On the heels of Glass Onion, the second film in the Knives Out universe, Rian Johnson returned to the world of murder mysteries with Poker Face, an exceptional throwback that puts a contemporary spin on the classic murder-of-the-week formula.
It’s true that Poker Face has taken social media by storm, and this Peacock original series truly deserves every word of praise it has received so far. Just in case you’re on the fence regarding the series, here are 19 reasons why enjoying Poker Face shouldn’t be much of a mystery at all:
1.
The series brilliantly utilizes the “Howcatchem” format, which was popularized by the iconic detective series Columbo.
2.
Natasha Lyonne delivers both comedy and emotionally-charged drama in a fantastic, potentially career-defining performance.
3.
Rian Johnson is one of the most fun and exciting filmmakers working today, and Poker Face is yet another reason why.
4.
While the show isn’t a comedy in the most traditional sense, you can’t deny that Poker Face doesn’t offer a few solid laughs with every ensuing entry.
5.
Taking a cue from Columbo as well as Johnson’s own star-studded murder mysteries, Poker Face presents an impressive amount of guest stars from episode to episode.
6.
Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) is one of the most unique protagonists on television right now.
7.
The show has an incredible array of villain characters that often make the episodes even better.
8.
Poker Face has the scale and depth of most anything you’d see on the big screen without ever looking cheap or lazy.
9.
Poker Face further features a roster of impressive talent behind the camera, namely with its directors.
10.
For fans of Natasha Lyonne’s Netflix series Russian Doll, there are quiet a few amazing crossovers.
11.
It’s brilliant ability to pay homage to the iconic Columbo.
12.
With Rian Johnson’s storytelling curveballs, Poker Face remains delightfully unpredictable and refreshingly off-beat.
13.
While Poker Face uses comedy extremely well, it also isn’t afraid to get dramatic when it needs to.
14.
Poker Face is further elevated by its wonderful visual language, as bolstered by cinematography orchestrated by the directors of photography.
15.
The show uses teases to hook audiences in an amazing way, whether it’s through guest stars or the overarching mystery of Season 1.
16.
Poker Face also stands out among its contemporaries for having a singular attitude, being unafraid to be provocative and risqué at points without trying to be offensive or necessarily transgressive.
17.
Another signature touch of Rian Johnson on Poker Face is the eclectic usage of great curated music.
18.
Thanks to the wonderful world of streaming, one of the major differences between Poker Face and other classic murder-of-the-week series is the fact that the show is not bound by traditional content restrictions.
19.
And finally, Poker Face is helping Peacock prove it’s one of the best streaming services for original content.
New episodes of Poker Face drop Thursdays on Peacock.
