Perfecting the Art of Bluffing

Read Time:3 Minute, 35 Second

At a time when episodic television is almost nonexistent, it’s refreshing to witness an ongoing murder mystery with care taken to character development and plot advancement. Poker Face (now streaming on Peacock with new episodes airing weekly) fits this description perfectly.

Natasha Lyonne plays Natascha Peacock in this Peacock series from writer/director Rian Johnson of Glass Onion and Knives Out fame, in a role similar to Columbo from that classic TV detective show.

Table of Contents

Bluffing

Poker Face stands out among streaming murder mysteries as a refreshing alternative. Starring Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, its nonchalant lead detective doesn’t try to outrun viewers or spring surprises on them; she takes things at her own pace and doesn’t try to outwit viewers with every plot twist that arises.

Rian Johnson (Knives Out and Glass Onion) created The Peacock series with its episodic crime drama that follows Charlie, with each episode setting up a mystery for him to solve. While its format recalls classics such as Columbo, this modern interpretation allows viewers to discover its subtle nuances while letting Charlie’s unique talent for uncovering lies do its work.

Poker Face is an episodic mystery series, but each episode stands on its own as its own unique narrative for Charlie to solve by the end of each hour. While there may be loose overarching threads connecting all episodes together, you don’t risk missing anything by watching in any order.

Reading Players

While bluffing doesn’t have to be reckless, it does require careful observations of your opponents. Pay attention to their betting patterns and emotional expressions in order to assess the likelihood that they’ll call your bluff; also look out for tells–small signs which reveal when an opponent is lying through his or her teeth.

The Peacock series’ slow, meandering plot may seem out of step with today’s fast-paced streaming mysteries, but that was exactly the kind of show Johnson and Lyonne were aiming to create: something to satisfy our collective whodunit itch without overwrought stories of cops saving the day.

Knives Out and Glass Onion director Ariel Schad’s appreciation of genre classics can be seen throughout Poker Face (even the opening titles use Columbo’s yellow font!). Watching Lyonne as Charlie Cale trudge through locations while discovering herself embroiled in murder investigations is always entertaining, while her cast of guest stars from Benjamin Bratt to Judith Light and Dascha Polanco all take part in providing subtle comedy that peppers each episode.

Tells

Rian Johnson of Knives Out and Star Wars: The Last Jedi fame created Poker Face as an entertaining streaming murder mystery series, complete with characters as captivating as Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie who has an exceptional eye for deceit spotting. In an age where we tend to turn to headline news for entertainment purposes, Poker Face stands out as an engaging procedural with truly interesting characters like these. Natasha Lyonne plays Charlie who boasts a keen ability for picking out lies in various forms.

Opening titles reminiscent of Columbo font can be found throughout each episode, yet unlike that series and others like Kojak, Rockford Files, and Police Woman; each episode stands on its own merit. From visiting an attractive long-haul trucker or an old-school strip club to famous barbecue restaurants or the home of an inscrutable business mogul; every episode offers insight into Lyonne’s personality.

Believable bluffing requires close observation of your opponents and careful consideration of their tendencies. Tracking their behavior, bet patterns and table image can help you figure out when and how best to launch your move.

Betting

General managers (GMs) can sabotage their chances of victory by overthinking other players’ thoughts and interpretations of what’s happening at the table. Instead, GMs should focus on what’s actually occurring at the table instead.

Poker Face, created and starring Russian Doll actress Natasha Lyonne from Glass Onion creator Rian Johnson and featuring Glass Onion creator Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion character Charlie Cale, takes viewers on her murder-solving journey. Inspired by classic 1970s sleuth tropes – specifically Columbo’s “inverted plot” method – each episode provides an entertaining take on crime-solving while at the same time maintaining integrity with reality; critics have seen six out of ten episodes so far and found them engaging and enjoyable – perfect for genre fans looking for something fresh in 2017.