business angle, the move makes sense. Prestige guest stars, travel, and production design aren’t cheap, and asking a new partner for a two-season order provides stability for casting and scheduling while signaling confidence. From a fan angle, the pitch is pretty simple: keep the format and tone, keep Charlie’s gift, but swap the face. Dinklage—fresh off films like Wicked, Roofman, the Toxic Avenger, and a stint on Dexter: Resurrection—brings a different energy and comic bite that could change how episodes play without breaking the show. It’s a weird angle, but one that could definitely work.

Peacock passed on Season 3, but Poker Face isn’t folding and accepting a place on 2025's canceled shows list just yet. If the plan lands, the next iteration will test how elastic Charlie Cale really is as a character, and I’m here to see it.

We’ll have to see how this wild idea plays out. Meanwhile, Rian Johnson has another Knives Out entry, Wake Up Dead Man, on the 2025 movie schedule. It hits theaters on November 26 and streams for anyone with a Netflix subscription on December 12. You can also watch the first two seasons of Poker Face on Peacock.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article gives away a few key details from Poker Face Season 2, including from the season finale. If you have not been keeping up with the series’ latest mysteries with your Peacock subscription, I honestly recommend you proceed with caution if you continue to read on.

I could not wait to see more from the adventures of human lie detector on the run, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), when Poker Face Season 2 returned. Overall, I’d say I prefer Season 1 to this otherwise fun new batch of odd mysteries (which could have branched out beyond murder stories more often), but I think Season 2 absolutely sticks the landing with its finale… OK, actually, that last comment is, as Charlie would say, “bullshit,” but only to a point.

The Poker Face Season 2 ending is, like any of the best Poker Face episodes, a fun, brain-teasing thrill ride that serves as a perfect way to conclude the season. However, there is one aspect of the very last scene that left me a bit disappointed. Allow me to explain…

The Trucker At The End Should Have Been Good Buddy

For multiple episodes during Poker Face Season 2, Charlie chats over CB radio with a trucker only referred to as "Good Buddy," who is voiced by Steve Buscemi, who was initially approached to direct an episode this season, according to TVLine. At the very end of the finale, when she is picked up by a trucker on the side of the road, I excitedly anticipated that we would finally get to see Charlie cross paths with her unseen friend.

However, the trucker turned out to be some dude named Lou, played by Steve Earle. Now, don't get me wrong: seeing the singer-songwriter make a cameo was pretty cool. Yet, I cannot help but feel that this particular moment seemed like such a perfect opportunity for Buscemi to make his grand entrance as an instant supporting character favorite.

On The Flip Side, The Final Scene Does Maintain The Ending's Foreboding Tone

In the second season, Charlie goes through a lot of ridiculous trouble, including one bizarre tale involving an evil elementary school student. However, things take a more somber turn at the very end when she discovers Alex (Patti Harrison), a friend she tried to help clear of murder, actually is a notorious assassin and, as a result, is forced to go on the run again, but from the FBI this time. Not to mention, this “Moriarty to her Holmes” appears to be still alive and will very likely make some attempt at revenge.

Charlie was finally free to roam at her own pace after the episode with John Mulaney, but now her future is uncertain, and, based on her tearful goodbye to Agent Luca Clark (Simon Helberg) after he gives her a head start, she is clearly terrified by the forces against her, on top of what other trouble she may inevitably stumble upon. In that regard, if the trucker at the end was “Good Buddy,” it would have ended the season on a more uplifting note, which would undercut the more ominous tone it goes for. Admittedly, however, the bleak cliffhanger makes me even more eager to see her next adventures.

I suppose that, sometimes, the thing you want to see most in a TV show is not necessarily what is best for it. With or without an official Steve Buscemi cameo as “Good Buddy,” the Poker Face Season 2 finale has me excited for Charlie Cale’s return and, perhaps, even a crossover with Knives Out at some point? Whaddya say, Rian Johsnon?

Poker Face Season 2 has been as good, if not better than, the first season. The standards for that season were already high, so it’s nice to see it continue to deliver consistently funny and intriguing episodes. They prove why Poker Face is one of the best murder mystery TV shows. Hopefully, Peacock plans to keep making new seasons for many years to come. I have loved most of the Poker Face Season 2 episodes, but one of my favorites involves a “pigtailed demon child.”

Poker Face Season 2, Episode 6, “Sloppy Joseph,” takes Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) into an elite primary school. Most of the children have normal adjustments to life, success, and failure, but one particular girl only wants to be the best. As the lunch lady, Charlie thinks this will be an easy job, away from murder. However, this is far from the truth. She meets an aggressive child who makes her life a bit of hell. This episode stands out for many reasons, so let’s discuss a few of them.

Warning: Poker Face Season 2 Episode 6, Sloppy Joseph spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

I Found “Sloppy Joseph” Equally Hilarious And Scary

Poker Face often balances comedy and drama effortlessly. It’s a show that so many fans love for its clever writing. Rian Johnson is clearly a fan of so many genres, and that’s reflected in the best Poker Face episodes. The series often does drama and mystery well, but “Sloppy Joseph” is one of the few episodes from this Peacock show that feels like a horror series. It plays into those classic horror movie elements in the best way.

Stephanie (Eva Jade Halford) is terrifying. You don’t know what this demon child might do. She easily joins the hall of fame of creepy children. “Sloppy Joseph” starts off setting the perfect tone by showing Stephanie googling how to kill a... boy’s self-esteem. It automatically makes you afraid of what this child will do to succeed.

It doesn’t even fully lean into jump scares or other elements of monster movies, but “Sloppy Joseph” does just enough to creep you out. It also doesn’t forget to be hilarious. Charlie and Stephanie have some funny scenes, like Stephanie’s attempts to lie to Charlie and her becoming more shocked when called out on her lies.

Stephanie running down the halls after screaming about socialism may be one of Poker Face’s most hilarious and memorable moments. It’s also just funny to think of a child terrorizing these fully grown adults.

I Think It’s Cool How It Ventures A Bit From Poker Face’s Norm

Poker Face has a great lineup of adult guest stars. These adults usually do some despicable things to other adults. We see the murder happen, then watch as Charlie solves it. “Sloppy Joseph” starts with a murder, but this time, it's a gerbil named Joseph. That may make Stephanie’s crime seem harmless in comparison. However, no, she feels just as much of a criminal mastermind as many of these grown-up characters.

“Sloppy Joseph” also scares you into thinking the series is going to go extremely dark with Stephanie murdering Elijah (Callum Vinson). Luckily, it doesn’t go as far as child murder, but the series takes plenty of dark turns in Season 2. Because of the gerbil twist, this episode solves one of the issues of Season 1 by not being a straightforward murder case.

Stephanie also becomes more sinister as “Sloppy Joseph” progresses. Usually, the criminal in these episodes have some remorse for their crimes, or they stay at the same level of evil. The Cynthia Erivo episode and this one show how a character can just succumb to their darkest whims. Unlike Erivo’s episode, Stephanie is not a caring character who gets pushed over towards becoming a morally corrupt character. She has rotten traits from start to finish.

It Reminds Me A Lot Of Some Classic Movies With Demon Children

Stephanie reminds me so much of Rhoda (Patty McCormack) in The Bad Seed. However, Stephanie is a little less deadly but just as cunning and clever. I also see shades of Henry (Macaulay Culkin) in The Good Son. I also see Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), who isn’t technically a child, from Orphan. She is the epitome of a creepy child.

Stephanie probably gets traits from all your favorite little demon children. Much credit to Eva Jade Halford because she really brings this character to life. She has the characteristics of some of our favorite horror movie villains, but embodied in this wicked child. Rian Johnson and his team pay homage to those brilliant, creepy children in “Sloppy Joseph.”

I Was Horrified By The Poker Face Death Scene

Poker Face does not shy away from ruthlessly murdering characters. However, something about the gerbil’s death is insanely gruesome. It could be the blood splattering everywhere. It could be the fact that we see it all over children, and that look on Elijah’s face when he accidentally kills Joseph. It’s also made more horrendous that we see several shots of the gerbil before he meets his death.

Animal deaths in general are hard to watch on screen or read about in books. Animals just feel so innocent. I can barely remember most of Poker Face’s death scenes, but the death of Joseph has now been permanently set in my head. The little guy did not need to go out like that in “Sloppy Joseph.” Justice for Joseph.

I Believe Stephanie May Be Charlie’s Best Foe Yet

Poker Face excels at creating very entertaining weekly foes for Charlie. John Mulaney’s character in his Season 2 episode is a really fun one, but I don’t think any of them from Season 2 top Stephanie. The character is just so perfectly unhinged. She does all this just to continue to be on top. It’s such a ridiculous motive that feels very appropriate for a demon child.

Additionally, Stephanie isn’t mature and old enough yet to really go against Charlie. However, you know that once she reaches Charlie’s age, she’ll be able to outsmart her easily. This makes her threat at the end so funny and terrifying. If anyone is going to figure out how to successfully lie to Charlie, Stephanie will.

I need Poker Face to bring Stephanie back in a potential Season 3 for another battle against Charlie. Let’s see who wins this one.

Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

I think I speak for many when I say audiences love it when characters from two (or more) different movies or TV series come together in one special event, such as the epic monster movies featuring both Godzilla and King Kong, or when Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. appeared on Supernatural. Of course, for all of the mind-blowing crossovers we have been blessed with, there is still much to be desired in the realm of bringing two big-screen or small-screen franchises together.

In that respect, let’s let our imaginations run wild and dream up the movie or TV crossovers that would be incredible to see. Now, I cannot promise that many (or all) of these ideas are legally or even humanly possible, but why should we let that get in the way of the fun?

Toy Story And Small Soldiers

The first, and still one of the best, Pixar movies, Toy Story, showed us the world from the point of view of sentient toys in 1995. Three years later, Small Soldiers offered the same perspective, but with more of an edge and a more realistic approach. Seeing Woody (Tom Hanks) and other innocent children's playthings crossing paths with Major Chip Hazard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his AI-powered, militaristic action figures sounds like one wonderfully warped animated flick, if you ask me.

The Office And Parks And Recreation

As recalled by MovieWeb, co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels initially conceived Parks and Recreation as a spin-off of The Office before it turned into its own separate and equally beloved TV sitcom. Still, there is no reason why Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his former Dunder-Mifflin co-workers could not somehow cross paths with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and other Pawnee residents in a mockumentary-style special.

Drive And Fast And Furious

A famous example of misleading movie marketing is 2011's slow-burn, Neo-noir thriller Drive, which one woman assumed would be more of a high-octane action thriller like the Fast and Furious movies, inspiring her to file a lawsuit, according to The Guardian. Honestly, I see this as a reason to give the people what they want and release a movie that sees Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew facing off against Ryan Gosling's Driver.

Succession And Yellowstone

Having both premiered in 2018, Jesse Armstrong's Succession and Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone would become subjects of comparison, with some even calling the Paramount Network hit "Succession with cowboy hats." I think seeing the wealthy and vindictive Roys indulging in a rivalry with the also wealthy and vindictive Duttons would make for one epic feature-length special or miniseries.

21 Jump Street And Men In Black

Among the hypothetical crossovers presented here, not all are too much of a stretch from the realm of possibility. In fact, there were actual plans for a film called MIB23, which would have brought Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) from the 21 Jump Street movie into the world of the Men in Black franchise. Unfortunately, plans were scrapped in 2019, but I still have hope this insane sci-fi/comedy mash-up could work.

Poker Face And The Thing

Imagine if human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) from the Peacock original TV show Poker Face was trapped in one place with a group of people who may or may not be shapeshifting extraterrestrial organisms in disguise, like the 1982 horror movie classic, The Thing. She would be the only one who could suss out the imitators, but the rest of the group might be too paranoid to confidently trust her judgment. I think Rian Johnson should give John Carpenter a call.

Star Wars And Marvel Cinematic Universe

As a fan of both the Star Wars movies and of Guardians of the Galaxy, I love the idea of seeing the cosmic warriors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe visit George Lucas' galaxy far, far away. Considering both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm are owned by Disney, this intergalactic epic is entirely possible, as long as the timeline is respected, of course.

RoboCop And Terminator

Omni Consumer Products' half-man, half-machine crime-fighting tool has crossed paths with Skynet's mechanical killer before, but only on the pages of a Dark Horse comic book series from Frank Miller. Why Hollywood has not yet tried its hand at a movie that pits the hero from RoboCop against any of the antagonistic cyborgs from the Terminator franchise is beyond me.

James Bond And Jason Bourne

The Matt Damon-led Jason Bourne movies are often cited as the inspiration for the James Bond franchise's grittier tone, especially after Daniel Craig took over as 007. If there could be a way to get the American amnesiac assassin and the suave MI6 agent together in a room (which would likely be destroyed by the end), that could make for one of the best spy movies ever.

Sherlock And Doctor Who

Two of the BBC's most popular series, Sherlock and Doctor Who, both involve a highly intelligent, fashionable, and sometimes arrogant protagonist who is accompanied by a reliable companion. For that and many other reasons, I think it would be amazing to see them come together in a special or miniseries in which Holmes, hitting a wall with a case that defies logic, finds unexpected help from The Doctor.

DC Universe And Marvel Cinematic Universe

The two biggest comic book publishing companies in the world have not always been rivals and have indulged in creating stories that see DC heroes and Marvel heroes fighting side by side. Considering his strong ties to the MCU, it can't be out of the question for DC Studios head James Gunn to at least call a meeting with Kevin Feige to discuss bringing this kind of crossover to the big screen, which might end up being the greatest superhero movie ever made.

John Wick And Kill Bill

While largely differing in tone, the John Wick movies and Quentin Tarantino's two-part Kill Bill saga are pretty similar in concept, following two retired, legendary assassins waging a vengeful war on those who wronged them. Who is to say that Keanu Reeves' gun-fu master and Uma Thurman's The Bride never crossed paths in their deadly heyday?

The Evil Dead And The Exorcist

Two of the most popular franchises of demonic possession movies, The Exorcist and The Evil Dead, could not be more different from one another, which is exactly why I want to see them converge. In my pitch, grown-up Regan MacNeill's (Linda Blair) expertise in devilish activity is enlisted to help with a new case, but when it spirals out of control, the only one who can help is chainsaw-headed Deadite hunter, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell).

Inception And A Nightmare On Elm Street

When you think about it, Leonardo DiCaprio's Dom Cobb from Christopher Nolan's Inception essentially has the same job as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Just imagine how much more challenging his team's adventures through the subconscious would be with Robert Englund's sadistic, badly burned boogeyman invading the same dream.

Alien, Predator, And Jurassic Park

You know what I think the Alien vs. Predator movies were missing? Dinosaurs. Putting these two fearsome extraterrestrials in yet another battle, but while trapped on one of the prehistoric animal-infested islands from the Jurassic Park films, could result in one of the most exciting entries from any of these franchises. You would not even need human characters to make it work because seeing both the Predator and the Xenomorph knocked down a peg by the T-Rex as a common enemy would be more than enough.

Ghostbusters And Casper

We already know that Casper and the Ghostbusters exist in the same universe, thanks to Dan Aykroyd's cameo as Ray Stantz in the Friendly Ghost's 1995 live-action feature adaptation of the animated series. I am sure Casper would happily help the paranormal exterminators take on a few evil spirits, even after an awkward misunderstanding were to happen when they first meet.

Mad Max And Dredd

The great thing about post-apocalyptic movies is that each has a different, intriguing interpretation of what a dystopian society would look like. However, what if the Wasteland from George Miller's Mad Max movies existed just across the (dried up) pond from Mega City One in Dredd? The gritty, visually stunning possibilities are endless.

Blade And Twilight

Allow me to make one thing clear: I am not suggesting that Marvel Comics' vampire hunter, originally played on the big screen by Wesley Snipes, should show up in the Twilight movies just to see Robert Pattinson's Edward, Kristen Stewart's Bella, and other bloodsuckers get slaughtered. I actually think Blade's presence could give the persistent haters of the films based on Stephanie Meyer's YA novel series a reason to treat the franchise with a little more respect.

Indiana Jones And Marvel Cinematic Universe

Since Disney owns both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, I wonder if anyone there has ever tinkered with the idea of putting a character like Indiana Jones in the MCU. I mean, he and Steve "Captain America" Rogers would have been alive around the same time and, as staunch anti-fascists, probably would have gotten along great. I doubt Harrison Ford's casting as Thunderbolt Ross in Captain America: Brave New World would cause much confusion, either.

Monk And Psych

The USA Network used to run promos bringing characters from their respective series together, including one in which Tony Shalhoub's eponymous detective from Monk suspects that Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) is not a real psychic. It makes me wish that we could have seen an official crossover episode that would have seen plenty of funny bickering between the carefree Shawn and someone as neurotic as Adrian Monk, who at least might have gotten along with Gus (Dulé Hill).

Power Rangers And Godzilla

By combining their respective, animal-shaped vehicles into one large Megazord, the Power Rangers have managed to face off against bizarre creatures of all sizes, which means they could realistically take on Godzilla. However, if I were to pitch this crossover, the rangers would eventually have to join forces with the King of the Monsters after an even larger creature emerges to wreak havoc on Angel Grove.

Bill & Ted And Wayne's World

Perhaps we never saw Bill S. Preston Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves) take Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) on a trip through time because we are not worthy of such an excellent idea. Then again, if Myers and Carvey can still get together for Wayne's World reunions on SNL and Reeves and Winter could come back for 2020's Bill & Ted Face the Music, who says it doesn't have potential?

Dirty Harry And Death Wish

I think the greatest Dirty Harry movie we never saw would have put Clint Eastwood's Lt. Callahan on the case of a murderer targeting the most vicious gangs in San Francisco, which would turn out to be Charles Bronson's Paul Kersey from Death Wish. Inevitably, I think Harry would be lured into an alliance with the vengeful vigilante, coming to believe that his more permanent methods of justice align with his own.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer And Sabrina The Teenage Witch

It's a shame that there was never any attempt to make an official crossover between Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Sarah Michelle Gellar and the Melissa Joan Hart-led Sabrina the Teenage Witch while they were still on the air. The coming-of-age supernatural series may have differed dramatically in tone, but that is just what would have made the collaboration such a blast.

Harry Potter And The Dresden Files

If fans of the Harry Potter movies have ever been interested in trying out something a bit darker and grittier, there is another literary modern-day wizard with the same first name: Harry Dresden, played by Paul Blackthorne on the SyFy series, The Dresden Files. I think it would be fun to see J.K. Rowling's The Boy Who Lived helping author Jim Butcher's Chicago-based P.I. solve a grisly mystery in which magic is involved.

The Munsters And The Addams Family

They may have been on different networks and produced by opposing studios, but how in the world has there never been an attempt to introduce the Munsters to the Addams Family? I would even be open to getting the actors from Rob Zombie's reboot movie to star alongside the cast of Netflix's Wednesday if it meant getting just a glimpse at these creepy, kooky families finally coming together.

It And Terrifier

There are no two villains in the subgenre of creepy clown movies more iconic than Pennywise from It and Art the Clown from Terrifier. I can't imagine a horror fan being against the idea of bringing Bill Skarsgård's shapeshifting fear demon from Andy Muschietti's blockbuster adaptation of Stephen King's novel and David Howard Thornton from Damien Leone's shocking indie slashers together for one brutal showdown that would have blood and white face paint smeared across the screen.

Hocus Pocus And Trick 'R Treat

In Disney's cult favorite, family-friendly witch movie, 1993's Hocus Pocus, our young protagonists go through a lot of trouble to defeat the Sanderson Sisters (played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker). I cannot help but wonder how easily those sinister spellcasters could have been taken care of by the mischievous Sam from the 2007 anthology horror movie favorite, Trick 'r Treat.

Hoarders And Storage Wars

You know those people on the show Hoarders who compulsively keep hold of any item they possess, no matter how unnecessary or even unhealthy it may be? I have a potential idea to help them: put them on another A&E reality show called Storage Wars and tell them that they must outbid other experienced collectors if they want to maintain ownership of their junk.

Johnny English And The Pink Panther

While it barely held a candle to Peter Sellers, I cannot deny that I enjoyed Steve Martin's portrayal of Inspector Jacques Clouseau in his Pink Panther reboot. I even more enjoyed Rowan Atkinson as a bumbling Bond-wannabe in the Johnny English movies. I imagine that having the clueless French detective and accident-prone British spy cross paths on a case would result in some real comedic dynamite (especially if real dynamite is involved).

Sister Act And The Nun

After watching Whoopi Goldberg's Academy Award-winning performance in Ghost, I am convinced that a sequel to Sister Act in which Deloris Wilson-Van Cartier must contend with the habit-wearing demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons) from the Conjuring movies would be a riot.

Big Brother And Survivor

Big Brother and Survivor are both competitive reality shows that make social interaction a key element to winning, with the biggest difference being the setting. If I ran CBS, I would send the most famous all-stars from Big Brother to a remote island, bring Survivor champs to the Big Brother house, and see what happens.

As of late, Rian Johnson has become synonymous with the mystery genre for movie and TV lovers thanks to his Knives Out movies and the Poker Face series having just began its new season to the 2025 TV schedule. But what if Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc and Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale teamed up at some point? Could that happen, please?

Now that Poker Face Season 2 has started over on Peacock, Natasha Lyonne actually brought up the idea herself when she was asked about the idea of Charlie Cale ever making it to the big screen with one of her mysteries. Here’s what she said:

While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Lyonne shared her million dollar idea, and now I officially need this in my life. This is an especially exciting answer because the Poker Face star is also behind the writing, and serves as executive producer and has helmed a couple episodes of the show.

I’m particularly interested in this because I’m so curious how the two detectives would interact with the other. While Benoit Blanc is more of a straight shooter with a Southern draw, Charlie Cale is a lot more rough around the edges. I think they would definitely butt heads, which would make for a great, unlikely detective duo that's very comedic, and now I need this to happen.

Poker Face returned last week with a more “ridiculous” season and a ton more exciting celebrity guests like John Mulaney, who acts our socks off in his episode, and Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo. Oh, and Daniel Craig is also set to play Benoit Blanc again in the third Knives Out movie, Wake Up, Dead Man. Seeing both of their new cases is only going to make me want this more, I know it.

However, Natasha Lyonne's answer got a little bit wild when she joked that she also wants to get The Pink Panther involved, or at least have the late Henry Mancini score the movie. Which is, of course, impossible unless they use already composed pieces of music. All in all, Lyonne particularly has her eye on doing more roles that can be seen on the big screen. As she continued:

Did you know that Natasha Lyonne is working on an A.I.-assisted movie called Uncanny Valley? Sure, there’s often a negative connotation around A.I. being connected to filmmaking lately, but the movie is about a teen starting to lose her grip on reality due to an augmented reality video game, so I think she’s doing so for a good reason.

It's great to hear Lyonne is down for a Poker Face movie, and crossover with Knives Out, because she could actually help make it happen.

Poker Face Season 2 has finally hit Peacock, and while we’ve thus far only been treated to the first three episodes, they feature some A+ guest stars. Right off the bat, we have Cynthia Erivo playing a whopping five different characters, and that story is followed by Giancarlo Esposito and Katie Holmes sharing the stage. This is Holmes’ first live-action TV show appearance since 2017, and oh boy, it's a bonkers one. According to the showrunner, this was the intention, as he wanted to show a side of Katie Holmes we’ve “never seen from her before.”

The episode stars Katie Holmes as the wife of a funeral home owner/director who is fed up with her sheltered, conservative life of applying makeup to the deceased. Taken by the glitz and glamour of filmmaking as a movie is filmed on the mortuary's property, she starts to catch up on the social life she’s been deprived of with a childlike enthusiasm – and the odd contrast makes for a performance unlike anything we’ve ever seen from Holmes. I recently caught up with Season 2 showrunner Tony Tost to talk all things Poker Face, and when the subject of Katie Holmes came up, he told us that this was exactly the intention:

Katie Holmes rose to fame on TV’s Dawson’s Creek, and given that it doesn’t feel like the fabled revival is coming anytime soon, it’s fun to see her back on the small screen via streaming. As Tony Tost said, we haven’t seen her like this before, and it specifically reminded me of the hype surrounding Parker Posey in The White Lotus – a casting choice that has been lauded as “brilliant.” Tost agreed, saying,

As previously mentioned, Katie Holmes also stars alongside Giancarlo Esposito in the episode, who is magnificent as her cold, odd husband who presses his cremated clients into fresh vinyl records and other assorted items. As if Natasha Lyonne isn’t reason enough to tune into Poker Face, other major names making an appearance this season include John Mulaney, Sam Richardson, Rhea Perlman, Simon Rex, and Kumail Nanjiani (who has been making a lot of smaller TV show appearances these days, having recently appeared in seven episodes of Only Murders In The Building).

Guest stars aside, Poker Face Season 2 is one of the more exciting things to hit the 2025 TV schedule. Critics are calling the new season “more ridiculous fun,” and you can watch it right now with a Peacock subscription.

Spoilers for Episode 3 of Poker Face Season 2 are ahead! Catch up with a Peacock subscription.

As Natasha Lyonne's Charlie Cale roams around the United States in Poker Face, unintentionally running into murder after murder, she’s introduced to an incredible cast of characters played by equally incredible actors. So far, Season 2 has shown us Cynthia Erivo playing five sisters, Giancarlo Esposito portraying a funeral home owner, and so many more. However, the performance I want to highlight didn’t come from someone you’d likely think of as an actor first; it came from comedian John Mulaney.

That’s right, John Mulaney gave the standout performance in Poker Face’s first three episodes of the season that is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule, and it made me realize he really should act a lot more.

John Mulaney Showed Off A Whole New Side Of Himself In Poker Face

First of all, everything I love about John Mulaney’s comedy is on display in his episode of Poker Face. His timing is impeccable, and some of his lines in “Whack-a-Mole” had me doubling over with laughter. Those lip-reading sequences? The bit where he tries to make a deal with Charlie after he lost? Hilarious! Overall, he was able to play into a bunch of his comedic strengths as FBI agent Daniel Clyde-Otis.

However, his performance was so much more than that. Daniel Clyde-Otis is a rat, mole and snake, as Charlie put it, who is working as a double agent. Watching Mulaney play both sides of this agent as he tried to hide his work for Rhea Perlman’s crime boss Beatrix Hasp from his colleagues and friends, like Simon Helberg’s Luca Clark, was fascinating and nuanced.

Daniel was an interesting character because he both seemingly cared for people like Luca while also being heartless and ruthless at times. That’s no easy part to play. And Mulaney did it in a way that both highlighted his signature sense of humor while also developing a three-dimensional and complex character who ultimately ended up being the biggest bad of the episode.

Now, I Need John Mulaney To Act More

I fully realize John Mulaney has acted quite a bit before this. He guest-starred on The Bear in a very memorable episode, and he’s a five-timer on Saturday Night Live. Plus, he has a fairly extensive catalog of voice work that includes Big Mouth, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, I (and I’d assume many others) think of Mulaney as a stand-up comedian first. So, his acting roles feel like fun little pop-ups here and there.

However, Poker Face showed me that this man should act way more than he currently does.

As much as I love seeing Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney thrive, and I will re-watch his stand-up with my Netflix subscription at least once a year, I really want to see him play someone else more often.

This Peacock mystery show let him play on a totally new playground, and I absolutely loved it. As I mentioned earlier, he brought that A+ timing and intelligent humor we know and love. However, he also mixed in some dramatic flair and nuance that made Daniel Clyde-Otis a fascinating character to watch.

So, Rian Johnson, let’s get Mulaney in the next Knives Out Mystery if there is one. Or, really, any director who is reading this, please cast this comedian in more roles that allow him to show off his range as a performer. He absolutely killed it (pun intended) in Poker Face, and I want to see him on our screens as new characters just as often as we see him as himself, the wildly talented comedian.

One of the more exciting new releases on the 2025 TV schedule is Season 2 of Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face, which just started streaming its first three episodes on Peacock. The new season has some A+ guest stars, chief among them being the Oscar-nominated star of Wicked, Cynthia Erivo. Her episode kicks off the season, which was a smart move for the powers-that-be given her newfound super stardom. However, as it turns out, Wicked wasn’t even taken into consideration when the casting came together. The real story involves a series of coincidences that the showrunner simply refers to as “good fortune.”

Cynthia Erivo plays five characters in the episode, and does so masterfully. Such a synopsis is incredibly enticing for any Wicked fan, but given that the show was cast well before the box office smash and Oscar nominations, Wicked wasn’t even considered. I sat down with showrunner Tony Tost to talk all things Poker Face Season 2, which is when this came up about the timing of the casting and Wicked’s success that followed:

So it turns out that Rian Johnson is simply a big theater buff, and as a result, a huge fan of Cynthis Erivo’s. It’s nice to hear that she wasn’t cast based on clout. Instead, Johnson believed that she would come to play and understand the absurd, quirky and very specific tone of the show. The five characters she plays are sisters, and watching her switch between them really does feel like a masterclass in acting. Once again, Rian Johnson’s instincts were on point.

Johnson’s most notable work comes from the Knives Out movies, for which he has been nominated for two Academy Awards. The cast of those films also happens to be rather stacked and diverse, much like Poker Face, and now I just wish that Cynthia Erivo was set to appear in the upcoming Wake Up Dead Man. Thankfully, there’s another film of Erivo’s on the way that we can look forward to: a little flick you may have heard of called Wicked: For Good.

It must be a daunting task creating the follow-up to such a successful first installment, not just at the box office, but in terms of the film’s glowing reviews. Jon M. Chu and company seem to have it covered, however, as Wicked’s presence on VOD has done nothing but fuel demand for the sequel. Fans have been able to pick the film apart and notice the foreshadowing details that are paving the way for Wicked: For Good. Now we just have to wait patiently until it’s in theaters on November 21.

In the meantime, you can catch Cynthia Erivo in the first episode of Poker Face Season 2 with a Peacock subscription! As for everything else in the world of film and television, keep it right here at CinemaBlend for the latest.

Rian Johnson’s Poker Face starring Natasha Lyonne became an instant hit when it premiered for Peacock subscription holders back in 2023, and now the long-awaited second season of the refreshing “howcatchem” murder mystery is finally upon us. Critics were able to screen the new episodes before they hit the 2025 TV schedule, so are we in for more fun times seeing Charlie Cale literally call out people’s “Bullshit,” or is the murder-magnet premise getting stale?

Just as Season 1 featured plenty of recognizable faces for Charlie to encounter as she solved her case of the week, Poker Face Season 2 has tapped some A+ guest stars, including Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes and Cynthia Erivo, who was able to squeeze in her appearance while doing press for Wicked. So, how does the sophomore season live up to the first? Alison Herman of Variety says it evolves by toying with the show’s baseline. Herman writes:

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw of TV Guide says the creative team behind Poker Face has settled into a reliable groove, giving us more of what we loved from Season 1 with larger-than-life guest stars and cartoonish criminals. Fans can rest assured, it’s still one of the best murder mysteries on TV, the critic says, writing:

Belen Edwards of Mashable, however, points out that even with a set formula, the showrunners are constantly changing things up and finding new ways to play within those constraints, ensuring that Poker Face remains one of the most fun shows on TV. Rewards says:

David Opie of Empire gives the second season 4 out of 5 stars, writing that if the show stays this consistently impressive, it could easily go for 10 more seasons. Natasha Lyonne has created a deadpan masterpiece with her laid-back Charlie Cale. However, Opie continues:

Ben Travers of IndieWire praises Natasha Lyonne for bringing us more of her enjoyable Charlie Cale. The critic grades the season a B, noting that two tweaks to Poker Face’s format help to distinguish this batch of episodes from its original run. Travers continues:

It sounds like critics agree that Poker Face Season 2 gives us more of what we loved the first time around, while still updating its formula enough to differentiate it from its rookie run. The first three episodes are available to stream on Peacock now, with one new episode dropping every Thursday through its 12-episode order.

May is now in full swing, and that means it’s time for the annual summer movie season. This may draw a lot of viewers back to theaters, but considering all the same studios that are releasing movies also run streaming services, you can bet they don’t want to take all your attention away from the TV.

If the new movies in theaters aren’t quite your cup of tea, this week’s streaming highlights include a couple of theatrical releases you may have missed, as well as new seasons of several different popular streaming series.

Poker Face, Season 2 - May 8 (Peacock)

The worst part of the new streaming television landscape is the seemingly endless wait between seasons of shows that are actually able to get more than just a single season. I basically got my Peacock subscription so I could watch Poker Face, and now I finally have the Season 2 I’ve been waiting so long to see. Natasha Lyonne returns with a who’s who of guest stars as she solves new mysteries, all while trying to keep herself alive.

Criminal Minds: Evolution, Season 3 - May 8 (Paramount+)

It was an interesting decision when CBS made the call to cancel the popular procedural Criminal Minds, only to revive the show on CBS. The series clearly never lost a step, as this week, your Paramount+ subscription will bring you the beginning of the third season of Criminal Minds: Evolution.

Conan O’Brien Must Go, Season 2 - May 8 (Max)

Conan O’Brien is one of our greatest comedy treasures, and he must be protected at all costs. The man was able to host the Oscars, a thankless and largely futile task, and did it so well he’s already been asked back. He’s also, as it turns out, the perfect host for a travel show. If you have a Max subscription, you can use it to watch the new season of Conan O’Brien Must Go and see the hilarious man visit beautiful and exotic places, and make a fool of himself while there.

Heart Eyes - May 8 (Netflix)

The romantic horror movie Heart Eyes was a rare theatrical achievement as a film that actually made more money on its second weekend at the box office than it did during its first. Clearly word of mouth for this one told fans it was a slasher worth seeing. Still, it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster, so if you’re one of the many that didn’t see it, and you have a Netflix subscription, now you can fix that.

Love Hurts - May 9 (Peacock)

Based on the box office, or lack thereof, of Love Hurts starring Ke Huy Quan, you probably didn’t see the romantic action/comedy in theaters. However, the movie is a lot of fun, and proof that Hollywood screwed up by not making Quan a leading man decades ago. Take the opportunity when it arrives on Peacock to check this one out.

Summer of ‘69 - May 9 (Hulu)

Co-written and directed by Jillian Bell, Summer of ‘69 tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a teenager and the exotic dancer she hires to help her seduce her high school crush. The R-rated teenage sex comedy isn’t a genre that’s gotten a lot of attention of late, but perhaps telling the story from a female perspective is what has been missing.

The rest of May still has plenty to bring fans, including the final three episodes of Andor on Disney+ next week.

If you’ve kept up with the wild, wonderful world of the Hollywood version of Wicked, you may know some of the ins and outs of the cast's commitment. Unsurprisingly, Bowen Yang’s regular commute between NYC and London and Jonathan Bailey’s commitment to learning his choreography on his days off from Bridgerton aren’t the only highlights of extra hours clocked for Wicked. Cynthia Erivo’s noteworthy overtime came during her stint for Poker Face Season 2 and the press tour for the movie, and it sounds intense.

While Wicked: For Good premieres near the end of the 2025 movie schedule, Erivo caught up with Vanity Fair to talk all things Poker Face S2. The sophomore installment of the Rian Johnson-directed series features her playing five different characters in an episode (the new season premieres May 8 and is available with a Peacock subscription). During the conversation, she shared that her time with the comedy-thriller happened to fall during Wicked’s initial promotional tour, and it left her feeling exhausted. Erivo even recalled that, on the days she was filming multiple characters, it left her feeling even more so, saying:

I can’t even begin to imagine the hours the Harriet alum must have added to her days between the two, let alone the content that filled those hours. Although, admittedly, her role sounds thrilling for the Natasha Lyonne show, and I can understand why she stepped into doing both. I’m sure the appearance will be stellar. Personally, I hope it’ll resemble Ewan McGregor’s Fargo season. Still, those 11 days must have been otherworldly jumping between plugging Wicked and working on the series from the Knives Out director.

Erivo then went on to say cheerily that it was as chaotic as she describes it, but well worth it:

I’m glad that she’s through her version of the multiverse and has lived to tell the tale. The Broadway star’s cameo has me inspired to go watch Poker Face Season 1 before May. If she wasn’t reason enough to get caught up, there are plenty of celebs making an appearance on Poker Face S2, like Katie Holmes and Kumail Nanjiani, who maybe just sealed the deal for this future watcher. I’m sure all of these arcs will have the signature Johnson vibe to fit perfectly into his mysterious worlds, including Erivo’s.

As we get closer to Chu’s second half of the Broadway-turned-movie (the Wicked: For Good poster dropped recently), let’s all hope the cast can have a shred of normalcy to the hours they keep. Although we all know better at this point, it’s highly unlikely for Erivo and company. You can stream Wicked (Pt. 1) with an active Peacock account, and keep an eye out for her on the same platform when Poker Face premieres in May.

Premiering in 2023 with a 10-episode first season, Poker Face quickly established itself as one of my favorite original streaming shows. The setup is terrific (Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale has a natural talent for instantly sniffing out bullshit). the serialized plot is exciting (Charlie forced to live a life on the road fleeing from gangsters), and the structure of the episodic mysteries is unique and super fun (replete with a number of great one-off appearances from terrific actors). This opinion was only reinforced during a recent rewatch of the series, and my anticipation is extremely high for Poker Face Season 2 – set to make its premiere on Peacock in May.

Everything we’ve seen from the new run suggests it’s going to be another wonderful ride full of reverse mysteries and colorful characters, and I’m excited to see Charlie employ her unique gift in new ways to find justice. Because of the show’s capacity to surprise, it would probably be foolish to anticipate everything that’s going down in the next 12 episodes, but I do have a specific hope for Poker Face Season 2: less murder.

Poker Face Season 1 Has A Murder Magnet Problem

I have personally never witnessed a murder, nor ever been embroiled in a circumstance involving murder. The same is true for all of my close friends and immediate family, and I have to imagine it’s true for the vast majority of people who make up Poker Face’s audience. I’ll cede the fact that we all don’t live nomadic lives and travel in the same kinds of circles as Charlie Cale, but when you look at Season 1 from a macro perspective, it’s insane how many homicides the woman stumbles into.

It can’t be said that every episode of the seminal run features murder… but that’s just because “The Future Of The Sport” only features two cases of attempted murder. While traveling around the country for a year, Charlie’s adventures involved a guy getting pushed off a roof and beaten, a staged suicide, an electrocution, multiple poisonings, an explosion, a trap door death, a faked car accident and a couple staged shootings. That’s a lot!

The murders in the first and last episodes play honestly because they are catalyst events that put Charlie on the road running from danger, but the fact that she constantly finds people killing each other in every stop she makes around the country is ridiculous. It renders the protagonist into a murder magnet, which is to say that there is a threat that she will become less of a character and more a plot device. Unless there is some big behind-the-scenes game plan that eventually sees Charlie’s regular proximity to death become a story unto itself, something should change.

I can already hear a lot of you in my head responding to this saying, “It’s a TV show! What about the suspension of disbelief?” To you, I will say that I respect your perspective, and it’s one that let me very much enjoy Poker Face Season 1, but what I think is more important going into the future of the show is greater creativity in the writing.

There Are Plenty Of Other Crimes That Charlie Can Use Her Skills To Try And Solve

This is not a unique issue in the history of television. Shows like Murder, She Wrote and Psych, as two examples, turned the towns of Cabot Cove, Maine and Santa Barbara, California into unlikely hotspots of homicide. It’s not a phenomenon that is hard to explain, either: stories need conflict, and murder is both an extreme and universally understood consequence that instantly sets high stakes for the killer, the bereaved and the investigators (not to mention that creating an imaginary murder is a fun creative exercise). But going to the same well over and over again is at the heart of lazy writing, and Poker Face has the opportunity to not be lumped in with that particular legacy of small screen mysteries by changing things up – and hopefully it’s done sooner rather than later.

There aren’t exactly a limited number of other options. Theft/grand larceny is an obvious candidate for exploration. Maybe Charlie makes friends with some people who are robbed of a precious family heirloom. Or maybe someone keeps jacking the register at a place she works and she has to find the person/people responsible before her asshole boss puts the blame on her.

Fraud could be a hell of a lot of fun. Imagining the perfect arch villain for Charlie Cale – the Professor Moriarty to her Sherlock Holmes – my mind conjures not a vicious murderer, but a con artist who can lie so impeccably that they don’t set off her bullshit detector. A hero figuring out how to work without their greatest skillset is a staple in fiction for a reason.

But what about assault? Abduction? Arson? Animal cruelty? Those are just crimes that start with the letter “A,” and all of them could make for great fodder in the future of Poker Face.

Naturally I don’t expect the show to abandon murder entirely, and the gunfire, explosions and more in the Poker Face Season 2 teaser don’t make me think that it will.

Still, mixing things up a bit beyond just various methods of death will hopefully end up being a part of the new run, as it could very much benefit the show long term in terms of verisimilitude and keeping things fresh.

With a stellar cast lined up including Katie Holmes, Giancarlo Esposito, Cynthia Erivo, Kumail Nanjiani, John Mulaney, Awkwafina, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Justin Theroux, Taylor Schilling and Melanie Lynskey, Poker Face is making its long-awaited return very soon, and Season 2 is stacked with 12 new Charlie Cale mysteries. The first three episodes (the first directed by series creator Rian Johnson and the second by Natasha Lyonne) will premiere on Peacock on May 8, and there will then be a weekly rollout that will see the finale debut on July 10.

I’m an enormous fan of murder mysteries. I grew up reading as many examples of the genre as possible, absorbing everything from Agatha Christie to Encyclopedia Brown. If there was a puzzle I could try and solve before the end of a story, I’d devour it. That’s why recently, I’ve been so jazzed by the narratives cooked up by Rian Johnson in his Daniel Craig-led Benoit Blanc mysteries. The feature films Knives Out and Glass Onion both have revitalized the industry’s emphasis on whodunit stories, leading to a revival for shows such as Matlock, A Man on the Inside, Elsbeth, Only Murders In The Building, Deadloch, and more. Eager to dig into another offbeat mystery show, my wife and I started up High Potential on ABC. We like Kaitlin Olson, and were hooked on the premise of a brilliant cleaning lady hired by the cops to assist their investigations.

The only thing is, the show reminds me too much of Natasha Lyonne’s Poker Face… a detective series with far superior writing.

This, no doubt, has to do with the fact that Poker Face is a side project for the aforementioned Rian Johnson, as if the man just had too many twisty mysteries in his head, and needed a clever outlet on which to unleash them. You might argue against my premise that these shows are similar. One’s a gritty (though often hilarious) character drama available to stream with a Peacock subscription, and the other’s a blatantly made-for-TV dramedy that’s palatable for all consumers.

But to me, they both feature incredibly intelligent female lead characters who have a unique gift that allows them to see through crime scenes. And the structure of the episodes leads to a crime-of-the-week that must be solved, while also building a bigger mystery behind the scenes.

Katlin Olson and Natasha Lyonne are both outstanding at what they do. Neither of their characters care very much for authority, and they’re both very comfortable bending the rules if it means they can help someone who’s distressed (and fighting the system – that’s a big hook on both programs). They also both excel at delivering jargon, the necessary information dumps that move the mysteries through the situational-comedy pipeline. But it’s in the writing where, in my opinion, Poker Face triumphs over High Potential, at least following the first season of the Peacock streamer.

We ranked the episodes included in the first season of Poker Face. And even in the lamest of the 10-episode season, Lyonne’s Charlie Cale still finds herself in an unpredictable and murderous situation that highlights the flyover country of this great nation. Throughout the course of the season, Charlie – who has a God-given ability to sniff out when someone is lying – has been bouncing from state to state, solving crimes and helping the innocent. But she also has been staying ahead of an enforcer played by Benjamin Bratt. You have to wait for the season finale, titled “The Hook,” to learn why Charlie’s on the run. And the way that “The Hook” connects several dots from the entire season earns a round of applause from me.

Perhaps High Potential will reach a higher potential. I’m definitely intrigued by the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Roman, Morgan’s (Olson) first husband. And the cases in Season 1 of High Potential have grown more interesting, though again, with the level of writing, the show too often leans on contrivances and coincidences where a show like Poker Face found ways to be more clever and concise.

My takeaway here seems to be that if you are one of the people who’ve tuned in to High Potential on ABC, and you haven’t yet seen Poker Face on Peacock, dive head first into the latter and binge away before Poker Face Season 2 arrives on the streaming service. You will not regret it.

Based on the novel by Carl Hiaasen, Bad Monkey is a new Apple TV+ original TV show starring Vince Vaughn as former detective Andrew Yancy. Now working as a restaurant inspector in Miami, he gets a second chance at real investigation work when he is asked to find the origin of a severed arm found by a tourist.

Developed by Scrubs and Shrinking creator Bill Lawrence, the new 2024 TV show is being hailed as a morbidly funny crime thriller, made even funnier with Vaughn's improvisational skills. If the series has you laughing and on the edge of your seat and you are looking to find more shows like Bad Monkey to watch on streaming, you have come to the right place.

Florida Man (2023)

A former cop (played by Édgar Ramirez) is thrown into a tailspin when he is asked to return home to the Sunshine State and look for a mob boss’ missing girlfriend (played by Abbey Lee).

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Ramirez leads the Florida Man cast as a disgraced detective on an assignment in Florida that proves hazardous in creator Donald Todd's series that became available with a Netflix subscription roughly a year before Bad Monkey premiered.

Stream Florida Man on Netflix.

Burn Notice (2007-2013)

After suddenly losing his job, a skilled secret agent (played by Jeffrey Donovan) is relocated to his hometown where he works as a private investigator for the time.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Created by Matt Nix and also one of the best Bruce Campbell TV shows, Burn Notice is yet another funny crime drama set in Miami that, instead of a former cop, follows a former international spy using his expertise on odd jobs.

Stream Burn Notice on Hulu.
Buy Burn Notice on Amazon.
Buy Burn Notice on DVD on Amazon.

Death In Paradise (2011-Present)

Successful, London-based detective inspector Richard Poole (Ben Miller) is sent to a more tropical location to solve a slain cop's murder and ends up becoming his replacement.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Creator Robert Thorogood's long-running British series, Death in Paradise, is another great example of a funny mystery series set in a paradisical location (in this case, the Caribbean island of Saint Marie).

Stream Death in Paradise on Britbox through Amazon. 

The Resort (2022)

While celebrating their wedding anniversary, Emma (Cristin Milioti) and Noah (William Jackson Harper) stumble upon a clue in a 15-year missing persons case.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Creator Andy Siara's Peacock original is yet another funny mystery set in a place like paradise (in this case, the Mayan Riviera) despite not being told from an actual (or former) cop's perspective and, as revealed in the Resort ending, has some more bizarre twists than Bad Monkey boasts.

Stream The Resort on Peacock.

Death And Other Details (2024)

Renowned detective Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin) and his protégé, Imogene (Violett Beane), are tasked with uncovering the secret behind a passenger's death on a cruise ship.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: From creators Heidi Cole McAdams and Mike Weiss, one of the best Hulu original TV shows, Death and Other Details, is a cheeky, amusing whodunnit that is also set in paradise (here it's a luxury Mediterranean cruise liner).

Stream Death and Other Details on Hulu.

The White Lotus (2021-Present)

An inside look at the secretive lives of guests at a luxurious vacation resort.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Creator Mike White's acclaimed, Emmy-winning HBO original series is another dramedy set in an idyllic location (a resort chain in Maui, Sicily, and Thailand in the upcoming White Lotus Season 3) featuring a stellar cast and an aura of danger and mystery.

Stream The White Lotus on Max.
Buy The White Lotus on Amazon. 

Bodkin (2024)

A trio of true crime podcasters (played by Siobhán Cullen, Will Forte, and Robyn Cara) uncover more than they bargained for about a small Irish town while investigating the case of three missing people.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: While not necessarily set in a heavenly place (unless you fancy rural Ireland), Jez Scharf's Bodkin is similar to Bad Monkey in the sense that it is a bizarre dark comedy mystery series starring a beloved American comedy actor in a lead role.

Stream Bodkin on Netflix.

Poker Face (2023-Present)

After she is forced to go on the run, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) finds herself using her uncanny ability to detect dishonesty to solve murders she happens to stumble upon.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Creator Rian Johnson's Poker Face, which has Season 2 in the works, is a funny mystery series that takes place in a variety of locations where our wisecracking protagonist finds herself facing danger each time.

Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

Search Party (2016-2022)

A young woman's (played by Alia Shawkat) amateur investigation into her college friend's disappearance ends up getting her and her friends into a heap of trouble. 

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: Originally debuting on TBS before becoming available with a Max subscription, Search Party is another funny and deeply twisted mystery series that also features Bad Monkey cast member Meredith Hagner in the memorable role of Portia.

Stream Search Party on Max. 

True Detective (2014-Present)

A collection of dark stories recalling harrowing cases from the perspective of the cops investigating them.

Why it is a great show to watch if you are a fan of Bad Monkey: While wildly different in tone, Nic Pizzolatto and Issa López's acclaimed HBO drama, True Detective, is a seasonal anthology of captivating, twisted mystery stories with talented stars (including Vince Vaughn in Season 2).

Stream True Detective on Max.
Buy True Detective on Amazon. 

We hope you go ape for these shows that reminded us of Bad Monkey.

It would be a lie to say that I am not eagerly awaiting the premiere of Poker Face Season 2. Luckily, the return of the Peacock original TV show starring Natasha Lyonne as a human lie detector on the run is not very far away. If you are also a fan of creator Rian Johnson’s inventive take on the mystery TV show, read on to learn about when it is set to come back, who is joining the cast this season, and more.

What Is The Poker Face Season 2 Premiere Date?

Fans with a Peacock subscription will be able to stream the premiere of Poker Face Season 2 when it drops on Thursday, May 8. I had a feeling it would appear on the upcoming 2025 TV premieres schedule, but I must admit that it is a relief to know for sure. Of course, I am still mystified as to when the official release date for Johnson’s next Knives Out sequel, Wake Up Dead Man, will appear on the upcoming 2025 movies schedule.

What Poker Face Season 2 Is About

Personally, I prefer not to know anything about Charlie Cale’s next mystery before I watch it, but I do have some idea of what to expect from Poker Face Season 2. According to NBC, Johnson and Lyonne looked to the best movies of the 1970s and filmmakers like Robert Altman, Bob Rafelson, and Peter Bogdanovich for inspiration while also keeping in mind that classic mystery TV shows like Columbo have always been the series’ backbone.

We also already know from the Poker Face Season 1 finale that, despite managing to clear her name in the investigation of her former boss’ murder, Charlie is back on the run after being threatened by another organized criminal named Beatrix Hasp (Rhea Perlman). We also know from NBC.com’s post that the season will consist of 12 episodes this time, meaning Charlie will face even more situations that her uncanny ability to sense dishonesty will call for.

The Poker Face Season 2 Trailer Rounds Up The “Unusual Suspects”

Thankfully, the first promo for Poker Face Season 2 keeps story details light but is heavy on offering a sneak peek at who Charlie Cale will bump into on her journey this time around. Take a look for yourself:

Just by the quick glances at the roster, there is no question that Season 2 is introducing some very wild characters and even wilder circumstances for Charlie to deal with. It also appears that Beatrix Hasp’s henchmen are not ones to play around with.

Who Is In The Poker Face Season 2 Cast?

The premiere outing of his instant classic mystery show boasted a remarkable ensemble of legendary guest actors in the Poker Face Season 1 cast, including one of Rian Johnson’s most frequent collaborators, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The same can already be said about the Poker Face Season 2 cast.

Natasha Lyonne (Charlie Cale)

Natasha Lyonne is back in her Emmy-nominated role as Charlie Cale. Her previous Emmy nominations come from her stint in the Orange is the New Black cast and from writing, producing, and leading Russian Doll for Netflix. Also in 2025, the actor has an undisclosed role in the upcoming superhero movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Simon Helberg (Agent Luca Clark)

Natasha Lyonne is not the only Poker Face cast veteran returning for Season 2. Simon Helberg, best known as Howard Wolowitz in CBS's The Big Bang Theory cast, is reprising his role as Luca Clark, an FBI agent whom Charlie helped solve a case and later enlisted his help in clearing her name in a murder investigation.

Giancarlo Esposito

Poker Face has taught me that looks can be deceiving, but I cannot help but suspect that Giancarlo Esposito’s character this season is going to be a bad guy. Villainy is the actor’s strong suit, from his Emmy-nominated role as Gus Fring in the Breaking Bad cast to his introduction to the Star Wars saga as The Mandalorian’s Moff Gideon, and his more recent MCU induction as Sidewinder, who should have been Captain America: Brave New World’s big bad, if you ask me.

Katie Holmes

Another comic book movie veteran in the Season 2 cast is Katie Holmes, who was the original Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan’s 2005 live-action Batman movie, Batman Begins, but initially broke through in the Dawson’s Creek cast as Joey Potter. She was more recently seen in the 2023 drama, Rare Objects.

Kumail Nanjiani

Another Marvel movies veteran (having played Kingo in 2021’s Eternals cast) is Kumail Nanjiani, who is a perfect fit for the cast, having proved his mastery of both comedy and drama – most notably in the heartfelt rom-com, The Big Sick, for which he also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay. The comedian also recently had a taste of acting in a mystery dramedy series, having starred in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building Season 4 cast.

Gaby Hoffmann

While Gaby Hoffman has no comic book movie roles to her name, she does have something in common with Natasha Lyonne as a former child star who still acts today. You may recognize her younger self from classic ‘80s movies Field of Dreams, the John Candy movie favorite Uncle Buck, and the 1993 rom-com favorite Sleepless in Seattle, but she more recently starred in one of the best Amazon Prime TV shows, Transparent, and Netflix’s 2025 limited series, Zero Day.

Cynthia Erivo

According to a sneak peek from Entertainment Weekly, it appears that Cynthia Erivo is playing a set of triplets in her guest star appearance on Poker Face Season 2. The Academy Award-nominated English actor and singer was last seen playing Elphaba in 2024's Wicked, which is based on the Wizard of Oz-inspired musical, and has a follow-up, Wicked: For Good, due in 2025.

B.J. Novak

B.J. Novak, who is best known from his role as Ryan in NBC’s The Office cast, also has an undisclosed role in the Poker Face Season 2 cast. The actor is also known from the Quentin Tarantino movie Inglourious Basterds and his 2022 dramedy, Vengeance, which he also wrote and directed.

Margo Martindale

I could see Margo Martindale playing someone Charlie could trust, but I would not be surprised if she turned out to be a murder suspect instead. All three of her Emmy wins have been for shady roles – namely KGB handler Claudia on The Americans and the main antagonist of Justified Season 2 – and she recently played an amateur criminal in Amazon’s true crime series, The Sticky. She also has another big true crime drama about JonBenét Ramsey in the works.

John Mulaney

John Mulaney is one of the top comedians of his time, having headlined many of the Netflix stand-up specials, but his most notable acting gigs are primarily voice roles (such as Chip in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and in Spider-Ham in the awesome Spider-Man movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. That seems to be changing, however, with his recent guest spots on shows like The Bear, his upcoming Cold War-era film Lunik Heist, and his upcoming guest role on Poker Face. The former SNL writer also recently premiered his weekly live talk show, Everybody’s Live, on Netflix.

Ego Nwodim

Another SNL alum appearing is current Saturday Night Live Season 50 cast member Ego Nwodim. The comedian is also known for appearing in Good Burger 2, Netflix's animated reboot of Good Times, and the Peacock original comedy, Mr. Throwback.

Sam Richardson

Emmy winner Sam Richardson (for his guest spot on Ted Lasso) is best known for his comedic roles, such as Richard Splett on Veep or appearances on Netflix’s acclaimed sketch comedy TV show, I Think You Should Leave. However, he has also dipped into genres like horror (with the horror-comedy movie Werewolves Within), action and sci-fi (with Amazon Prime's action-packed time travel movie, The Tomorrow War), and crime with Apple TV+’s The Afterparty. He is also set to star in a movie based on Mattel's toy car brand Matchbox.

Awkwafina

Following Lyonne’s guest role and directorial work on Comedy Central’s Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, she is reuniting with its star, Awkwafina, who is making a guest appearance on her show. The Golden Globe-winning actor, musician, and comedian is a fellow MCU veteran in the Poker Face Season 2 cast, having played Katy in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast and is also set to appear in Black Mirror Season 7 and reprise Ms. Tarantula in The Bad Guys 2.

Corey Hawkins

Also technically part of the MCU from his early small role in Iron Man 3 is Corey Hawkins, who eventually broke through in 2015’s acclaimed music biopic, Straight Outta Compton, as Dr. Dre. He is also known from films like Kong: Skull Island and BlacKkKlansman, and TV shows like The Walking Dead and 24: Legacy.

Simon Rex

Simon Rex was best known as an MTV VJ and for parody flicks like the Scary Movie franchise before his award-winning performance in Sean Baker’s acclaimed A24 movie, 2021’s Red Rocket, changed the trajectory of his career. He has since shown up in the Bupkis cast, director Zoë Kravitz's Blink Twice, and Netflix’s Mo, among other noteworthy roles.

Cliff “Method Man” Smith

Another Bupkis cast member in the Poker Face cast is Cliff Smith, who is better known as Method Man. Some of the rapper’s best-known acting credits include HBO’s The Wire, How High, 2004’s Garden State, 2016’s Keanu, and Power Book II: Ghost on Starz.

Sherry Cola

Following her Joy Ride co-star Stephanie Hsu’s hilarious guest performance in Season 1, Sherry Cola is crossing Poker Face off her bucket list. She also gave acclaimed performances in Shortcomings and Netflix's Nobody Wants This and her upcoming projects include You're Dating a Narcissist! and an action-comedy called Bride Hard.

Kevin Corrigan

Even if you did not know his name, you have probably seen Kevin Corrigan in some classic movies, like Martin Scorsese’s Best Picture Oscar winner The Departed or Tony Scott’s True Romance, or in a TV show like Netflix’s The Get Down or the sitcom Grounded for LIfe, on which he starred for years. The actor also previously worked with Lyonne in 1998’s Slums of Beverly Hills.

John Cho

The role that made John Cho a household name was one half of the titular duo from the Harold and Kumar movies. However, he has since found success in more earnest roles, such as Sulu in J.J. Abrams’ modern Star Trek movies and a father desperately looking for his teenage daughter in Searching.

Davionte “GaTa” Ganter

Davionte Ganter, better known as “GaTa,” is best known as the hype man for Lil Dicky and even stars on the humorous rapper’s FX dramedy, Dave, as a fictionalized version of himself. You may have also seen him acting in movies like Hulu's Self Reliance and the hit rom-com Anyone But You, as well as other TV shows like Apple TV+’s Loot and Peacock’s Bel-Air.

Patti Harrison

One of Sam Richardson’s fellow I Think You Should Leave co-stars, Patti Harrison, is also set to appear on Poker Face Season 2. The transgender female actor and comedian is known for movies like 2018’s A Simple Favor (her feature film debut) and her Independent Spirit Award-nominated role in 2021’s Together Together and series like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and The Great North.

Haley Joel Osment

Simon Rex’s Blink Twice co-star, Haley Joel Osment, is also appearing this season, following a series of memorable guest star appearances on shows like The Boys and Silicon Valley. Of course, the former child star’s best-known performance remains his Oscar-nominated role in the classic horror movie, 1999’s The Sixth Sense, as Cole Sear.

Justin Theroux

Justin Theroux has tried his hand at every kind of genre you can think of, from crime thrillers like American Psycho and Mulholland Dr., to comedies like Zoolander, to supernatural dramas like HBO’s The Leftovers, and a mix of everything in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Taylor Schilling

Poker Face Season 2 will also mark a reunion for Lyonne and her Orange is the New Black co-star, Taylor Schilling, who appears to be playing an FBI agent based on recently released stills. The Emmy nominee is also known for the Nicholas Sparks-inspired 2012 romance The Lucky One, star and director Ben Affleck’s Argo, and the 2018 indie comedy, Family.

Melanie Lynskey

Lyonne will also be reuniting with her But I’m a Cheerleader co-star, Melanie Lynskey, on Season 2. The New Zealand-born actor made her debut in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures and went on to play Rose on Two and a Half Men and earn two Emmy nominations for Yellowjackets and one for The Last of Us.

Tony Tost Is The New Showrunner

Serving as the showrunner for Poker Face Season 2 is Tony Tost, who shared the news of his involvement with “one of [his] favorite shows” with an Instagram post shared on the first day of filming. He has previously written for TV series like Longmire and USA’s Damnation, which he also created, and made his directorial debut with Americana, which is due in August 2025. Tost is filling in for previous showrunners, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman.

Natasha Lyonne Directed A Poker Face Season 2 Episode

Natasha Lyonne is wearing multiple hats for Poker Face, including leading the cast, executive producing, and even helming an episode, as Deadline reported in 2024. She previously lent her unique directorial style to one of the best episodes of Poker Face Season 1, “The Orpheus Syndrome,” which has me excited to see what she brings to this next episode.

In addition to the aforementioned Awkwafina is Nora from Queens episode, Lyonne has also directed episodes of Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll. She has a few Netflix specials under her belt, too – namely Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine and Jacqueline Novak: Get on Your Knees.

How To Watch Poker Face Season 1

You can revisit (or discover) Charlie Cale’s journey so far by streaming the first season of Poker Face on Peacock. I personally believe that the mystery makes the platform one of the best streaming services to subscribe to. That being said, you can also purchase Season 1 on Blu-ray, as well.

How to watch Poker Face

• Stream Poker Face on Peacock
• Buy Poker Face Season 1 on Blu-ray on Amazon

We are bound to see more updates regarding Poker Face Season 2 before it premieres later this spring, and you can trust that I am not lying when I say I will be here to report them as they are revealed.

Poker Face, which debuted on Peacock (one of the best streaming services) back in 2023, proved to be one of the best shows of the year. The mystery series, which comes from the mind of creator Rian Johnson and stars fellow EP Natasha Lyonne in the lead role, was praised for its wit, charm and compelling stories. What fans also enjoyed was the star-studded roster of actors that spanned those first 10 episodes. Anyone who’s been wondering if Season 2, which is currently in production, will include high-profile talent will be happy to know that will be the case. It’s been reported that Giancarlo Esposito, Katie Holmes and a couple of other talented stars will be joining the fray, and I’m too pumped!

News of the new cast additions comes by way of Variety, which listed a total of four stars that have been tapped for the series. In addition to Giancarlo Esposito and Katie Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani and Gaby Hoffmann will appear as well. The quartet’s exact roles were not revealed by the news outlet, which isn’t all that surprising. And, quite frankly, I’m not too concerned. That’s because I’m just pleased to know that these four stars will play roles in the continuing adventures of one Charlie Cale. 

All of these stars have some impressive credits to their names. Katie Holmes is, of course, a veteran actress whose work includes Disturbing Behavior, Batman Begins and Ray Donovan. Kumail Nanjiani’s star has risen in recent years, thanks to starring roles in The Big Sick, Silicon Valley, Eternals, Welcome to Chippendales and more. Meanwhile, seasoned performer Gaby Hoffman has Transparent, Girls, C’mon C’mon and Winning Time: The Rise of the Los Angeles Lakers on her resume. And, of course, Giancarlo Esposito is seemingly snatching up roles here and there in various mediums. When it comes to TV, he’s arguably most famous for Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian and The Boys. So, yeah, none of these stars are slouches.

The first 10 episodes of Poker Face (which we’ve ranked) weren’t lacking when it came to talent as previously alluded to. Joining Natasha Lyonne for that string of installments were Judith Light, Nick Nolte, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Clea DuVall, Ron Perlman, Lil Rel Howery and more. What’s most impressive about the slate of stars is that each one perfectly slid into their role, which is a testament to the casting directors. It’s for that reason that I’m confident that these newcomers will be well served. 

Right now, plot details on the second season are slim, though the overall premise will likely remain intact. Each episode sees Charlie Cale, who’s on the run from the mob, crossing paths with different people. In the process of doing so, she finds herself tangled in mysteries, which she has a knack for solving due to her uncanny ability to detect when someone is lying. It may seem like a quirky premise, but I can’t recommend this show enough to Peacock subscribers.

The thought of these stars appearing on the hit show is just so exciting, and I have no doubt that each of them will play their respective roles to perfection. Here’s hoping that they all get to chew a bit of scenery (and that the second season gets here soon). 

You can stream the entire first season of Poker Face now alongside the best shows on Peacock. And, if you’re in need of something to watch now, check out the 2024 TV schedule, and it should give you some ideas.

As anyone who has ever watched it knows, Will Trent it is not just another crime procedural, but something special. From developers Daniel T. Thomsen and Liz Heldens, it stars Ramón Rodríguez as a Georgia-based special agent with a nearly unmatched solve record, but a personality that others find challenging and a secret that makes his job a challenge for him. Of course, despite what makes it unique, the series — which is now in its second season on ABC — does share a few elements with other great mystery TV shows that we believe fans should also check out if they have not already, which we have compiled below.

Pieces Of Her (2022)

A 30-year-old woman (Bella Heathcoat) witnesses a violent event that leads her to uncover long-buried, dark secrets about her own mother (Academy Award nominee Toni Collette).

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Will Trent is based on a series of best-selling novels by Karin Slaughter, whose other book, Pieces of Her, was adapted into a Netflix miniseries which might satisfy fans of her writing style who are looking for something a bit darker.

Stream Pieces of Her on Netflix.

Castle (2009-2016)

After being brought into questioning for a case inspired by his work, a famous mystery writer (Nathan Fillion), he teams up with a by-the-book homicide detective (Stana Katic) to solve unusual cases in Manhattan.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Instead of being based on a series of crime novels, Castle is an often funny and romantic ABC police procedural about a crime novelist-turned-police consultant partnered with a cop who initially can’t stand his arrogance, which is similar to Will Trent's relationship with his partner, Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson). 

Stream Castle on Hulu.
Buy Castle on Amazon.

The Mentalist (2008-2015)

After the murder of his wife and daughter, a con man (Simon Baker) comes clean about his fake psychic powers and uses the skills he once used for fraudulent purposes as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Like Will Trent, the Emmy-nominated CBS drama, The Mentalist, is also a popular TV show about a mystery solver with high intelligence, strong observational abilities, and a slightly arrogant disposition who was motivated to pursue a career in law enforcement by his dark past.  

Stream The Mentalist on Max.
Buy The Mentalist on Amazon.
Buy The Mentalist on DVD on Amazon.

Psych (2016-2014)

The son of a retired cop (James Roday Rodriguez) uses his astute observational skills to start a fraudulent police psychic consultation business with his childhood friend (Dulé Hill).

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: In addition to being kind of like The Mentalist in reverse, USA’s Psych is comparable to Will Trent for being another relatively lighthearted crime drama with a protagonist who often butts heads with his colleagues.

Stream Psych on Amazon Prime.
Stream Psych on Peacock.
Stream Psych on Apple TV+.
Buy Psych on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Monk (2002-2009)

Following the murder of his wife, a successful former police detective (Tony Shalhoub) instead becomes a private consultant to the San Francisco police, despite his obsessive-compulsive disorder and many intense fears often getting in the way. 

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: The Emmy-winning Monk is a USA crime dramedy with even more distinct similarities to Will Trent, considering how Trent also has a psychological disorder that affects his otherwise brilliant investigative methods: dyslexia.

Stream Monk on Amazon Prime.
Stream Monk on Netflix.
Stream Monk on Peacock.
Buy Monk on DVD on Amazon.

Perception (2012-2015)

A renowned neuropsychiatrist and diagnosed schizophrenic (Will & Grace cast member Eric McCormack) uses his unique perspective of the world to assist the FBI in complicated cases.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: The short-lived, but much-admired, TNT original, Perception, is yet another drama in which the protagonist suffers from a psychological disorder, which he actually manages to use for the benefit of solving crimes, in this case.

Stream Perception on Freevee through Amazon.

Lie To Me (2009-2011)

A body language expert (Tim Roth) and his team help assist in criminal investigations by weeding out who may or may not be telling the truth.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Trent has a decent ability to tell when someone is being dishonest, which might have made him a good fit to join the Lightman Group on Lie to Me, on which Will Trent cast member Erika Christensen once made a memorable appearance as a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Stream Lie to Me on Hulu.
Buy Lie to Me on Amazon.

Poker Face (2023-Present)

Forced to go on the run, a former casino employee (Natasha Lyonne) finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation at every stop, and uses her mysterious, unfailing ability to detect a lie to solve the crime.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Someone who would have thrown the Lightman Group for a loop is another refreshingly unique TV detective: Charlie Cale from creator Rian Johnson’s Poker Face, who may be a lot easier to get along with than Trent, but does share his refusal to back down from getting to the bottom of a murder case.

Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

Criminal Minds (2005-Present)

A team of experienced federal agents uses their psychological expertise to identify the most dangerous people in the country.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Will Trent may not specialize in criminal profiling, but would probably be damn good at it, meaning he would make a great addition to the cast of Criminal Minds, which is simply one of the most popular procedural dramas in recent memory. 

Stream Criminal Minds on Hulu.
Stream Criminal Minds on Paramount+.
Buy Criminal Minds on Amazon.
Buy Criminal Minds on DVD on Amazon.

Gang Related (2014)

A detective (Ramón Rodríguez) wrestles between his allegiance to the force and a gang lord (Cliff Curtis) who has served as a father figure his whole life.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Before Rodríguez was cast as the title character of Will Trent, one of his first lead TV roles was as another lawman with a dark past and secrets of his own on Gang Related — a short-lived drama that aired on Fox.

Stream Gang Related on Apple TV+.
Buy Gang Related on Amazon.
Buy Gang Related on DVD on Amazon.

Quantico (2015-2018)

An FBI agent (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) recalls the days of her training to try to figure out who framed her for a deadly bombing in New York City.

Why it is a great show for Will Trent fans: Before Jake McLaughlin was cast on Will Trent as Det. Michael Ormewood, he starred on another ABC drama called Quantico in the role of FBI Special Agent Ryan Booth.

Stream Quantico on Hulu.
Buy Quantico on Amazon.

Another way that Will Trent is similar to many of the TV shows above is that it can also be streamed with a Hulu subscription, if you don't manage to catch it on ABC, Tuesday nights at 8 p.m./7 p.m. CST.

Detective shows easily belong in the conversation for “most popular genre of television.” If anything trumps them, it would be medical drama, but both have fueled countless hours of TV for decades, giving employment to some of our most dependable character actors and entertaining audiences for generations. Very few of us are going to forget the likes of 24, NYPD Blue, Miami Vice, or any of the ongoing NCIS series. These are genre staples. But the following list digs a little deeper to remind you of a few classics in the Detective genre that might have flown under your radar, or that you once wanted to catch up on but never found the time. So long as you can find them on streaming, these shows definitely are worth your time. 

Elementary

You can’t go wrong with Sherlock Holmes as your primary character. But while Benedict Cumberbatch was revising the classic detective for the BBC’s Sherlock, Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu modernized the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for a sharp detective series that offered a fun spin on the classic side character of Irene Adler (Natalie Dormer), as well as Moriarty.

Cop Rock

Who doesn’t want splashy musical numbers with their police procedural? Cop Rock combined musicals with cop shows (hence the title), and came from creator Steven Bochco – Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue – so people assumed his credentials would lead to success. It didn’t, but this remains an interesting experiment.  

Father Dowling Mysteries

Here’s a successful format for high-performing mystery series. Take a beloved television veteran, and drop them into a detective mold that has a unique hook. You will see this template used often (we’ll keep calling it out), and it’s used well when Happy Days icon Tom Bosley took on the role of a Catholic priest investigating all sorts of crimes around Chicago.

Quincy M.E.

Similar to Tom Bosley stepping into a priest’s outfit, vintage Odd Couple veteran Jack Klugman rediscovered fame and celebrity when he played Quincy for the long-running medical detective series. Quincy M.E. blended crime and medical genres, with Klugman playing an L.A. medical examiner who finds himself solving multiple murders. And it was a huge hit, producing nearly 150 episodes.

Jake and the Fatman

I’m not sure you could get away with calling a television character The Fatman anymore, but the moniker fit the legendary William Conrad to a tee. This beloved series split time between L.A. and Hawaii, and gave Conrad’s character a memorable pet bulldog named Max, who probably deserved his own spinoff. 

Fish

Back in the day, Hollywood looked at Abe Vigoda and thought, “Prime time television star.” Mind you, Vigoda was spinning off of the wildly popular Barney Miller television series, And Fish focused on the home life of Vigoda’s NYPD detective, Phil Fish. But still, the show was called Fish, and starred Vigoda. Strange times. 

Booker

Another spinoff, this one from a much younger cast and source material. 21 Jump Street followed baby-faced cops (including Johnny Depp) as they investigated crimes in area high schools. Because Depp quickly jumped to movies, the series introduced Richard Grieco as his rival Booker, and that character inspired a show of his own.   

Lethal Weapon

Hollywood can be a two-way street. Movies can inspire television shows, and TV shows can inspire films. We have seen good examples of both, and I admired what Lethal Weapon did with its tropes, not recreating Mel Gibson and Danny Glover but allowing Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans to make the characters their own. I also liked Thomas Lennon as Leo Getz, the Joe Pesci character from the movies.  

Rush Hour

Not every adaptation succeeds, even if it’s coming off of beloved source material. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan had a hit film franchise in Rush Hour, but bringing it to the small screen proved to be problematic for lead actors Justin Hires and Jon Foo, and audiences bailed after the first season.

The Night Of

Some of the best detective stories happen on HBO, and in a limited-series format. Nothing will probably top the haunting first season of True Detective, but Richard Price and Steven Zaillian came close to that level with they did The Night Of. My biggest regret is that we never got to see the late James Gandolfini in the part that eventually went to John Turturro, but the rest of the cast of this crime thriller was aces. 

Poker Face

This one ranks as “forgotten,” but also “forgot it existed,” because it’s available on the Peacock service. But man, is it brilliant, as the show follows Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) on a road trip across America where she stops off, gets embroiled in a complicated case, then uses her lie-detector personality to unmask a criminal. Lyonne is magnificent, and the writing is top of the line.    

Hunter

The 1980s were the heyday for weekly detective series. They weren’t complicated, and rarely packed a gimmick. They just had a tough cop doing the Dirty Harry approach to crime fighting. Fred Dryer was a one-time NFL player who found new life while acting, and his NBC series benefitted from the chemistry he enjoyed with co-star Stepfanie Kramer.

Remington Steele

Before James Bond, Pierce Brosnan was Remington Steele, a con artist and former thief who assumes the made-up name of the title to get closer to private investigator Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist). Everyone knew this was Brosnan doing Bond – the show’s pilot was called “License to Steele.” And thankfully, Brosnan got the chance to finally play 007 starting in 1995 with Goldeneye.  

Cagney & Lacey

There aren’t enough female-driven detective shows on this list (or, in the industry in general). Which might be why we fondly remember the entertaining Cagney & Lacey, which focused on career women and working mothers while it tackled police procedurals. For a stint, leads Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless dominated the Emmys for their work on that show… a streak that remains intact to this day.

T.J. Hooker

Almost everyone reading this list knows William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. But after Star Trek, Shatner found new life as veteran police sergeant T.J. Hooker of the fictional LCPD. T.J. Hooker is a memorable program, also because it helped to make Heather Locklear a household name. 

Wolf

In the television business, there’s Dick Wolf, and then everything else. In that “everything else” category you may recall Wolf, a late-80s private eye series that starred Jack Scalia in the title role. Tony Wolf was a good San Francisco cop who was framed for a crime and took a hard fall. Now he serves as … a fisherman? Trust me, it works in the show. 

Bones

David Boreanaz has enjoyed an excellent television career. After breaking out in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he parlayed that success into Angel, and currently entertains on SEAL Team. In between, though, he and the wonderful Emily Deschanel solved FBI cases using forensics in the riveting Bones, which found a new angle into the crime syndicate of shows. 

Limitless

Another television show trying to branch off of a movie. Only, Limitless takes its idea from a less-than-successful Bradley Cooper movie, doesn’t add a whole heck of a lot when it comes to new ideas, and then flounders after 22 episodes. Note to Hollywood: Adapt the good movies into TV shows. 

Hart to Hart

There’s an entire subgenre of detective TV shows that spark off a romance. Remington Steele fell into that category, as does Hart to Hart, a show created by famed novelist Sidney Sheldon that cast Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as a wealthy married couple who frequently solve crimes. It was breezy and fun, like a Sheldon paperback novel, and belongs on this list. 

Cannon

For a while, the name Quinn Martin was synonymous with quality television. The American TV producer backed shows like Barnaby Jones, The Streets of San Francisco, Banyon, and beyond. To that list, we add Cannon, which starred William Conrad as a street-smart former LAPD officer who had deep knowledge of all types of cultural topics. 

Wiseguy

Similar to Quinn Martin, producer Stephen J. Cannell was a brand that usually led to entertaining television. This one ended up going darker than other detective shows, as it allowed lead actor Ken Wahl to dig into the repercussions of being deep undercover for the FBI, and the toll it takes on a detective both physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Look for a young Jonathan Banks (pictured above) as Wahl’s handler. 

Simon & Simon

Pairings on detective shows didn’t all have to be romantic. In Simon & Simon, the series was constructed around brothers who run their own detective agency, even though they come at problems from completely different directions. That led to both drama and comedy that entertained on a weekly basis.

Hardcastle and McCormick

They don’t have to be brothers. In the case of Stephen J. Cannell’s Hardcastle and McCormick, the main protagonists were (checks notes) an eccentric judge and a race car driver. Sure, why not?

Mare of Easttown

One of my favorite realities of cable detective shows is that they occasionally lure top-tier movie star talent. Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in True Detective. Amy Adams for Sharp Objects. And the brilliant Kate Winslet in this blue-collar, beaten-down detective series that deserves a second season, people. 

Psych

There aren’t enough comedic detective shows. Which probably makes Psych the best one, and I’ll give it bonus points for being really clever. Kudos to James Roday Rodriguez for figuring out exactly how to play Shawn Spencer, an irreverent investigator who consistently impresses with his ability to observe situations. 

Karen Sisco

Currently, I can’t get enough of Carla Gugino in the shows of Mike Flanagan, from The Haunting of Hill House to the breathtaking The Fall of the House of Usher. You might not remember that before she shifted to horror, Gugino excelled as this character from the Elmore Leonard novels, in a colorful show for ABC that deserved more than one season. 

JAG

We have a few shows that currently explore crimes in the military. They all owe a little bit to JAG, the legal drama with a Naval theme that starred Catherine Bell and David James Elliott. The main characters were uniformed lawyers, but the show often required them to investigate complicated crimes.  Without JAG, we wouldn’t have NCIS or all of its mega-hit spinoffs. 

Nash Bridges

Sometimes, an actor’s personality is just too bright, and you have to work them into some program. Don Johnson had that radiance, It carried Miami Vice for years, and later in his career, lent credence to the lighthearted Nash Bridges. Johnson and Cheech Marin were a terrific duo, even earning a Nash Bridges movie after the TV series concluded. 

Crazy Like A Fox

Another entry in the "crafty older detective and savvy younger partner" genre (see: Hardcastle and McCormick), as well as in the "set in San Francisco" category. Crazy Like a Fox leaned on the charms of the irascible Jack Warden (The Verdict, Heaven Can Wait) as an unpredictable private eye who often roped his wound-tight son (John Rubinstein) into his cases. So, we also got the "odd couple" format, and the father-son format. I swear, Crazy Like a Fox was a lot of fun, despite how formulaic it sounds on paper.

Walker, Texas Ranger

With all due respect to Chuck Norris and his long-running Walker, Texas Ranger TV program. But the main reason I know anything about this show is because of Conan O’Brien’s ridiculous late-night talk show bit where he’d pull a lever, and random clips from Walker would play out of context. And they were hysterical. I’m sure the show was very serious. To me, it’s one of the funniest detective shows Hollywood ever produced.

Bored to Death

Here's one of the comedies that deserved a longer shelf life. Jason Schwartzman is criminally underrated in comedies. He’s often the best part of any Wes Anderson feature, and he was outstanding in this quirky program about a novelist who moonlights as a private eye in Brooklyn. As good as Schwartzman was, his lunacy was met by Ted Danson and Zach Galifiankis, two gems who rounded out this memorable ensemble. 

Reacher

A more recent detective show than others on this list is Reacher. Lee Child has written a series of excellent novels about Jack Reacher, an ex-military investigator who wanders from town to town and gets caught up in cases. Tom Cruise made two Reacher movies, but hulking Alan Ritchson perfectly personifies Reacher in the Amazon Studios show, though many may not have checked it out yet. 

One of the biggest shows to come out on the 2023 TV schedule so far has been Poker Face, which follows Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, a lie-detecting cocktail waitress who continually finds herself solving homicides across the country. Created by Rian Johnson, this show quickly earned critical acclaim following its debut Ian January, and it was renewed for Season 2 midway through Season 1’s run. However, Johnson has explained why it will be a while until this next batch of episodes will arrive to Peacock subscribers, while also sharing which Star Wars: The Last Jedi alum he’d like to bring in as a guest star.

A month ahead of Poker Face’s release, Rian Johnson’s latest movie, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, was delivered to Netflix subscribers following its brief run in theaters. Like the TV show, the newest movie starring Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc was met with a lot of positive reviews, including our own Mike Reyes giving Glass Onion a perfect 5 out of 5 stars in his review. By the beginning of January, the filmmaker confirmed he’d started writing Knives Out 3, and he informed Deadline that the threequel is his current priority when asked what about Poker Face Season 2’s timetable:

Knives Out 3 has been in the cards ever since Netflix snatched up the rights to both it and what would become Glass Onion back in March 2021, and now that Rian Johnson is busy crafting the threequel, he’d rather focus on completing it before turning his attention to Poker Face Season 2. It’s unclear where Johnson stands with the Knives Out 3 script right now, but assuming he’d also like to shoot the movie as soon as possible, and factoring in the current writers strike, then it seems like Charlie Cale won’t return to the small screen at least a few years. It certainly wouldn’t be the first show to have years pass in between seasons, but it’s understandable for Poker Face fans to be saddened by such a long wait ahead of them.

Still, it’s not like Rian Johnson hasn’t given any thought to the next Poker Face season. One of the big ways the show stands out is with its impressive lineup of guest stars, including people Johnson has worked with before, such as Adrien Brody and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. With that in mind, the writer/director is already interested in reuniting with Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, for Season 2, saying this when the topic of more faces from Johnson’s movies showing up on the series was mentioned:

At the end of Poker Face Season 1, Charlie Cale was forced to go back on the run after Rhea Perlman’s Beatrix Hasp, who’d been Sterling Frost Sr.’s rival in the casino game before paying Cliff LeGrand to kill his employer, threatened to kill her if she didn’t agree to come work for her. So now Natasha Lyonne’s character once again finds herself traveling across the United States and using her lie-detecting abilities to shed light on mysteries. When asked if he had an “endpoint” in mind for Poker Face, Rian Johnson responded:

As soon as any concrete details about Poker Face Season 2 are announced, CinemaBlend will pass them along. For now, take a look at how we ranked the Poker Face Season 1 episodes, or head to Netflix to watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story and/or Natasha Lyonne’s other recent TV hit, Russian Doll.

Among the many frequent actor/director pairings in Hollywood, one of my personal favorites is Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson. Due to there being a few exceptions (such as the filmmaker’s Breaking Bad episodes, most notably), the two-time Emmy-winning star of 3rd Rock from the Sun and the Inception cast has been involved with almost every major project by the creator of the Knives Out movies (the third of which is in development) in some capacity since his feature film debut, Brick. Speaking of the 2005 drama, what better way to begin this breakdown of every JGL role featured in Rian Johnson’s movies and TV shows so far?

Brendan Frye (Brick)

The conventions of the film noir style are so distinctly defined that you could set a story in any time period and at any place and it might still feel like a genuine contribution to the genre. The best and most evident example of this may be Brick, which stars Gordon-Levitt as teenage Brendan Frye, whose investigation of his girlfriend’s mysterious death leads to his discovery and infiltration of a dangerous mob of adolescent criminals. Don’t let Frye’s age mislead you, as his first-rate detective skills, indomitable will, and colorful manner of speaking earn him a spot alongside heroes like Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade in Johnson’s astonishing debut and one of the most unique high school movies ever made.

Bar Patron (The Brothers Bloom)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt took a step away from the spotlight for Johnson’s second feature-length effort, The Brothers Bloom, which stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo as a pair of brotherly con artists whose dynamic is threatened by their lovely new target (Rachel Weisz). JGL does not even receive credit for his role in the 2008 dramedy as a man in a hat seen wandering aimlessly in the background and in a seconds-long close-up shot during a scene set at a crowded bar. However, this would end up being the first example of an ongoing challenge to spot the actor in a Johnson-helmed project in which he does not play the lead.

Joe (Looper)

For Johnson’s third film — 2012’s Looper — Gordon-Levitt would be reinstated to the leading man position, but you would be forgiven if you did not realize it was him at first. To play Joe, a hitman who specializes in taking out people sent back to his time by a futuristic mob, the actor wore make-up prosthetics to better resemble the man playing his older self: Bruce Willis, in one of his own best movies. JGL’s dedication to mimicking the appearance and mannerisms of his legendary co-star is just one of the many ways this highly inventive sci-fi thriller is one of the best time travel movies in recent memory.

Slowen Lo (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)

It is time for another edition of “Find Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the Rian Johnson Movie!” Not only is the actor’s cameo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Johnson’s sole contribution to the blockbuster sci-fi franchise (so far) — hard to spot with one’s eyes, but also with one’s ears as he speaks in a deep Southern twang to voice Slowen Lo, which is only his first role in the Star Wars universe, having later joined the Star Wars: Visions cast in 2021. Viewers of the 2017 film — of which JGL is a big fan — may recall seeing the red, long-faced alien from the Canto Bight sequence, during which his warning that Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) have parked on a beach illegally is bluntly ignored.

Detective Hardrock (Knives Out)

JGL’s cameo in 2019’s Knives Out is only slightly easier to spot than Slowen Lo… if you can easily recognize the sound of his real voice, that is. The unseen whodunit within the whodunit that Marta Cabrera’s (Ana de Armas) sister, Alice (Shyrley Rodriguez), watches in an early scene follows an investigator named Detective Hardrock, who is accusing a suspect of a hilariously over-the-top murder that happened to be caught on “nanny cam footage.” It is none other than Gordon-Levitt providing the voice of the detective — a minor character that I would be interested to see return in more than just a vocal appearance for the mystery franchise’s upcoming third installment, even though that would mean breaking tradition.

Hourly Dong (Glass Onion)

When the sequel to Knives Out was first announced (long before it was given the title Glass Onion), one of the things we had hoped to see was a bigger role for Joseph Gordon-Levitt following his aforementioned cameo in the first film. Well, I guess you could say that we, technically, got our wish when you consider the fact that he is credited this time and that his voice can be heard far more often throughout the hit, Oscar-nominated Netflix original movie from 2022. The human-voiced “dong” that can be hear on Miles Bron’s (Edward Norton) Greek island estate at the top of every hour is portrayed by JGL — a fact that makes the running gag all the more hilariously satisfying.

Trey Mendez (Poker Face)

The most recent time that Johnson directed Gordon-Levitt in a starring role was in one of the best episodes of Poker Face — a fun throwback to murder mystery shows like Columbo that the filmmaker created himself. In the penultimate chapter of the acclaimed Peacock original series’ first season, called “Escape from Shit Mountain,” human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), finds herself, once again, stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time and, this time, with a guy (Gordon-Levitt) who should have just stayed home when his house arrest ankle bracelet malfunctioned. His A-list status aside, JGL is a standout of the Poker Face cast for his partially relatable portrayal of isolation in the opening montage and the way he taps into Trey Mendez’s more sinister side as dark secrets about him come to light.

Lest we forget, there is another actor known for his frequent collaborations with Rian Johnson (including in one of his Breaking Bad episodes) named Noah Segan. He played a foil for JGL’s roles in both Brick and Looper and can even say he has speaking parts in the movies where the other only cameos — most notably the two roles Segan has portrayed in the Benoit Blanc universe so far (Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and Derol in Glass Onion). It is always a pleasure looking forward to how Johnson will put these two into his projects next.

SPOILER WARNING! The following article contains major spoilers for the Peacock original series Poker Face. If you have not yet watched the show, continue at your own risk!

There is arguably no bigger name in the mystery genre right now than Rian Johnson. In 2019, the filmmaker dazzled audiences with the release of the critically acclaimed Knives Out, and a few years later he stunned with the hit Netflix follow-up, Glass Onion – but that’s far from all. Collaborating with star/producer/writer Natasha Lyonne, Johnson has also now made one of the best currently-running detective shows on television. The original series Poker Face – a Peacock original – is utterly brilliant, with each chapter centering on a wonderful protagonist in bullshit detector Charlie Cale and featuring stellar acting talent. Now that Season 1 is complete, it can be said that every episode is a scream.

But which is the best of all? That’s not at all an easy question to answer… but we’ve decided that we would take a crack at it anyway. Keeping in mind that there has yet to be a bad episode of Poker Face, we’ve taken on the challenge of ranking all of the individual mysteries we’ve seen thus far on the show. Kicking things off, we’ll start with a great how-done-it tale that just happens to not be as strong as what’s featured in the rest of the series thus far:

10. Episode 3: "The Stall"

By the end, the construction of “The Stall” doesn’t totally click (specifically, Charlie Cale stalling her conversation with Lil Rel Howery’s Taffy doesn’t really have the narrative kick/stakes that it is meant to have), but there is still a lot to love about the episode. It’s full of quirky ideas that quickly helped establish Poker Face’s voice in the first batch of episodes that became available streaming – including the fascist dog and a BBQ chef turned into a vegetarian by Bong Joon-ho’s Okja – but it simply isn't quite as good as the stuff that came before it and after it.

9. Episode 2: "The Night Shift"

Like “The Stall,” “The Night Shift” came out as part of the four-episode launch of Poker Face on Peacock, and it’s certainly an essential part of the show in that it’s the chapter that establishes the series as being episodic narratively and introduces the idea of having high-profile guest stars (namely Oscar-nominee Hong Chau and Cheers legend John Ratzenberger). The middle-of-nowhere setting is wonderful, and while the central crime isn’t as fascinating as what follows on the show, the solve based on the sequential numbering of lottery tickets is smart.

8. Episode 10: "The Hook"

It’s always a tricky thing for any episodic series to execute a more serial-focused story, and that’s the challenge in Poker Face’s Season 1 finale, “The Hook.” Because the episode is tasked with wrapping up the narrative that launched in the pilot (more on that in a bit), the solve of Ron Perlman’s Sterling Frost, Sr. isn’t as clever as what’s featured in the preceding pocket mysteries, but the twist with Benjamin Bratt’s Cliff Legrand is certainly well-earned, and an exciting future is teased with the introduction of Rhea Perlman's Beatrix Hasp (I weirdly hope all of the primary antagonists on the show going forward have the last name “Perlman.”)

7. Episode 4: "Rest In Metal"

“Rest In Metal” is where Poker Face really hits its stride in Season 1, and it comes from the episode featuring both killers with fantastic motives and Charlie Cale demonstrating some impressive skills sniffing them out. The idea of a desperate band being terrified of being screwed over again is a tremendous setup, and the magpie solve is wonderful. Let’s also be real and recognize that while it may be based on the Benson theme song, “Sucker Punch” rocks and is an effective earworm.

6. Episode 7: "The Future Of The Sport"

The genius of Poker Face is that you think you’re getting the full story in the Charlie-less first half of each episode, and then find yourself pleasurably slapped in the face by details that were subtly kept hidden. “The Future Of The Sport” does this incredibly well, starting with the big reveal of the victim’s identity. The mystery does a great job playing with your expectations when introduced to Tim Blake Nelson’s Kyle Owens and Charles Melton’s subtly psychotic Davis McDowell, and I also appreciate that Jasmine Aiyana Garvin’s Katy Owens doesn’t actually die, as a death-less episode is a nice change of pace for the protagonist’s 10-episode journey.

5. Episode 6: "Exit Stage Death"

“Exit Stage Death” finds itself with the middle spot on this list primarily because it features one of the best first halves in Poker Face Season 1, as it delightfully plays with your presumptions regarding who the victim and who the murderer are going to be. The murderous plot by Tim Meadows’ Michael Graves and Ellen Barkin’s Kathleen Townsend to take out Jameela Jamil’s Ava is terrifically wicked, and the twist with Audrey Corsa's surprisingly sociopathic Rebecca is a great cherry on top.

4. Episode 1: "Dead Man's Hand"

History is full of terrific shows that rebounded from mediocre pilots, but Poker Face is not one of those shows. There’s a lot of heavy lifting that’s done – from setting up the basic narrative structure of the series to introducing Charlie Cale’s whole deal – but it’s an effortless and engaging ride that instantly draws you in. The handling of the big exposition is wonderful, as we’re immediately made fascinated by the bullshit detector hero, and it’s law enforcement-less conclusion demonstrates that it doesn’t operate by the same rules as a lot of mystery shows, leaving imaginations running wild about all of the twists and turns to come.

3. Episode 8: "The Orpheus Syndrome"

If I need a laugh at any time during the day, I can now just conjure the image of Charlie Cale’s eye twitching in "The Orpheus Syndrome" as she hears Cherry Jones’ Laura blatantly lie declaring that the deaths of her husband (Tim Russ) and former business partner (Nick Nolte) were not a result of her actions. Natasha Lyonne makes some big stylistic swings in the episode that she both directed and co-wrote (along with Alice Ju), but it’s among the funniest and most thrilling episodes in Poker Face Season 1 and a remarkable tribute to the filmmaking genius of Industrial Light and Magic legend Phil Tippett.

2. Episode 9: "Escape From Shit Mountain"

Given that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Rian Johnson’s lucky charm, having worked with the writer/director on all of his projects since Brick, fans knew it was only a matter of time before the actor made an appearance on Poker Face, and he happens to do so in what is the second best episode. While there are a lot of laughs on the Peacock show, “Escape From Shit Mountain” is one of the scariest and most thrilling as Charlie finds herself as a victim trying to solve her own hit and run while stranded in the Rocky Mountains. The backstory with the missing snowboarder and the dark history between Gordon-Levitt’s Trey Mendez and David Castañeda's Jimmy is layered in perfectly, Stephanie Hsu’s “Mortimer Bernstein” is among the best supporting characters introduced on the series thus far.

1. Episode 5: "Time Of The Monkey"

“Is Charlie going to discover the murder but question whether or not she should reveal it?” That was the first bit of plot prognostication that went through my head watching “Time Of The Monkey” unfold, but it was definitely not the last, as the episode features some of the best and most insane twists in all of Poker Face Season 1. Epatha Merkerson’s Joyce Harris and Judith Light’s Irene Smothers seem like groovy and fun rebels at first glance (even Charlie is fooled), but the revelation that they are some of the scariest characters on the show is spectacular, and their murder plan is one of the best executed in the series thus far. The fact that the conclusion features Charlie battling the senior citizens before ultimately tasing herself to alert help secures the top spot in this ranking.

Poker Face Season 1 is now available to be streamed in its entirety with a Peacock subscription, and there’s never a bad time to rewatch as fans await the release of Season 2, which was confirmed to be in the works in February 2023. If you’re looking for similar shows to watch, check out our Poker Face-based recommendations streaming guide.

While Stephanie Hsu was not among the winners at the 2023 Academy Awards, her Best Supporting Actress-nominated performance in this year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All At Once, has undoubtedly earned her a bright future in Hollywood. Yet, those who have been paying attention to her career — and have not mistaken her for Lana Condor — should know that this is far from her first rodeo. 

The 32-year-old California native — who, according to Today, was born to a Chinese single mother who immigrated to the States from Taiwan — has been acting since she was in her teens and made her Broadway debut as Karen the Computer in SpongeBob Squarepants: The Musical in 2017, before landing small roles in the Netflix original TV show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and the Netflix rom-com, Set it Up, to name just a few. For this article, however, we are focusing on some of the biggest roles of Hsu’s skyrocketing career so far and the performances that led to her stunning breakthrough turn in Everything Everywhere All At Once. In fact, that is exactly where we shall start.

Joy Wang/Jobu Tupaki - Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

I certainly empathize with those who found it surprising Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress Oscar Stephanie Hsu because, while the legendary horror movie Scream Queen was fantastic in Everything Everywhere All At Once — one of the best movies of 2022 — what Hsu achieves playing two different roles at once is phenomenal. 

As Joy Wang, she demonstrates the heartbreaking lack of acceptance that many children of immigrant parents can relate to, and her variant — the ultra-powerful Jobu Tupaki — is an exaggerated representation of the rebellion such conflicts can lead to. Invoking a compelling vulnerability as Joy and dazzling sass as Tupaki, she sticks the landing in this cross-dimensional balancing act flawlessly.

Soo - Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021)

Just a year before starring in one of the greatest movies about the Multiverse, Stephanie Hsu stepped into the Marvel Multiverse — or became a part of the central continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, at least. She appears in two scenes of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — also starring Michelle Yeoh, Hsu’s onscreen mother from Everything Everywhere All At Once — as Soo, who gives our title hero (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina) trouble for their stunted approach to adulthood when catching up over dinner. It is her shocked reaction later after learning their story about saving the world was true that makes her stand out as an MVP MCU scene-stealer.

Shu Shu - Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens (2020-2021)

Before appearing alongside Awkwafina and Simu Liu in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast, Stephanie Hsu worked with them on the comedian’s hit Comedy Central series, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, which could be the peak of her comedic brilliance. She first appeared as a friend of Nora’s grandmother (Lori Tan Chinn) named in Shu Shu in Season 1’s Korean drama-inspired flashback episode, “Grandma & Chill,” which is also helmed by Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Oscar-winning directorial duo, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert. Hsu would reprise the role in the present day-set Season 2 episode, “Don’t F**k with Grandmas,” with only a silver-haired wig to show that time had passed.

Mei Lin - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019-2022)

On second thought, the peak of her comedic brilliance might actually be her recurring role in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast as Mei Lin. She entered the picture as the spunky, fast-talking Chinese-American woman who sparks up a romance with the title character’s ex-husband, Joel (Michael Zegen), in Season 3 of the beloved Amazon Prime original TV show. Hsu’s performance is so endlessly charming and funny that I am convinced she deserves a good chunk of credit for the series’ win for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2020.

Jenny - Asking For It (2020)

The first time that Hsu was given the chance to bring her gifts for humorous acting to the spotlight, front and center, was in 2020 with the dark comedy movie, Asking For It. Written by first-time screenwriter Becky Scott, who also co-directs with Amanda Lundquist, the movie stars Hsu as Jenny — a journalist whose pleas for help against a threatening internet stalker are ignored, forcing her to take matters into her own hands. As a fun, quirky film with an empowering message and a grim edge elevated by Hsu’s performance and the star-power of Janeane Garofalo and David Krumholtz, it is a good one to cite as a first leading role, even if it is one of her lesser known credits.

Morty - Poker Face (2023)

One of Hsu’s more recent dips into dark comedy came when she joined the star-studded cast of guest actors from the acclaimed Peacock original TV show, Poker Face. We do not really know the true name of her role in the ninth episode of creator Rian Johnson’s latest twist on the whodunnit (“Escape from Shit Mountain”), but after she pays for gas with a credit card under the name “Mortimer Bernstein” (which she very likely stole), our lie-detecting protagonist, Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne), begins calling her new kleptomaniac road buddy “Morty.” 

In an episode the also stars two-time Emmy winner and frequent Johnson collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt and The Umbrella Academy’s David Castañeda, Hsu totally steals the show here in one of the most memorable of the series’ many A-list guest appearances.

Zhen - Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022)

The most recent instance of Stephanie Hsu working with one of her Everything Everywhere All At Once co-stars was when she leant her voice to Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, on which James Hong (who plays her grandfather in the Oscar-winning movie) reprises his role as noodlemaker, Mr. Ping — the adoptive father of Po (Jack Black). 

Hsu stars in three episodes from the first season of Netflix’s series spin-off of the hit Dreamworks Animation movie as Zhen — a young, angsty member of a monastery run by hedgehogs. After she is wrongfully accused of nearly destroying her village, Po and his English knight mentor, Wandering Blade (Rita Ora), break her out of imprisonment to help them find the real, dangerous culprit.

She will also be reuniting with Hong, Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan from Everything Everywhere All At Once and Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton soon for Disney+’s upcoming series adaptation of the graphic novel, American Born Chinese. The actress also joined the star-studded voice cast of the upcoming Netflix movie, Leo, and has the comedy Joy Ride coming out in 2023. No matter what, we will always, always want to see what she has next in store.

As much as the world of streaming platforms may sound like a safe haven for cord-cutters, who now reportedly outnumber cable and satellite customers, recent months have pointed to two large, growing issues that have become commonplace across the board: movies and TV shows being completely shelved despite some of all of the filming process being completed. Filmmaker Rian Johnson, whose first streaming TV venture Poker Face has totally won over viewers and critics alike, recently shared his take on the growing trend, and he’s certainly not a fan. 

With Poker Face nearing the end of its ten-episode first season — available to stream with a Peacock subscription — viewers almost definitely don’t need to worry about Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale facing a sudden and seemingly unwarranted exit from the platform. But considering WB’s two shelved Scooby-Doo animated features, HBO Max excising fare such as Westworld and Raised By Wolves, and Netflix shopping off the fully complete films The Inheritance and House/Wife, it’s becoming impossible to know for sure which shows and movies should be considered permanent fixtures. Speaking to THR, Rian Johnson shared his damning thoughts:

To Johnson’s point, somewhat, it was already a disturbing move whenever HBO Max kicked off this unfortunate trend by axing the DC feature Batgirl while it was in the midst of post-production, as well as by jettisoning all kinds of original fare off. (With some of it landing at Tubi, and some presumably being held for WBD’s own FAST streaming platform.) But then things became all the more baffling and potentially damaging once other streaming platforms became inspired by such moves and started reshaping their own slates with the goal of axing projects that were more financially viable as write-offs as opposed to marketable releases.

The Last Jedi writer and director also spoke to the idea that Hollywood has long been a breeding ground for “horrible things” and troubling practices. In this case by following a “what’s good for the goose” philosophy that completely neglects the creative work and impact of everyone who’d worked to bring those projects to life with the belief that their futures were solidified. But that’s precisely how it’s gone with other corners of the streaming world, from AMC Networks (which canceled in-the-works seasons from 61st Street and Moonhaven, among others) to Paramount+ (where the long-awaited Workaholics movie was canned weeks before its production start) to Disney (which had to pull HBO, Starz shows from its global streaming service).

As a director whose work is as much at the whim of Hollywood execs as anyone, Rian Johnson can’t exactly offer any concrete wisdom about guaranteeing one’s presence in streaming, but offered his optimistic take for any and all creators out there.

That notion might work well enough for some projects' creative teams, but for those who put the work in on Batgirl and other unfinished productions, it's may come across as adding insult to injury, knowing that no single person would be able to reverse that decision in order to get those projects finished. 

Rather than getting too frustrated about any of it, though, let's let our minds wander into the mystery-driven hijinks driving the cross-country fun of Poker Face, which proved itself to be a bona fide hit after becoming the first Peacock original to break into Nielsen's Streaming TV Top Ten.

If the Knives Out movies have taught us anything, we can depend on Rian Johnson to give us an entertaining and engaging mystery. Peacock’s Poker Face just adds more proof to this theory. It’s the kind of must-see television series that I look forward to watching each week.

It follows Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) as she stumbles upon a new mystery weekly, and the show has an old-school mystery-of-the-week vibe but is modernized for the streaming service-loving generation. Its positive reviews and quickly developing fanbase highlight why this is a show to add to your TV queue if you haven’t already.

If you have discovered the wonders of the series and Natasha Lyonne’s refreshing detective, Charlie, then you may want to watch some similar TV shows and movies, so here are a few to check out if you like Poker Face. 

Murder, She Wrote (Peacock) 

Angela Lansbury stars in Murder, She Wrote as Jessica Fletcher, a mystery novelist who often finds herself right in the middle of a real major whodunnit. The show ran for 12 seasons, from 1984 to 1996. 

Poker Face and Murder, She Wrote overlap in quite a few ways. They both involve the main character constantly finding themselves with a mystery to solve, and both Jessica and Charlie are extremely skilled at solving crimes but neither are professional detectives. In another lifetime, the two would hit it off and work together to find the culprits. Rian Johnson clearly loves this classic. It’s obvious with the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery cameo and how Poker Face takes inspiration from Jessica and her crime-solving expertise.

Stream Murder, She Wrote on Peacock.

Columbo (Tubi) 

Columbo is an NBC and ABC crime drama that aired for 10 seasons. It starred Peter Falk as the title character, a homicide detective who often uses his intuition and street smarts to solve crimes. He’s not the typical buttoned-up cop.

In many ways, Poker Face feels like this show's offspring . Charlie feels like Columbo’s reincarnation. They have a similar demeanor and attitude that makes them outsiders in the world of law enforcement. Additionally, they can read people like a well-written book, enthusiastically and with precision. Johnson's series also borrows the classic's episodic pattern, as each starts by showing who committed the crimes and why. Then we watch as our lead figures it all out. 

Stream Columbo on Tubi.

Veronica Mars (Hulu) 

Veronica Mars is a CW show that ran for three seasons. It then came back several years later when a Kickstarter helped revive the franchise with a movie. Then the series returned again in 2019 for Season 4 on Hulu. 

Some of the best Veronica Mars episodes involve the titular teen solving crimes by using her skills of observation and people-reading. Charlie also has these skills. Both characters also aren’t typical TV detectives. Poker Face fans may enjoy the older show because they both involve strong heroines solving crimes as experts in their fields who don’t do it for the glory, but for a need to discover the truth.

Stream Veronica Mars on Hulu.
Buy Veronica Mars on Amazon.

The Knives Out Movies (Netflix/Amazon) 

Knives Out and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery both revolve around Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) trying to expose a murderer who also happens to be wealthy. These films fall into the eat-the-rich movie mystery genre. Both the Knives Out cast and the Glass Onion cast include many A-list stars like Chris Evans, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Kathryn Hahn.

Obviously, the Knives Out films and Poker Face are both created by Johnson, so they have that in common. They also both show a vast appreciation and admiration for the mystery genre. This makes them sort of tributes to the power of a good mystery story. 

Rent/buy Knives Out on Amazon.
Stream Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.

Only Murders In The Building (Hulu) 

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez play an unlikely trio in Only Murders in the Building. This Hulu original series follows Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short), and Mabel (Selena Gomez) as they find a body in their building and then must work together to solve the mystery and try to clear their names. They also start a podcast along the way.

It's one of Hulu’s best original TV shows because it introduces an engaging mystery each season. It also works because of the cast’s chemistry and the hilarious writing. Poker Face also introduces an engaging mystery each week. You may know who did it from the start but you want to see how it all comes together. 

Natasha Lyonne is also really good at creating chemistry with her scene partners. When Charlie’s new friends are either murdered or the murderers, you feel that betrayal or hurt because these characters' chemistry matters. 

Stream Only Murders In The Building on Hulu. 

Clue (Amazon Prime Video) 

Remember that classic board game that you play with your family every holiday season? Well did you know it’s a movie? Of course you did, because it’s also a classic. Clue is a 1985 dark comedy that stars Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, and Colleen Camp. Six strangers arrive at a mansion and the seventh guest is suddenly murdered. 

They must work together to bring down the murderer or at least try not to be the next victim. Clue and Poker Face share their dark comedy tone. Overall, the Peacock series is a comedy, but it blurs those lines when dealing with some of the more serious cases, while the classic is also generally a fun whodunit. If you enjoy the entertaining nature of the crimes on Poker Face, then you’ll love this movie.

Stream Clue on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Clue on Amazon.

iZombie (Netflix) 

iZombie follows Liv Moore (Rose McIver), a woman who is bitten by a zombie at a boat party. She then gets a job at a morgue to resolve her brain cravings by eating the brains of the deceased. There is only one big problem: she absorbs their personalities and memories.

She uses this new power to solve crimes, especially murder cases. Poker Face and iZombie are both unconventional mystery shows, as Charlie isn’t the typical crime solver and neither is Liv. They both use their gifts — and curses — to solve crimes. The environments also play a major factor in each episode. Liv mentally becomes whoever she eats, and Charlie adapts to the environments she enters during each episode.

Stream iZombie on Netflix.
Buy iZombie on Amazon. 

Russian Doll (Netflix)  

Russian Doll is a Netflix original TV show that follows Nadia (Natasha Lyonne), a woman who enters a time loop on her 36th birthday. She tries to figure out how to escape it.

Though Nadia and Charlie are not the same characters, they’re both played by Lyonne so they have similarities. If Poker Face is your introduction to her, then Russian Doll is a good place to start for other great Natasha Lyonne projects. It showcases her ability to create a complex character who is not perfect, but trying not to be terrible. The overlapping mystery elements on both series also make them good companion shows to watch. You can get a double dose of her trying to solve mysteries.

Stream Russian Doll on Netflix.

The Nice Guys (Netflix) 

Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling play Jackson and Holland respectively in The Nice Guys. Holland works as a private investigator and Jackson works as an enforcer. They end up working on the same case and decide to team up to solve the mystery.

In another cinematic universe, Jackson, Holland, and Charlie all work together, because they have a similar style. Yes, some time-traveling would need to happen, but it could work. All these characters have messy lives and methods of handling their cases. However, each of them is actually really good at their jobs, even if everything else in their lives is a mess. Charlie's fans will also enjoy getting to know Holland and Jackson.

Stream The Nice Guys on Netflix.
Rent/buy The Nice Guys on Amazon.

See How They Run (HBO Max) 

Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) is assigned to solve the murder of film director Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody). Inexperienced WPC Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) tags along to help and gain experience. Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap happens to be at the center of this crime and the film.

Though this isn’t a direct adaptation of a Christie story, it’s clearly influenced by her work. This makes sense, because she is the queen of a good mystery story. Both Poker Face and See How They Run use and spin some of the classic mystery stories to create tributes and homages to this genre. They also both do this with a comedic tone.

Stream See How They Run on HBO Max.
Rent/buy See How They Run on Amazon.

Perry Mason (Freevee Via Amazon) 

The original Perry Mason TV show ran from 1957 to 1966, for nine seasons. It stars Raymond Burr as the title character, a defense attorney who often gets involved in solving crimes to help his clients. This often leads to him finding the real criminal and freeing his clients.

The tone here is more dramatic than on Poker Face, but they are both about passionate characters who really want to get to the truth. Generally, Mason does it to help his clients, and he has a need to know the truth behind each case. Though Charlie may have different motives for solving her cases each week, they all stem from a desire to find out what really happened. 

Stream Perry Mason on Freevee.

A Simple Favor (Amazon) 

A Simple Favor follows vlogger and single mom Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) who tries to solve the mystery of her friend, Emily’s (Blake Lively) disappearance.

If there is a genre of main characters who are kind of a hot mess, both Stephanie and Charlie belong in that category, though I would argue that the latter seems a lot more emotionally stable than the former. They are also both amateur crime solvers, but Charlie is a lot better at it and does it because it’s more of a calling. 

A Simple Favor and Poker Face are also both simply really fun entries into the mystery genre. 

Poker Face is one of Peacock’s best TV shows, so as you anxiously await the next episode or season, make sure to check out some movies and TV shows on this list. 

Stream A Simple Favor on Amazon.
Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

Charlie Cale has taken Peacock subscribers by storm in the new “case of the week” murder mystery series Poker Face from Glass Onion writer/director Rian Johnson. Natasha Lyonne gives every bit the hilarious and eccentric performance you’d hope for from a “human lie detector,” and the guest stars who pop up in each episode are icing on the cake for the smart twist on the “howcatchem” formula. Social media users continue to heap praise on all involved, as the series reached the halfway point in the season that fans are hoping will be the first of many.

Natasha Lyonne is the “Columbo” of Poker Face, playing Charlie Cale, a woman with a gift for sniffing out bullshit who can’t help but use her powers for good — even when her best intentions result in more tragedy. The amateur detective is also on the run, having made some very powerful enemies in the series premiere that set up Charlie’s nomadic lifestyle. 

The Peacock series opened to rave reviews — even eliciting praise from Stephen King — and five episodes in, the fanfare hasn’t really died down. Comedian Patrick Monahan thinks there should be a united front in Hollywood to ensure a lengthy run for Poker Face, tweeting: 

Film executive Franklin Leonard seconded that request in his own tweet, positing that maybe a few hundred episodes of the Natasha Lyonne-driven mystery series should suffice: 

It’s a treat to see which famous faces will grace our screens in each week’s new mystery, but one viewer pointed out possibly the only drawback to its serialized format: Every performance is so good that we are left desperate for more! In her words: 

Several Twitter users expressed disbelief that the episodes seem to be at least living up to — if not surpassing — Charlie Cale’s escapades from previous weeks. Episode 5, in particular, “Time of the Monkey,” took fans for a ride, thanks to the spectacular work of guest stars Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson.  

The feisty retirement home besties won over the viewers and Charlie alike. If we’re talking about guest stars who we need to see more of, this fan seems to have a recommendation: 

Even though Natasha Lyonne has some amazing support from the actors around her, anybody who’s a fan of her work in Russian Doll, Orange Is the New Black and more knows just how much she is capable of, and that was enough to attract many to what has become one of the best shows on Peacock. Take it from this fan: 

There are five episodes remaining in the first season of Poker Face, so if you haven’t jumped on the Charlie Cale bandwagon yet, you still have plenty of time to catch up with our new favorite case-of-the-week sleuth. Be sure to also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon. 

Stephen King may be best known for his contributions to the horror genre, but he's pretty damn talented when it comes to spinning a mystery. His Bill Hodges Trilogy (Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers and End Of Watch) is terrific serialized detective fiction, and other excellent contributions to the craft include books like 2001's Black House and 2013's Joyland. The man clearly has an appreciation for whodunits and howdunits, which is why it's no surprise that he is now hooked on Peacock's critically-acclaimed Poker Face, and his praise has not gone unnoticed by the show's creator and star.

This weekend, in the wake of Poker Face's fifth episode becoming available to stream, Stephen King let the world know that he is a fan with a message posted to his personal Twitter page. In addition to calling the series "pure entertainment gold," he comments that Natasha Lyonne "shines" in the lead role – and Rian Johnson responded by turning the word use into a reference to one of King's most beloved books: The Shining. Check out his post below:

The complement didn't escape Natasha Lyonne's attention either. Instead of going to Quote Retweet route, she simply replied to Stephen King's post, and based on her GIF choice, it seems like the author complementing her work has effectively blown her mind:

If you've just been waiting for just one more reason to start watching Poker Face, let it be this enthusiastic thumbs up from one of the greatest fiction writers of all time and the reciprocated love sent back to him on social media.

On Poker Face, Natasha Lyonne stars as Charlie Cale, an unusual woman with a brilliant gift: she instantly knows when somebody is lying to her. In the aftermath of the amazing pilot episode, she finds herself on the run and moving all around the country, and she proves to have an unfortunate knack for getting in the middle of murder schemes during her travels. With her special talent, she unravels what's really going on, and finds her own way to propagate justice.

While there is a serial arc playing in the background, Poker Face is primarily episodic in its storytelling structure, and a number of amazing actors have already made appearances, including Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Hong Chau, John Ratzenberger, Lil Rel Howery, Chloë Sevigny, Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson.

If you're a fan of Knives Out and Glass Onion, it's definitely a must-watch, as Rian Johnson's mystery sensibilities are deep in the DNA of both (like those movies, Poker Face is able to both provide big thrills and big laughs). All you need to get onboard is to sign up for a Peacock subscription.

At present, Poker Face is right square in the middle of its first season, as five episodes are available to watch, and five more are set to be released in the weeks ahead. You can check out new ones on Thursdays, and when you're not watching/rewatching, you can scope out other awesome Peacock exclusive shows.

Warning: some SPOILERS for Poker Face are in play. If you haven’t seen the show yet, you’ve been warned. 

A couple of years ago, the internet latched onto a notion that sounded good on paper: Natasha Lyonne as the star of a Columbo reboot. I make the caveat of this idea being preferable “on paper” solely because Lyonne and Glass Onion writer/director Rian Johnson eventually took that idea and one-upped it. Through an original character, crossed with a trusty detective show formula, the Peacock streaming series Poker Face has given the world Charlie Cale, one of the most refreshing detectives on the 2023 TV schedule, and perhaps for all time. 

The Howcatchem Formula Needed A Comeback

Let’s flip back to the subject of the classic series Columbo. A fixture on the NBC network between 1968 and 1978, followed by a stint over at ABC with periodic appearances between 1989 and 2003, Peter Falk’s titular detective was presented as a quirky character with “just one more question” that helped him solve murders a’plenty. Most impressively was how the series was always (currently also a Peacock offering) presented as a “howcatchem,” which is the reversal of the “whodunnit” formula. 

As the audience would already know who was murdered, who did it and how it happened at the beginning of the episode, the mysteries of Columbo never really mattered. That’s the same formula that Poker Face uses to show us the many mysteries of reformed gambler/human lie detector Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne). It’s a novel formula, especially when whodunnits are on the rise yet again. 

But what’s even more exciting is we never know how Charlie is going to get roped into her next case until after we’ve seen the crime committed. It brings another level of guesswork, as we’re not trying to figure out who the culprit is, but rather how Ms. Cale is going to bring the guilty party to justice. It also allows the personality of your detective to shine through, and Ms. Lyonne is certainly no slouch in that department. 

A Detective On The Run Makes For A Fun Obstacle To Cracking Cases

Another reason why Charlie Cale’s presence is such a refreshing change of pace is that we never know where Poker Face’s amateur sleuth is going to pop up next. This is thanks to her first case solved, which saw Charlie outing her boss Sterling Frost Jr. (Adrien Brody) as the man who ordered the murder of her friend Natalie (Dascha Polanco). With Sterling Jr. driven to suicide after being caught red handed, his father (Ron Perlman) is now on a quest to hunt Charlie down in revenge. 

So not only is Poker Face a weekly showcase for Natasha Lyonne’s wisecracks and powers of deduction, it’s also one big chase story. One false move is all it takes to put her in a ticking clock scenario, as it only takes four hours for Frost family enforcer Cliff LeGrand (Benjamin Bratt) to catch up with the latest clues to her whereabouts.

In some cases, the wire is razor thin, with Charlie Cale solving murders just as Cliff arrives at her most recent location. Amping up the already high stakes of delivering justice before the killers become suspicious, there's always the potential for the next Poker Face murder to be Charlie herself. 

Charlie Cale Actually Cares About The Cases She Solves

While Charlie Cale does get a joy out of being able to be the smartest person in the room, it’s not why she solves the cases she encounters. In a case of ethics that almost matches the mission statement of Quantum Leap, Charlie strives to put right what’s gone fatally wrong because she actually cares. Several scenarios even see her accidentally putting victims and suspects into the crosshairs of these murderous crimes, which can be both hysterical and heartbreaking.

Take the case featured in Episode 3, “The Stall,” which sees Charlie temporarily working at a barbeque joint in Texas. All it takes is lending restaurant owner George (Larry Brown) a copy of Netflix’s Okja on DVD, bittersweet ending and all, to send the now-former pork merchant on the path to veganism. 

His resulting murder, plotted by his wife (Danielle MacDonald) and brother/co-owner (Lil’ Rel Howery), becomes Charlie Cale’s case-of-the-week after she becomes personally invested in figuring out who tried to kill a rather nasty dog in connection to said murder. Again, Charlie’s not doing this because she’s trying to be the greatest consulting detective ever, but rather because of the fact that she has empathy for the victims. 

Rotating Guest Stars Keep Things Exciting

New locations with fresh murders and unique solutions are a huge part of Poker Face's formula of success. However, the factor that really kicks the whole thing over into refreshingly impressive territory is the old fashioned gimmick of weekly guest stars. 

Already in the first four episodes, we’ve seen Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Lil’ Rel Howery, 2023 Academy Award nominee Hong Chau and Rian Johnson favorite Noah Segan all pop up in various roles. Not knowing who’s going to show up next is part of the fun, since it gives Charlie Cale new personalities to square off against. (Though the foreknowledge that another Johnson good luck charm, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, will be appearing is just as anticipated.)

As this week’s episode marks the halfway point of Season 1, plenty of new faces await in the weeks to come. That’s not just when it comes to the murderers either, as suspects, victims and even odd characters who may or not be narcs (John Hodgman) add color to each week’s round of action. No matter who shows up, it’s just more fun and games that Natasha Lyonne gets to partake in, as we wind towards what should be an explosive finale and hopefully several seasons worth of mysteries to come.

Poker Face debuts brand-new episodes every Thursday, with the first four already available to stream. A Peacock subscription is required to get in on the fun, and a special year-long subscription offer is just the ticket to seeing what this platform has to offer.  

Though it's a well-known concept that New Year's resolutions don't tend to stick for very long, it usually involves more drastic pledges that are difficult to maintain. But for those who opted for more reasonable goals, such as "take advantage of the best streaming service discounts,” there’s rarely any desire to give up, since saving money is always welcome no matter what time of year it is. Peacock is behind one of the first major streaming deals of 2023, but it won’t last for that much longer, so opting in ASAP is key!

The NBCUniversal streaming platform is offering up Premium Annual subscriptions for the one-time flat payment of $29.99, and you can sign up right now right here with the promo code “NEWYEAR23.” The markdown is 40% lower than the regular $49.99/year rate, and it’s hard to think of an easier way to save 20 bucks and still be entertained by thousands of hours of movies, TV shows, documentaries, sporting events and more. A Peacock subscription doesn’t take long to pay for itself, even at full price.

The Peacock Premium Deal Details 

As stated above, Peacock’s $29.99 deal is for its ad-supported Premium plan only, without a similar discount available for the ad-free Premium Plus tier. And it’s only available to take part in until Tuesday, February 7, so acting fast is key. 

Worth noting is the fact that the streaming platform eliminated its free tier in the days after this new promotion began, and doesn’t seem to be keen on reinstating it anytime soon. So anyone hoping for a trial period to test things is now out of luck, though paying under $30 for a year of quality content is still pretty lucky.

The deal is only for new customers and past customers, and isn’t meant to be taken advantage of by those who are already signed up Peacock’s Premium or Premium Plus plans. As well, the offer is only available for U.S. citizens, and can’t be combined with any other offers. 

As it usually goes with plans like this, customers will need to remember to opt out of the deal after a year has passed, or else the subscription will be automatically renewed at the full $49.99/month rate. Just don't cancel too early, or it'll make the whole discount moot. 

Why Peacock Is Worth Subscribing To

First and foremost, the best thing happening on Peacock right now is the critically lauded comedic mystery thriller Poker Face, the first TV venture from Knives Out franchise director Rian Johnson, with Russian Doll's Natasha Lyonne as a down-on-her-luck woman with a knack for telling when people are lying. The first four episodes are currently available to stream, with a new cast of guest stars filling out each, and the rest of the season will be unveiled weekly. Some may not believe Poker Face is worth the price of admission alone, but a Blu-ray set would probably cost around $29.99 anyway. Check out the trailer for it below.

Of course, there's more than just a single show up for obsessing over when it comes to Peacock, as evidenced below, from the on-the-horizon return of Bel-Air Season 2 to the upcoming Friday the 13th prequel Crystal Lake to all the upcoming WWE events.

• Exclusive Hit TV shows: Bel-Air (Season 2 starts Feb. 23), The Real Housewives of Miami, The Traitors, Below Deck Down Under, Paul T. Goldman, Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin, Dr. Death, Saved by the Bell, The Best Man: The Final Chapters
• Current and Upcoming Exclusive Movies: Meet Cute, Sick, Sam & Kate, Spoiler Alert, The Killer, Community: The Movie
• Upcoming High-Profile TV Projects: The Continental (John Wick spinoff), Ted, Twisted Metal, Battlestar Galactica, Crystal Lake, Bupkis, Fear, Red Queen
• Everything Else: WWE Pay-Per-Views and hundreds of hours of other content, Olympics Coverage and other exclusive NBC Sports fare, Telemundo's TPlus productions, Documentaries and Docuseries, Stand-Up and Concert Specials

There's a lot more on the way than we'd have room to talk about here, so the future is looking brighter than ever for Peacock and its subscriber base, which was recently revealed to have surpassed 20 million customers. So join the party with the discount above.

For those who want to see everything hitting the small screen even beyond what Peacock has to offer, head to our 2023 TV premiere schedule, while our upcoming movie release schedule has everything on tap for the big screen. 

Over the course of the past few years, Rian Johnson has given the world two of the best whodunits in recent memory with 2019’s Knives Out, and its 2022 sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Both of those films were beloved by critics and audiences alike, thanks in part to their incredible and incredibly complex stories, off-beat humor, and remarkable characters played by some of the best actors in Hollywood. But before Johnson gets to work on the upcoming third movie in the franchise, he is turning his attention to the small screen with his Peacock original series, Poker Face, which, to the surprise of no one, brings together some top-notch talent.

After watching the first four episodes of the new “mystery of the week” 2023 TV series, there’s a good chance you’re wondering who that was appearing alongside Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale. Well, worry no more, as we are about to break down some of the members of the Poker Face cast and why they look so familiar.

Natasha Lyonne (Charlie Cale)

Leading the Poker Face cast is Natasha Lyonne, who takes on the role of Charlie Cale, a casino worker on the run who has the remarkable ability to figure out if someone is lying or not, which comes in handy when she’s out on the road solving one mystery after another.

Lyonne has done a little bit of everything throughout her career, including everything from appearing in the Dennis the Menace cast to serving as one of the leads in the American Pie franchise, and so much more. The past decade has been an especially busy period for Lyonne, as she has led TV shows like Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll, with smaller roles on the likes of The Simpsons, Big Mouth, Portlandia, and the 2019 Netflix musical comedy, John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. 

Adrien Brody (Sterling Frost Jr.)

Adrien Brody shows up on Poker Face as Sterling Frost Jr., Charlie’s boss who happens to be obsessed with her ability to know when someone is lying.

Brody, who previously worked with Rian Johnson for the 2008 crime caper, The Brothers Bloom, has put together one of the most varied filmographies of any actor working today, one that includes family-friendly sports flicks (Angels in the Outfield), horror-bent action films (Predators), and a few of Wes Anderson’s best movies (the most recent being The French Dispatch). This also includes an Oscar-winning performance in The Pianist, a great portrayal of Salvador Dali in Midnight in Paris, and Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake of King Kong, to name only a few. 

Benjamin Bratt (Cliff Legrand)

Next up is Benjamin Bratt, who shows up as Cliff Legrand, a mysterious and dangerous figure never too far behind Charlie after she goes on the run.

No stranger to the “mystery of the week” format used by the new show, Bratt appeared as Detective Rey Curtis in nearly 100 episodes of Law & Order, as well as the 1998 TV-Movie, Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, and a few crossover episodes with Homicide: Life on the Street. Bratt has landed roles on shows like Private Practice, The Cleaner, and, most recently, the HBO Max limited series, DMZ. Bratt has also worked on movies like Demolition Man, Traffic, Love in the Time of Cholera, and Doctor Strange. 

Chloë Sevigny (Ruby Ruin)

Then there is Chloë Sevigny, who appears on the show as Ruby Ruin, the lead singer of a heavy metal band encountered by Charlie on the Peacock series.

Arguably one of the best actresses living today, Sevigny has made a career out of providing unique and commanding performances across the board, including in shocking cult classic indie films like Kids, Gummo, American Psycho, and The Brown Bunny, as well as critically acclaimed movies like Boys Don’t Cry, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Throughout her career, Sevigny has also given outstanding performances in the likes of Zodiac, The Dead Don’t Die, Queen & Slim, and most recently, Bones and All. In addition to her film roles, Sevigny has also appeared on shows like Big Love, Russian Doll, Bloodline, and The Girl from Plainville. 

Lil Rel Howery (Taffy)

Another talented actor with a long list of credits to appear on Poker Face is Lil Rel Howery, who takes on the role of BBQ pitmaster Taffy.

Howery has been a busy figure in the entertainment industry for nearly a decade now, thanks to roles on shows like Friends of the People, The Carmichael Show, and even his own comedy series Rel, plus various voice-acting gigs. And, since making his film debut as Rod Williams in Jordan Peele’s psychological horror film, Get Out, in 2017, Howery has been all over the palace in tinseltown. This includes roles in movies like Bird Box, Judas and the Black Messiah, Fatherhood, Vacation Friends, Free Guy, and Deep Water. 

Dascha Polanco (Natalie)

Next up is Dascha Polanco, who shows up as Charlie’s friend, Natalie.

Fans of the Orange Is the New Black cast will instantly recognize Polanco from her portrayal of Dayanara “Daya” Diaz on all but a few episodes of the all-time great Netflix series. Her other TV appearances include Russian Doll, When They See Us, Evil, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Over the years, she has also appeared in several movies, including The Irishman, In the Heights, and Samaritan alongside Sylvester Stallone. 

John Ratzenberger (Abe)

John Ratzenberger appears in an episode of Poker Face, taking on the role of Abe, his latest in a long line of credits going back decades.

To some, Ratzenberger is best remembered for his portrayal of Cliff on the iconic ‘80s sitcom, Cheers, while others will recognize his voice from his multiple Pixar appearances including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Cars, Wall-E, Up, and countless others. But, he has also appeared in dozens of other great movies and TV shows over the years, including The Empire Strikes Back, Superman II, The Simpsons, and many more. 

Danielle MacDonald (Mandy)

And then there is Danielle MacDonald, who portrays Mandy.

MacDonald has been in a little bit of everything over the course of the past decade-plus, including Netflix original movies like Bird Box and Dumplin’, as well as other films like Lady Bird, Skin, I Am Woman, and French Exit. She has also popped up on a list of TV shows that includes Pretty Little Liars, The Middle, American Horror Story: Roanoke, Easy, and The Tourist. 

These are just some of the actors set to appear on the first four episodes of Poker Face, which are currently available to stream for anyone with a Peacock Premium subscription. The remaining six episodes will be released each Thursday, and will feature the following actors, and many others: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rhea Perlman, Tim Blake Nelson, Tim Meadows, Stephanie Hsu, and Clea DuVall.

Stream Poker Face on Peacock.

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 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: 

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: 

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: 

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: 

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. 

Rian Johnson has been doing well in the murder-mystery genre, as Glass Onion continues to have the internet finding new clues, like a major hint to its biggest twist. The online chatter had kept the mystery comedy in Netflix’s Top 10. While the sequel maintains a tremendous presence, Johnson has moved on to his next mystery-themed project with the upcoming Peacock series Poker Face. Even though the projects are vastly different, there is a connection between these two that viewers might not get at first outside of Johnson himself. The Knives Out director pointed out the bonkers way the upcoming series is connected to Benoit Blanc’s Glass Onion story.

The Oscar-nominated director spilled about the Poker Face/Glass Onion connection to Variety while promoting the new show. It all had to do with beloved actress Natasha Lyonne, who leads Poker Face. Johnson pointed out the pivotal scene in Glass Onion where a sulking Benoit Blanc was playing a game with his celebrity friends in his bathtub, and mentioned how Lyonne’s cameo tied the two properties together:

That’s a nice little nugget for fans to know as they watch the series. Given Lyonne was playing herself, it’s only right that Johnson introduces the Glass Onion viewers to Poker Face in a unique way. Having that small nod may have helped boost the Peacock series before it makes its streaming debut. The cameo proved just how famous and renowned the cunning sleuth is in the real world.

Natasha Lyonne went on to explain that “Benoit Blanc needs friends, too.” The Russian Doll star cheekily referred to herself as a “Hunter S. Thompson figure” within his world. She went on to admit it was “a relief” that Johnson created the unlikely friendship.

The Poker Face cameo wasn’t the only highlight of the star-studded Glass Onion scene. It served as a final farewell for fans of Angela Lansbury and Stephen Sondheim after the Hollywood icons passed away in 2022 and 2021, respectively. The scene gave viewers a peek into Benoit Blanc’s vulnerable side that wasn't seen in Knives Out. Maybe Natasha Lyonne will pop up again, as a third Benoit Blance film is in the works, with a potential key change moving forward.

Rian Johnson and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery are currently riding high off an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. You can catch the murder-mystery hit through an active Netflix subscription. But you won’t have too much longer for Johnson’s murder mystery follow-up, as Poker Face will premiere on January 26 to Peacock subscribers.

By now, is it safe to call Rian Johnson the modern master of the whodunnit? I realize he has only released two movies that fall under that category so far, with 2019’s Knives Out, and its Netflix exclusive follow-up, Glass Onion, in 2022, but most would agree they should be counted as major highlights in the genre. For anyone who still feels it is too early to give the Academy Award nominee that honorable distinction, perhaps Poker Face will change their minds.

However, that being said, this new TV series starring Natasha Lyonne does not exactly count as a traditional “whodunnit,” but does look like it will be a fun and refreshing take on the mystery genre nonetheless. See why in our following breakdown of all the basic facts that you should know about Poker Face, starting with where on the 2023 TV premiere schedule it can be found.

Poker Face Premieres On Peacock January 26

If Glass Onion immediately had you excited for the upcoming third installment of Rian Johnson’s franchise starring Daniel Craig as renowned detective Benoit Blanc, it appears that filmmaker might have anticipated this reaction and is empathetic to his audience. Thankfully, Knives Out fans will not have not wait very long to see their thirst for a new brain-teaser quenched as Poker Face drops on Peacock very soon.

According to the Deadline, the first four episodes of the crime dramedy will be made available to stream on Thursday, January 26, 2023. The remaining six episodes of the series’ first season will be released on a weekly basis.

The Poker Face Trailer Reveals A Thrilling Mix Of Humor And Suspense

In a career that includes a traditional film noir set at a modern day high school (Brick), one of the most unique time travel movies in recent memory (Looper), and one of the Star Wars movies (The Last Jedi), Knives Out and Glass Onion are easily the most essential Rian Johnson movies for the way they represent his talent for crafting intriguing thrillers with devilish wit. I presume that the latest title to reflect this motif — and perhaps the darkest as well — will be Poker Face, as we can tell just from watching the series’ first official trailer below:

It was an ingenious choice to have Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time” play over the teaser’s montage of morbidly humorous imagery as it reflects our protagonist’s tendency to constantly stumble onto trouble while on the run. Not to mention, the 1973 funk staple and dizzying collection of various people and places also hints at the way Poker Face will serve as a throwback to a previous era of mystery television.

Poker Face Is A “Case-Of-The-Week” Mystery Following A “Human Lie Detector”

As described by Vanity Fair in a first-look at the series from December 2022, Poker Face is mystery-of-the-week style thriller that has been subject to comparison with shows like Murder, She Wrote (whose star, Angela Lansbury, actually cameoed in Glass Onion before her death), Magnum P.I. (which was rebooted on CBS recently) and, especially, Columbo. The conceit of that latter long-running procedural had less to do with discovering whodunnit and more about witnessing how Peter Falk’s titular protagonist catches the culprit.

This is also the main draw of Poker Face, which follows Charlie Cale — a casino employee whose ability to sense dishonesty puts her in deep trouble and forces her to go on the run, but also serves as a helpful tool in bringing strangers to justice along the way. It looks like the aforementioned, eager fans will have more than one mystery to keep them entertained with this series.

Natasha Lyonne Leads The Poker Face Cast

Serving as the “face” of Poker Face is Natasha Lyonne. She stars in all 10 episodes of the first season as Charlie Cale — the aforementioned human lie detector and troubled hero of the series.

The last time that the four-time Emmy nominee (who was also one of Glass Onion’s many cameos, appearing as herself) led a series was on the recent time-loop drama, Russian Doll, which was also her second Netflix original series after her career-reviving turn on Orange is the New Black. Before then, some of Lyonne’s most notable work included playing Jessica in the American Pie cast and leading the 1999 LGBTQ+ dramedy, But I’m a Cheerleader. 

Poker Face Boasts A Star-Studded Rotation Of Guest Actors

Joining Natasha Lyonne as the various enemies and allies of Charlie Cale are the Poker Face cast’s dazzling ensemble of A-list guest stars, including — as seen from the trailer — the legendary Ron Perlman as a man who sends Emmy nominee Benjamin Bratt’s character after Charlie. Johnson has also brought in a few of his previous collaborators, namely The Brothers Bloom star Adrien Brody and the filmmaker’s most frequent collaborator, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whose sole contributions to the Knives Out movies have been subtle cameos so far.

Poker Face will also mark a reunion for Lyonne with her Russian Doll co-star Chloë Sevigny, fellow Orange is the New Black cast member Dascha Polanco, and her The Grey Zone director Tim Blake Nelson. Also along for the ride are Emmy winner Cherry Jones, The Umbrella Academy star David Castañeda, Animal Kingdom’s Ellen Barkin, Jameela Jamil of The Good Place and She-Hulk fame, Judith Light from The Menu, Get Out scene-stealer Lil Rel Howery, Oscar nominee Nick Nolte, Everything Everywhere All At Once’s breakout star, Stephanie Hsu, and more.  

Rian Johnson Created Poker Face

We established at the very beginning that Rian Johnson is involved with Poker Face, but have not given any specific details regarding the filmmaker’s creative contribution to the series. The creator of the series is, indeed, Johnson, making his first major return to television after directing some of the best episodes of Breaking Bad, such as the shocking “Ozymandias.” 

Johnson, in addition to executive producing, wrote the series and is helming a few episodes and Lyonne — also serving as an EP — is trying her hand at directing one herself, Empire reports. Fellow executive producers — according to Deadline — include Johnson’s long-time producing partner Ram Bergman, Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, Nene Rodrigue, and Iain B. Macdonald, alongside co-EPs Danielle Renfrew Behrens and former SNL star Maya Rudolph.

As a fan of Johnson, Lyonne, and mystery stories, I am very much looking forward to watching Poker Face when it premieres on Peacock. I think the only thing that could really perfect the series is a cameo by Lady Gaga. After all, her “poker face” is one of the most famous.

Fans of whodunnits and murder-mysteries are eagerly awaiting the return of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc in the upcoming Netflix-and-theatrical feature Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. But let’s not forget director Rian Johnson is also helping introduce audiences to another quirky investigator in the form of Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie Cale, the central character and connective hook for the new streaming series Poker Face, which will be available with a Peacock subscription before the year’s end. Thankfully, we finally have our first look at the new show in the form of a star-studded teaser trailer. 

Check out the first footage from Poker Face below, and try to count all the famous faces that pop up during its 52-second runtime: 

To quickly lay things out, Poker Face’s debut season consists of ten episodes that adhere to a mystery-of-the-week format, all centering on Lyonne’s Charlie, whose claim to low-key fame is that she’s unbelievably canny at knowing when others are lying. The show follows Charlie and her iconic ‘69 Plymouth Barracuda as she embarks on a road trip full of oddball crimes, murders clues, and a seemingly endless supply of guest stars to populate the weekly quandires and conundrums. 

The teaser kicks off with the Oscar-winning Adrien Brody, and just keeps on delivering from there. Check out a relatively comprehensive rundown of all the show’s stars below:

• Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt, Chloë Sevigny, Sascha Polanco, Ron Perlman, Lil Rel Howery, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tim Meadows, Simon Helberg, S. Epatha Merkerson, Nick Nolte, Stephanie Hsu, David Castañeda, Audrey Corsa, Danielle Macdonald, Judith Light, Tim Blake Nelson, Niall Cunningham, Nicholas Cirillo, Jameela Jamil, Ellen Barkin, Luis Guzmán, Brandon Michael Hall, Megan Suri, Clea DuVall, Jasmine Aiyana Garvin, Rowan Blanchard, Rhea Perlman, and Charles Melton

As you no doubt noticed, less than half of the stars noted in that mega-list actually popped up in the teaser, and most of the ones who did were only seen for a brief second. But it’s still excellent to know we’re getting a reunion between Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the star of Brick and Looper who has appeared in each of the director’s projects in some capacity. (Expect to see him in Glass Onion as well.) So audiences still have so much more to see from this show and its talented ensemble. 

Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne shared a fun statement with fans alongside the teaser’s release, giving everyone a slightly more clear idea of what to expect from Poker Face. In their words:

Rian Johnson is noted as the creator of Poker Face, which he executive produced along with Lyonne, and also directed. Lilla and Nora Zuckerman, former writers on shows such as Suits and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., are the showrunners. 

Poker Face will attempt to pull the wool over viewers’ eyes when it debuts on the streaming service starting Thursday, January 26, with the first four episodes going live all at once ahead of weekly releases for the remaining six episodes. Head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what other new and returning shows will be anteing up soon as we wait for the critic-pleasing Knives Out sequel to arrive.

In the three years since The Big Bang Theory wrapped up its monster-ratings run in 2020, just about all of its core cast members went on to various other TV gigs. From Mayim Bialik starring in Fox’s Call Me Kat and intermittently hosting Jeopardy! (for now) to Kaley Cuoco voicing Harley Quinn on HBO Max and anchoring that platform’s now-defunct comedic thriller The Flight Attendant, among other success stories. That hasn’t been the case for TBBT star Simon Helberg, who focused more on expanding his feature work in the years that followed his work as Howard Wolowitz. But that’s changed now, with the actor joining a new streaming series that already has a slew of magnifique TV stars locked down. 

Simon Helberg is the latest cast member to sign on for the upcoming series Poker Face, which is still being somewhat cloaked in mystery by co-creators Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) and Rian Johnson (Knives Out). At this point, all we really know is a general plotline for the Peacock exclusive, and it sadly doesn’t feature any details about who (or what) Simon Helberg might be playing, according to Variety.

Poker Face will take on a procedural format, with leading badass Natasha Lyonne reportedly playing a character who attempts to solve different murders from episode to episode. It’s not clear if there will be a proper recurring cast keeping things connected, or if each episode will swap new stars in and out as the storyline calls for it. 

Speaking of those stars, Simon Helberg will be joining the aforementioned Natasha Lyonne, as well as Super Pumped’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt, The Good Place’s Jameela Jamil, The Goldbergs’ Tim Meadows, Chapelwaite’s Adrien Brody, and Animal Kingdom’s Ellen Barkin. If that wasn’t already enough, there’s also DMZ’s Benjamin Bratt, Free Guy’s Lil Rel Howery, Transparent’s Judith Light, and David Castañeda, who has been a fixture on millions of TVs lately thanks to The Umbrella Academy crushing it on Netflix since Season 3 debuted.

Simon Helberg will certainly need to try hard to stick out in that talent-oozing squad, though he’s obviously used to it, having come from one of TV’s most successful sitcom ensembles. While Helberg did reprise the role of Howard for Young Sheldon, at least in a vocal capacity, his only other TV work in recent years has been voicing a squirrel in Disney+’s adorable Dug Days shorts.

On the big screen, Helberg followed up on his Golden Globe-nominated performance in Florence Foster Jenkins with a role in last year’s musical romance Annette, opposite Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, and reteamed with Mayim Bialik for her directorial debut As They Made Us. He’ll also be popping up in Kyra Sedgwick’s own first directorial effort, the comedic romance Space Oddity.

Poker Face doesn’t have a production timeline that’s publicly known at this point, though one can assume filming will begin in earnest after Rian Johnson is finished promoting the upcoming sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which will be making its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). There’s already a third film in the running, of course, but it’s presumed that Johnson will fit that project in later on.