Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Peacock show Poker Face.Poker Facehas been a surprise hit for Peacock. Like Columbo with a modern-day twist, the whodunit murder mystery show, which has already been renewed for a second season, follows Charlie (Natasha Lyonne) a young woman who has the special ability to read people and tell if they are lying. When this gets her into trouble, however, and she goes on the run, she ends up meeting people from across America, and solving crimes, too.
What’s great aboutPoker Faceis that every episode features a compartmentalized story with a different cast of characters and A-list guest actors. Each story is unique as well, with only Charlie as the link. While all episodes rank a 7.4 or above, a few stand out as the best, according toIMDb.
10‘The Future of the Sport’
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
The high-flying world of car racing didn’t seem to sit as well with fans as other episodes of the show. Kyle, a veteran race car driver, has had enough of his young, pompous rival Davis – played by Charles Melton, known best for his role as Reggie onRiverdale. What both men do to try and get back at one another ends up having tragic consequences.
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The story had so many bits that were not believable, from the car tampering to the fact that a young man would be willing to send a teenage girl to her death. Nonetheless, it’s the one episode where someone doesn’t actually die and Charlie doesn’t turn in a culprit. Rather, she leaves him to stew in his own guilt. The lack of closure may be what fans didn’t like.
9‘Exit Stage Death’
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
While the performances in this episode were fabulous, in a truemeta fashion from the seriesdepicting actors giving it their all on stage, it ranks near the bottom. Two former acting partners reunite for one final performance. There’s a deadly ending and a shocking twist. Nonetheless, it wasn’t enough to give this episode a top ranking.
One of the quirkier, slower, less action-packed episodes, this one saw Charlie doing some sleuthing. Her ridiculously trying to warn a potential victim while hiding behind the stage might have been too silly for fans’ liking.
8‘The Stall’
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
This was a fun episode that set the tone for the show early on. When Charlie takes a job working at a popular Texas barbecue restaurant, a co-owner who was about to leave winds up dead, and she can’t shake the feeling that something suspicious happened. Thanks to her unique abilities, she realizes she’s right.
One of the cornier episodes, Charlie follows clues involving an injured dog, a piece of wood, and a tragic fire to uncover a sinister plot. There’s a twist at the end and while some moments seem over-acted, the cast, story, and way it all wraps up still make the episode enjoyable.
7‘Rest in Metal’
It seems fitting that Charlie would end up working for a rock band and getting caught up in their drama. A young, new drummer ends up dead after an on-stage incident that at first seems like nothing more than an accident. But it’s later revealed to be anything but.
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It’s an interesting Keyser Soze moment when Charlie figures out the truth and a way to bring justice for the young man she had befriended. It’s one of the episodes where a series of clues neatly come together, and Charlie finds herself face-to-face with the man chasing her for the first time since she went on the run.
6‘The Night Shift’
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
The second episode takes a softer tone than the first, though it begins with a shocking moment when a young man winds up dead, his body planted in a truck to frame someone else. Of course, that someone else is a woman who Charlie had befriended, played by Hong Chau, one of thebest guest stars onPoker Face. This makes Charlie suspicious because she doesn’t believe her new-found friend is guilty.
It’s one of the more predictable episodes. Fans can see the clues being planted as they happen, like the lottery ticket thrown in the garbage. Given the stellar acting and wonderful guest cast, however, it’s no surprise this episode ranks higher than some of the others.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
The first episode introduces fans to Charlie, her abilities, and what she has done with them up to this point. It also explains why she ends up on the run and marks the first time fans see just how good Charlie is at reading people and how afraid others are of her abilities (and how some want to use them for their own selfish reasons).
Fans also see, however, that beneath the tough exterior, Charlie has a good heart and wants to help people even if she doesn’t always know how.
4‘Time of the Monkey’
It doesn’t sound like an episode set in a retirement community would be exciting, but it’s the two rebellious ex-felons, one played byJudith Lightwho recently appeared in one of thebest eat-the-rich movies,The Menu, that truly make this one memorable. Charlie at first believes them to be a hoot until she slowly realizes they are awful, murderous people.
The dynamic between the two women as well as Charlie’s changing mentality once she figures out what they might have done, makes the episode one of the most exciting to watch.
3‘The Orpheus Syndrome’
One of the best episodes of the season,Nick NolteandCherry Jonesdeliver memorable performances as former co-workers in the movie industry. Nolte’s character Arthur, a talented special effects artist, has become a recluse after blaming himself for the accidental death of an actress decades prior. But not everything is as it seems.
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When a man dies and Laura (Jones) visits Arthur for his help, he’s happy to assist an old friend. But Charlie realizes Laura isn’t being truthful and is determined to find out why. A spectacle to watch with a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at the special effects side of the movie business, this episode has a darker, more ominousBlack Mirrorfeel to it than others.
2‘The Hook’
Episode 10
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
In the final episode, things come to a head for Charlie as she is released from the hospital after having sustained serious injuries. She believes she is free, clear, and presumed dead. But Cliff is waiting patiently outside for her to take her to Sterling Frost.
In a tangled web of lies, however, Frost ends up dead, Charlie is the framed killer, and she finds herself on the run once again. The episode touches on Charlie’s personal life, finally introducing her sister and niece, sets up a budding romance (or at least friendship) with FBI agent Luca, and introduces Beatrix Hasp as a rival casino owner and crime boss pushing Charlie to continue her life as a nomad. The episode sets things up perfectly for the already confirmed second season.
1‘Escape From Shit Mountain’
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Joseph Gordon-Levitthas had some great movies, but this may rank among one of his best TV roles. Descending deeper into the horror genre, the penultimate episode puts Charlie in a more dangerous situation than she has ever been, on the brink of death after being hit by a car. When she literally crawls herself out of a hole, she comes face to face with two men (one played by Gordon-Levitt) who may or may not be trying to kill her.
One of the more graphic episodes, Charlie proves how resourceful and smart she is, once again. The episode ends on a high note, with fans believing that Charlie might get out of everything unscathed after all.
