Rian Johnson already revitalized the big-screen “whodunnit” with his box office hit Knives Out and its sequel Glass Onion. Now he’s looking to revive the classic formula of TV mystery-of-the-week shows with his upcoming Peacock series Poker Face.
Debuting on Thursday, Jan. 26, the 10-episode series stars Natasha Lyonne in a unique take on a “traveling detective.” She’s backed by a first-rate cast of guest stars and the unique idea that, while there’s an overarching plot, each episode has a self-contained mystery that will be solved at the end of the hour.
The show is already being compared by its creator to classic 1970s mystery TV movies like Columbo, McCloud and the hit show The Rockford Files. This promises to put a fun spin on the usual crime TV show.
Poker Face synopsis: What is the Peacock series about?
The premiere of Poker Face focuses on Charlie Cale (Lyonne), an ex-poker player turned detective. Charlie has the unique ability to always know when someone is lying, which aids her in both jobs. After solving a triple homicide in Miami, Charlie has a hit put on her by a vengeful casino mogul.
Forced on the run in her 1969 Plymouth Barracuda, with a hitman (Benjamin Bratt) on her tail, Charlie finds herself moving from town to town. In each one, she somehow gets involved with a murder case and tries to solve it before moving on. The cases include anything from a murder in a play to a car race.
Besides Lyonne and Bratt, the show boasts a huge bevy of guest stars, including Adrien Brody, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chloë Sevigny, Tim Meadows, Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Stephanie Hsu, Lil Rel Howery, and Luis Guzmán.
The trailer shows the fun humor and action that make the show stand out.
Why is Poker Face different from other mystery shows?
The series boasts an obvious pedigree in Johnson, who was hailed by critics for Knives Out. In an interview with Variety, Johnson compared his show to the series he grew up on, such as Magnum P.I. and The Rockford Files. He also compared it to Quantum Leap in how Charlie enters a town, changes the lives of people there, then moves on to a new mystery the following week.
“All of these shows I was watching as a kid, sitting on the rug in front of my TV, is the heart of what I am trying to get at,” Johnson told Variety.
Lyonne added to The Hollywood Reporter that she based her performance as Charlie on Elliot Gould’s portrayal of iconic sleuth Phillip Marlowe.
"“A lot of my talking to myself just walking through the streets, I’m usually thinking, ‘If Elliot Gould could get away with this so can I.’”"
The series premieres on Peacock on Jan. 26, with the first four episodes before new installments each Thursday. Between Johnson’s pedigree and the great cast, it should be a fine addition to the TV mystery library.
Poker Face premieres Thursday, Jan. 26 on Peacock.