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J. Kyle Mann
Folks, it's J. Kyle Mann from the Ringer. And as always, basketball is so freaking, freaking good. It's so good, in fact, that the Ringers NBA Draft show is finally back just in time for a ramp up to June. We've got you covered every week as we take an in depth look at who's got Next for the NBA's future. We'll talk the rising and falling stocks of the best and the brightest prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class, from Cooper Flagg to Dylan Harper to BJ Edgecomb and more. Tap in with me on the Ringer NBA Draft show every Wednesday and make sure that you follow, subscribe and hit us with those five star ratings.
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Joanna Robinson
Hello. Welcome back to the Prestige TV podcast feed. I'm Joanna Robinson.
J. Kyle Mann
I'm Rob Mahoney.
Joanna Robinson
We're here today with a little Poker face. Check in for you guys. Season two A Poker Face and Rob was like, joanna, let's go nuts this week. Let's do a last of us pod a your friends and neighbors pod. Let's hit him with a couple episodes of Poker Face as well. So we're here to cover episodes one through four of season two of Poker Face. Ramahoney, tell me why Poker Face was like a must, a must chat show for you.
J. Kyle Mann
I think it's a sentimental show for us here on the Prestige feed. You know, we wanted to return after you and I did, basically episode by episode for the first season. We really enjoyed it. I was eager for Pokerface's return. I don't know if I knew how eager until I hit play on this thing. We're right back in it. It's exactly a flavor of TV that I don't get enough of right now. So I'VE just been thrilled watching these first four episodes.
Joanna Robinson
And is the flavor, how contained each episode is or the tone of it, or what is it in particular for you?
J. Kyle Mann
I think a lot of it is the tone. I think a lot of it is how quickly within these first four episodes, we get out from under the weight of a big overarching criminal conspiracy on the run from Mafia bosses and into literally, let's point at the map and go somewhere. Let's just be honest about what the conceit is here. We're gonna go to a new town every week. There's gonna be a new mystery, usually a murder of some kind to solve. I'm enjoying the mechanics of all those things. And I think the show is hitting its stride in terms of doing all that stuff in a really playful way and dealing specifically with Charlie's preternatural ability to detect bullshit in new and exciting ways basically every time out.
Joanna Robinson
So spoilers up through episode four of season two, to the extent that this.
J. Kyle Mann
Is a spoiler spoilable show, just like.
Joanna Robinson
If you haven't watched episode four yet, go watch it before you listen to us. The Game Is Afoot is the first episode, Last Looks is the second episode, Whack A Mole is the third episode, and the Taste of Human Blood is the fourth episode. And I agree, like, so we're going to. We're not going to go beat by beat for any of these episodes by any stretch. This is just like a fun, light, and breezy Friday afternoon pod that we're going to do. And we've got some categories that we're going to hit of things, you know, our favorite things over the course of these four episodes. But when I was going through the categories and picking things, it was very clear to me that episode four, which is the episode that takes place after we get out from underneath this sort of premise of season one, which is Charlie's on the run from organized crime, was just like a wide open new space for my enjoyment of this show. And I think it was just like a really brilliant move. I like the concept of the first season. It's not like I didn't enjoy it, and I didn't, but I didn't know what was possible until, you know, we've got people like, shooting at Charlie in the first two episodes. We've got the resolution of her being chased by Rhea Perlman's character in the third episode. And then the fourth episode, we get a better sense of, like, what the show can be going forward with. With, as you say, the introduction of the point at the map. And then it becomes this sort of like, even though the episodes are contained, it becomes this because it's her choice to do this town to town every week sort of adventure. It really feeds well into. I think before they felt like they needed a reason, but Charlie's curiosity about people and sort of zest for life is certainly reason enough at this point. So I really like that they made that choice to basically change the premise of the show to a certain degree. We're still doing Murder of the Week. What do you think, Rob?
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah, I think they're changing the premise, but not the soul of the show. That's kind of what we found in the first season was that the engine of it was not the getting away from the mafia bosses and the hitmen and the like, you know, various grunts down the chain. It was Charlie as like an empathy magnet, glomming onto people in the world, getting to know them. And you can see it even in these first three episodes, which, as you said, are kind of still within that globe. Before we fully break out of the crime element of the story. Just watching, like Natasha Lyonne and Cynthia Erivo, like, become buddies. Watching this old show together like that, to me is the soul of what Poker Face is. It's like her ability to. That character's ability to connect very quickly with somebody and then kind of worm her way into their world and figure out what it's all about and help.
Joanna Robinson
And what's wild to me is that, you know, I like. Because we watch so much television, we cover so much television. Our producer Kai and I were just talking about before we started recording, like, the fact that I will often rewatch a season, a previous season of a television show. I didn't do that with Poker Face. We kind of made a late. Late in the day.
J. Kyle Mann
That's true decision to watch this upon you, Joe, in all.
Joanna Robinson
And I willingly embrace it. But I didn't rewatch season one, so I had forgotten that the, you know, basically you see the murder happen and Charlie usually enters the episode midway through the episode or at least after, like, I don't know, at least a quarter of the episode.
J. Kyle Mann
15, 20 minutes sometimes.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah. So in terms of that, Charlie makes a friend move. You don't even have a whole episode to make that feel realistic. You often just have like a scene or two scenes or some kind of montage. So watching her befriend a badly wigged Katie Holmes in the second episode or something like that over like a campfire, I mean, you know, what it is. It happens so quickly and then. But then you were invested in it. And you believe that when Spoiler for episode two, Katie Holmes gets incinerated that Charlie would be invested in figuring out what happened to her. It all completely, completely plays perfectly for me. So, yeah.
J. Kyle Mann
And that's just a perfect marriage of material and performer. Right. Like Natasha Lyonne as a great hang is the premise of the show now. And I'm excited for where we can take that and the kind of, like, infinite number of spins you can put on it as you move from city to city.
Joanna Robinson
One thing that we should note, just because we like to track these things, is there's a different showrunner this season. The showrunners of the first season have gone off to go make the Buffy reboot that Rob and I have a lot of thoughts and opinions on, which you can find on this very feed.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah. Bested interest, to say the least, in the outcome of that property.
Joanna Robinson
Rob, did you see the casting news?
J. Kyle Mann
No. Can you break it to me right here on air?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. So they've cast their, like, chosen one for the Buffy reboot, and it's this young actress named Ryan Kira Armstrong, who was in Skeleton Crew, which was the Star wars show that came out last year. So one of the kids in that, she's, like, quite young. She's not, like. She's not like a kid kid, but she's, like, definitely younger, I think, than Sarah Michelle Gellar was when she was cast. And there is. I don't. You don't. Rob, you're a sentimental person, but I don't think you go for cute that often. But there is an obscenely cute video of Sarah Michelle Gellar telling this girl over zoom that she got the part. And it is just. I cried. I'm sorry. Look, I got. Sorry I cried. So, yeah, I'm still very skeptical of this show, but, like, that video really.
J. Kyle Mann
Got me, so I will be seeking it out. I suspect it will work on me, too. Look, this is an important property for us, and I have to say, she does look, again, as you said, younger than Buffy in the original show. Also not unlike a young Sarah Michelle Gellar in her way. I hope this isn't a Buffy's daughter situation, but, look, we have a long way to go before that show comes out.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, I don't think they would do that, but we'll see. Yeah. So the Zuckermans have gone on to do that. And so the new showrunner of Poke Fairy season two is Tony Tost, who Rob and I were sort of Digging into. We're like, who's this person that we have not heard of necessarily. He's worked on Longmire and a couple of other. Which will come back up a little later today. A couple of other things. But we also discovered that he has made a film called Americana, which which was completed in 2023, but will not be released until this summer. Rob dug up a trailer that you sent to me. Anything you want to say about this? We were just trying to get a sense of who this guy was and what his taste was. Anything you want to tell the listeners about this trailer you dug up for this movie?
J. Kyle Mann
It's just one of the truly strangest, like, collections of people in a movie. The cast for Americana, Sydney Sweeney Paul Walter Hauser Halsey plays a prominent role in that movie. I've seen the trailer. I have no idea what to think of it, except that now, having seen Poker Face, you could absolutely see some common DNA, not just in the Americana of it all, but in sort of like the. Like a certain Western vibe to particular elements, like a type of ensemble storytelling that I think it has in common. There is something shared between them.
Joanna Robinson
It almost reminds me, having just seen the trailer, not the film itself. It has, like, a little Cohen zaniness, specifically, like Ethan Cohen, Zane, Ethan, Ethan all alone, sort of.
J. Kyle Mann
We've really separated the variables within the coast these days. I think we can put a finger on it.
Joanna Robinson
But yeah, Simon Rex is in this. Eric Dane's on McClarnon. So, I mean, I'll be watching this movie. I'm very, very curious. I am a little concerned about the delay between its completion and release. That's never usually a great sign, but I'll be very curious about it. And then I just want to share this quote from Natasha Lyonne that she gave about season two of Poker Face. And she said it's the concept of we lose interest in ourselves and gain interest in our fellows. In a way, she's sort of on the case of anyone but herself. And I really love that idea of, like, Charlie's interest in other people is a great strength of the show, but maybe a bit of a weakness inside of her and that she just does not want to introspect. But there is this interesting element that's added in episode four, which is Steve Buscemi on the CB radio. No, I have not watched beyond episode four.
J. Kyle Mann
Same.
Joanna Robinson
But do you get the sense that, like, this will be a recurring character that she'll get to, like, get this sort of homespun trucker poetry, wisdom from Steve Buscemi over the radio. What do you think?
J. Kyle Mann
I do. I mean, I think he has to be popping up periodically, maybe not every episode, but it makes sense to have some character in Charlie's life who she's bouncing off of more consistently and. And not just having to introduce herself to every single week out. So having that through line of a voice on the radio is a really smart way to do it, because you don't have to have a co pilot in the chair who you have to account for in every story. So we're getting our lone Charlie out on the range storytelling, but with all the comforts of Steve Buscemi over the radio, as you said, being. Being a warrior poet in his way, I've really, really enjoyed it so far. I don't know if we're gonna get him in the flesh at any point. Like, maybe it is strictly a voice cameo, but either way, I'm happy with it.
Joanna Robinson
I would say that's either, like a finale thing of this season or like a finale thing of the show. But I really like him. They haven't even named him in the credits. He's listed as Good Buddy. That's his handle, and that's how he's billed in the credits. So I like this idea of him being this sort of anonymous voice, but if something ever happened to him, like, Charlie would certainly want to investigate it, or if he needed something, Charlie would be there for him. So for however long Poker Face runs, I would not mind having Steve Buscemi on the radio. It reminds me of. Did you like. Because you're a bit younger than me, Rob, did you ever watch Northern Exposure?
J. Kyle Mann
You know, I kind of missed it somehow.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. Yeah.
J. Kyle Mann
The box set, I remember very specifically because it's in, like, the Puffy Coat dvd, right?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, yeah, exactly. There's a DJ in that show who hosted, like, a morning radio show where he would just sort of, like, read Alaskan wisdom over the microphone. It reminds me a lot of that where it's just sort of like, you just get some, like, soulful, poetic wisdom from someone in a sort of homespun context. That's really fun.
J. Kyle Mann
I mean, he's a Linda man's man. You know, he can be in. We'll take as many Linda man's men in any story that you want to tell. I'm down for it.
Joanna Robinson
Do you. Other than that sort of slight tweak in premise that we get in episode four, do you sense any other major, like, differences between season one and season two?
J. Kyle Mann
I think just some of that Clarity. As far as taking some of these, like, heavy existential threats out of the story and turning them into, as you said, this, like, heavier introspective or introspective avoidant kind of danger that gives it a little bit of a different flair. I'm also happy, Joe, that we can officially put to bed our recurring conversation about Poker Face as to whether Charlie has some kind of superpower. I've always said from the beginning, this is a. A preternatural sense of truth, not a superpower. And I think we've confirmed it by the fact that you and I are podcasting about it again here on the Prestige TV feed. And not. This isn't a ringer verse podcast. This isn't a House of R podcast. This is not a superhero.
Joanna Robinson
I don't know how you're like, how you dare to try to make that your case when we're covering a zombie show on this very feed.
J. Kyle Mann
Also not superheroes on that show.
Joanna Robinson
You know, you don't have a single leg to stand on in this week specifically.
J. Kyle Mann
Can't blame a guy for trying.
Joanna Robinson
Uh, you got it. You gotta try. Okay. Do you want to do the categories? Anything else you want to chat about before we get to them?
J. Kyle Mann
Okay, let's get into it.
Joanna Robinson
So these are just random things that I made up for us to talk about here on a Friday, Joe.
J. Kyle Mann
That's what a podcast is. You know, only. Only the pod can reveal the podcaster. I like to say.
Joanna Robinson
I do. You like to say that after.
J. Kyle Mann
These are radio stations. I do, yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Okay. Okay. Okay. Best guest star. This is. This is like Poker Face's, like, absolute magic trick. Even in these first four episodes, there's just an embarrassment of riches in terms of guest stars. And then when you look at the whole. The season as a whole, you and I were trading, like, some of the names that we were excited to see coming up that we haven't even seen yet. And it's. It's astounding what they can put you. You think, like, oh, well, there's this person that's the guest star of this episode, but it knows, like, five different guest stars in a single episode. So who do you want to call out as the best guest star these first four episodes?
J. Kyle Mann
I have a one definitive answer. I wonder if you share it. And it's Gabbie Hoffman as Officer Fran Lamont.
Joanna Robinson
I think that's right. When I got to her, you were a little bit behind me when we were watching, and I was watching episode four when you were, I think, on episode Three. And I was like, I'm watching Gabbie Hoffman. Like, right now, I'm having a great time.
J. Kyle Mann
A police officer stuck in a spiral of ego. And also Alligator Method. Like, I don't know what more you want from a TV show than that.
Joanna Robinson
I think that's. I think that's a really, really good answer. And especially when you find out when you meet her in episode four and she has it put together, and then you get the cut to six years later, and she has become unhinged, and you're like, oh, that's what I'm watching. Great. Okay. My answer, just because Gabby Hoffman, also, Gabbie Hoffman, is a flavor, a performer who fits this world very, very well, without a doubt. My nominee is Richard Kind in episode three, who plays Rhea Perlman's love and an informant to the FBI. I love Richard Kind. Anytime he shows up in anything, I'm thrilled beyond belief. And he's just so perfect for this. I was actually devastated that he was the murder victim, because I would love to see Richard Kine come back on Poker Face, but he will not be coming back on Poker Face.
J. Kyle Mann
If he had actually made it into witness protection and then we got to circle back with him in season three, that would have been a perfect way to close that loop. And, yeah, he's such a wonderful rube in everything that he's in. He plays that strand of performance so, so well. But again, it was another episode where it's like Rhea Perlman and Richard Kyne and John Mulaney just, like, stacked on top of each other. You either have three or four different people were delighted to see, or five. Cynthia Erivos, who I'm also delighted to see happening at once. The balance of all these guest stars is super impressive.
Joanna Robinson
The other person in episode four, acting opposite Gabbie Hoffman, is the director John Sayles, who did Secret of Roan. Inish. Lone Star. One of my favorite movies. Matawan, Eight Men Out. Like John Sayles, who has occasionally acted before, but he's just, like, in there as a police chief. Just being John Sayles in an episode of television, you're sort of like, well, I mean, what else could you ask for? And then also, I mean, like, I would add Buscemi to the mix. Like, adding Buscemi in as, like, a potentially weekly or, you know, every few weeks or something like, that character is really exciting.
J. Kyle Mann
I want to give one runner up as well. I've never historically had the biggest relationship to Katie Holmes, but Katie Holmes in the bad wig I thought was wonderful. And she has found this era of her career where she'll just show up in something like this or show up in something like Logan Lucky. And she brings a totally different charge than anybody else on screen has. And some of that's like her character in episode two gets to be the breath of fresh air in the embalming house of death. So by nature, she's gonna feel a bit of a relief. But I thought she was awesome in that part, and I was sad to see her incinerated, as was Charlie and many other people.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, the bad wig was sort of like, felt like kind of the point. I don't know. She had.
J. Kyle Mann
I think it's part of the deal.
Joanna Robinson
This daffiness to her in that role that is just like. Yeah, very welcome. Very, very good. I agree. Great, great use of Katie Holmes. Okay. Best joke of these episodes not to.
J. Kyle Mann
Over index on episode four, the Divine Gator. Every time they looked into the gator's eye and connected with the deeper spirituality of the gator verse, it got me. Literally every time I know it's coming, I know they're setting it up. And yet here I am dying on my couch at the Divine Gator.
Joanna Robinson
Listen, mine is also from episode four. So the setting for much of episode four is a cop award ceremony called the Flopa Kopa. Is that the Flopa Koppa?
J. Kyle Mann
Also, every time they just said Flopa Kopa, I was laughing.
Joanna Robinson
Really, really good. And the first year, I think it's the first year when they're announcing the award, the guy who goes up to announce the award, they say, star of the hit A N E show, the Glades.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Which was just like calibrated. Perfect level of non celebrity celebrity.
J. Kyle Mann
Yes.
Joanna Robinson
To be presenting at the flop of Copas. The fact that, like Tony Toast, who's the showrunner this season, like worked on Longmire, which is an A and E show, you know, just sort of like really marinating in that A and E level of. It's just so good. Really, really good stuff.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah. Also within that episode, I think the cops having a joint circular argument about which one of them is the loose cannon, I found really, really delightful. There's just. It's hard to make a really, really funny cop episode these days. You've seen even like the cop oriented comedies like had to Bail on their premises as soon as things started getting Brooklyn Nine.
Joanna Robinson
Nine.
J. Kyle Mann
Famously. Uh, this one is genuinely hilarious. Genuinely very funny. Uh, start to finish. And look, some of that is you get a gator involved, you make one of the cops into Like a manic tiktoker. And all of a sudden, you. You're really cooking with Grease.
Joanna Robinson
The. When it started, and I was like. And it starts with, like, calling Gabbie Hoffman's character one of the good ones. And I was like, what are we? I was like, what am I about to watch? And then I was like, oh, this is the best thing I've ever seen. Best episode is episode four, I think it is.
J. Kyle Mann
Should we do a runner up? Since, like. So episode four, I would say, has the best setup, the biggest laughs, the most alligators on meth, as mentioned. Like, it just has all the ingredients you want for great tv. If I were to pick another, I think it's honestly really competitive against these other three, which all have something to recommend about them. I am partial to episode two, Last Looks, which is the funeral home episode.
Joanna Robinson
I love that one.
J. Kyle Mann
I really, really like. I look. Full disclosure, since we're all being honest about ourselves on this podcast. I come from a funeral home family. My grandfather was a funeral director. There is a certain, like, mortician humor that appeals to me and that is baked into at least that half of my family.
Joanna Robinson
You. I didn't know this. This is. You're like. You're like. Representation matters.
J. Kyle Mann
This is what Poker Face is about, is looking into our souls, figuring out what we really need at this moment in time, and if Charlie Kail can provide it for us.
Joanna Robinson
Looking into the gator's eye that is the funeral home industry. Okay.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Best Charlie fit. I've never made you talk about fashion before on a podcast. Rob Mahoney's is usually something Mallory and I talk about, but Charlie, her style is incredible. The hair is still outrageous, but, like, better this season than it was. She has to, like, put a wig on for a flashback to season one, and I'm just sort of like, oh, yeah. So that's what the seasonal hair looks like anyway. The hair is much like, just a bit less crispy this season and redder. And. And the style is incredible. They're really leaning into like, the 70s inspired thing for the whole season. So do you have a Charlie look that you want to shout out?
J. Kyle Mann
I think there are a lot of good ones. I would also pick one from episode two here, which is her beach fit Hawaiian shirt, teal Ray Bans with red frames, beer helmet. Like, that's. That's a nice little ensemble she's got going together. She's also rocking a lot of, like, high socks in this season. It's a lot of, like, jean shorts, high Socks, a lot of bolos with open collars, which I don't know about that one personally, but I support Charlie in all her endeavors.
Joanna Robinson
Okay, as a, As a Texan, you want to object to the use of the BOLO here.
J. Kyle Mann
I mean, I object to most uses of the bolo. It's not even me being territorial. I just don't think anybody should be doing it, native Texans included.
Joanna Robinson
Unless it's Peter Sarsgaard and Presumed Innocent. That was the second time I get to talk about that this week.
J. Kyle Mann
That one will allow. Will, Grandfather and Peter.
Joanna Robinson
Okay, I. You. You sort of outlined the. The kind of outfit I'm going to talk about, which is like when she's talking to Subusemi on the radio and she's wearing high striped socks, denim short shorts, a crab shirt and a crab shirt hat. And it's just phenomenal. It's just really, really good. Runner up for me is the Party down cater waiter outfit in episode four. They went full party down for their look to liberate the gator from the flop of copas. And it's pretty great. And she has the matching pink sunglasses to go with it. It's pretty great.
J. Kyle Mann
How many sunglasses do you think she packed?
Joanna Robinson
She's got a whole like, you know, she often lives in her car. And I'm like, but, but, but is like one quarter of your trunk space just a bag of sunglasses?
J. Kyle Mann
I know. Quite well protected, it seems like, you know, these aren't dinged up. Like, they seem to be in quite good condition.
Joanna Robinson
Gleaming. Yeah, absolutely. Best murder.
J. Kyle Mann
I feel guilty again, going back to episode four, but one person in these episodes died by getting overdosed with gator laxative. So what am I supposed to do here?
Joanna Robinson
I wrote Gator Joe shit himself to death.
J. Kyle Mann
So come on, there's really no question.
Joanna Robinson
And then was eaten by a messed up gator. I mean, that's just. Our producer Kai is on this podcast and again, Kai got sort of like roped in a little last minute to doing this podcast, so hasn't a chance to watch any of Poker Face. And I don't. The only thing I'm bummed to spoil for Kai is the fact that Camille and Johnny with like a bleached yes, party mullet, shits himself to death and then is eaten by his own exploited gator hopped up on meth.
J. Kyle Mann
That's art to me.
Joanna Robinson
Tremendous. Really tremendous. There's. There's literally no competition. Like, you can't even get close to that. I'm so sorry.
J. Kyle Mann
So, yeah, the other murders are good. I also we kind of skip past Kumail in the guest star section. I'm just again very happ to see him here. It's like we have a collection of wonderful that guy performers. Wonderful people we love every time they show up. In Kumail's case, I haven't seen him in anything like live action because I am respectfully out on only murders. I as we have discussed also recently on this podcast, I'm not tuning in to Ghostbusters Frozen Empire. Is that the name of that movie?
Joanna Robinson
Were you surprised by how many we got? A couple emails from people being like how dare you besmirch the new Ghostbusters.
J. Kyle Mann
I've been very surprised by the pro Ghostbusters Ghostbusters stance@prestigetvpotify.com if you would like to join the course. But so I haven't seen Kumail in anything like live action since I think Obi Wan and Eternals. Not my preferred context to see a performer that I really like in a comic who can be really great and is great as Gator Joe.
Joanna Robinson
His Gator Joe performance is so good and what's really just the icing on the Gator Joe cake is the accent, right? Because he's trying to like embody Florida man and Kumail is not really hiding that he his natural accent, but he is just layered on top of he's just smeared over the top of it the twang of the Florida man and it's pretty outstanding. It's pretty pretty good. And then the like the little TikTok bits that play over the closing credits of that episode. Really good stuff.
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Joanna Robinson
Most Delightful Visuals so something we talked a lot about in our coverage of the first season is Rian Johnson, a director we both love, directed the first two episodes, I think of season one. And he directed the first episode of this season. But we talked a lot about sort of the visual style, the visual palette. There are some interesting camera work that he certainly did in his episodes and I was curious if you had a visual that most delighted you. Rob Mahoney, last scion of a funeral home family.
J. Kyle Mann
Thank you, I appreciate that. Respect. Yeah, I think my pick for the most delightful visual would be a Rian Johnson joint. He directed, as you said, the first episode of this season. The dramatic reveal of the prosthetic leg dangling off of the cliff, I think was my first like oh fuck yeah moment. Like the twist on a twist of how far these characters willing to go to cover up whatever they need to cover up to get the money that they need to get. Like that was my first return to Poker Face moment, I would say. And so that was my moment of true delight. But there are lots of visuals in the show that are not as delightful, but I still enjoy quite a bit. And I think the Giancarlo Esposito burning alive in his funeral home at the end of his episode. Like am I delighted by it? Yes and no. But please speak on it. Joe. That was an awesome moment.
Joanna Robinson
It's so cool. Like, so he's sitting in in the chair in his office, surrounded by the trappings of his of his business and then watching this portrait of his father burn. The portrait made from his father's remains burn in very normal and something that you discover that maybe you always knew but you well, I guess we've known it since Breaking Bad is that Giancarlo Esposito has this like incredible bone structure of his face. And so in Breaking Bad spoilers for Breaking Bad when his character very famously once again a spoiler for Breaking Bad. Please skip ahead if you haven't seen it. Gets half his face blown off. And it's just this incredible visual of Gus Fring's half blown off face and his normal face. And so watching him sit there in that chair, he just looks. You can see the skeleton sort of underneath, like he's just about to melt off of his own bones as he sits there in the fire. And there was just something like. That's the moment when I was coming up with these categories sort of on the fly as I was watching. I was like, best visual where I'm just, like, fired by this very moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
J. Kyle Mann
I also think that moment opened up something for Pokerface for me, which is, you know, clearly this is a show that draws a lot from Columbo. The case of the week structure, the One More Thing kind of return as, like, Charlie's talking through the cases like it's all right there on its sleeve, that episode, among others. But I think they all kind of have their moment of this had some real, like, Twilight Zone in it, too. Not in the like, oh, there's a supernatural element way, but like the. The hoisted by your own petard dramatic irony twist at the very end felt very Twilight Zone. And I think that's where a show like Poker Face can draw from all sorts of influences because it can be anything it wants at any time.
Joanna Robinson
I want to. I want to actually, I'll circle back to that in our next category, but I do want to also say, while we're here, this is less of, like, a striking sort of cinematic visual and more of like, to your point, a gag reveal to me in episode one, the running bit of Charlie gnawing on a turkey leg for like a quarter of the episode.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah. Like, she's a funeral buffet turkey leg.
Joanna Robinson
Like, she's Henry VIII is, like, pretty phenomenal. And then in that same episode, the biggest laugh, I think, of maybe all four episodes that the show got for me was when she drops Chekhov's pointy.
J. Kyle Mann
Award, the Latvian Intergenerational Kiss award.
Joanna Robinson
There you go onto Cynthia Erivo's. One of the. Cynthia Erivo's foot.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
To reveal that it's a real foot and not a prosthetic underneath there. And that. That Cynthia Erivo is pretending it doesn't hurt. And then blood just, like gushes out, geysers out of it. And it's so funny.
J. Kyle Mann
I don't think we gave Cynthia her flowers enough, too, for her episode where she is playing Amber and Bebe and Cece and Delia and Felicity and Amber playing Felicity and Amber playing Delia. Like, there's a lot to juggle in that episode. And she. There's a lot of very exaggerated accent work happening, I think, to distinguish some of those characters and very clear color palettes in addition to, like, the naming scheme situation. But I had a great time with it. I enjoyed her getting to just riff off of different versions of herself.
Joanna Robinson
The two sort of very backup ones, which are, I think BB and cece are like the fact that you just mostly get them in reaction shots. And it's just sort of like one of them says something very pretentious in French, and one of them says something very spacey and dj, and it's just sort of like, let's move on from here. It's really funny. Best needle drop. Okay, so this is where I want to. I don't want to step on your answer or whatever, but I will say in terms of the Twilight Zone feel of episode two, if you use the ink spots in an episode as a rule, you're gonna give haunted. It gives haunted always. Anytime. You use the ink spots as a. As a needle drop. But what is your pick for needle drop?
J. Kyle Mann
Very competitive category. I'm glad you brought up. I believe it's BB who's the DJ.
Joanna Robinson
Yes.
J. Kyle Mann
Honorable mention to BB's remix of the Kids Cop Nights theme that she plays at the funeral, which I think is wonderful also. Honorable mention.
Joanna Robinson
Sorry. The kid comes up. The first scene we get where she's like a show girl sitting on the.
J. Kyle Mann
She's a drug mule, I think.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, well, she's a drug mule, but she's, like, dressed as, like, a saloon girl, and she's just like, I don't know where I end and the mule begins. Very, very good. Really good.
J. Kyle Mann
The fact that Charlie wants to go back and watch the one where the kid cop meets or catches the Zodiac Killer.
Joanna Robinson
The Zodiac Killer.
J. Kyle Mann
I also would like to watch that episode. But, yeah, the kid's Cop Night remix theme does slap. So honorable mention to that Honorable mention to Johann Sebastian Bach. He cooked in these episodes as well. I think there is one definitive answer for me, though. I couldn't go any other way. It is the shredding guitar Ave Maria at the biker funeral in episode two. Just really, really inspired work by everyone involved.
Joanna Robinson
Very, very good. Yeah, we get some, like, literal needle drops inside of that episode. For me, it's a song I had never heard before, which is John Cale's Barracuda. Not to be confused with a Barracuda that you might Know. Yes, A different Barracuda. But I love when a show can teach me about an absolute banger that I had never heard before. So I love John Cale. I just didn't know the song. So there we go. Barracuda, but a different one. All right, Charlie. Part of the premise of the show is Charlie goes from town to town picking up odd jobs as she goes. Which Charlie Odd Job. And we. And we got a montage of them we did in this season in addition to working at the gator farm and all the other things that she does this season. What a corpse. Sorry, I don't. I'll stop naming them so you can say what you want. Which Charlie Odd Job would you most want to have? Raw Mahoney.
J. Kyle Mann
I mean, the actual answer is none. None of these seem particularly pleasant to do, but if you're gonna pick one, I think you could do a lot of work a lot worse than apple picking. You know, a little bit of sunshine, a little bit of fresh air. Yeah. Long days on your feet in the elements. Not always great. I'm not saying it's easy work, but I would much rather do that than be a parking lot attendant.
Joanna Robinson
Okay. Yeah. Parking lot attendant looked the most bleak to me, honestly. Yeah. Some good reading time, apparently. But, you know, didn't seem like she was getting some good conversation from her.
J. Kyle Mann
Co worker, Cookie, I think is his name.
Joanna Robinson
Great, great note. Haunted Hayride. That's my. That's my pick. You're in Haunted Hayride. Yeah, yeah. When she plays the mummy in the haunted hay ride.
J. Kyle Mann
How do you feel about a haunting Jo? Like a haunted house, a haunted hayride, Any kind of spooky Halloween type situation.
Joanna Robinson
Thank you so much for asking. I love it. I'm a big fan. I have been in a few haunted houses in my day as a performer and has been extremely fun for me. So.
J. Kyle Mann
So this isn't which job you would like to have, it's which job you would like to have.
Joanna Robinson
No, not. Not paid. I did it in college a couple times. Like when, you know, people put together a haunted house. Yeah, I think I've told this. I know I've told the story. I can't. I don't know if I've told it to you, but definitely on a pod. Before that. Freshman year. One year. They had. Yeah, it was freshman year. They had me do. I was like Linda Blair from the Exorcist. And so they just, like, had me. So it was like, in a dorm, and so each room had been, like, dressed up and they had me, like So I was on the bed. There were people under the bed, shaking the bed. And then they just, like, had, like, dumped pea soup on me, which was, like, actually completely rancid. But then I just got to, like, shout swears at people as I walk past. And I had a great time. And I'd fared better than the girl who played Carrie, who got carousel syrup, like, red Karo syrup dumped over her hair, and it took, like, maybe a haircut to get it all out. So we didn't know what we were doing. We're not professionals. Yeah, we were just doing our best. But that was really fun. And a haunted hay ride is really, really fun, so I think that's what I would want to do.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah, I'm sure the dorm administrators, too, loved just, like, the pea soup and Karo syrup being poured everywhere. Every bed, every surface, every crevice in that dorm room.
Joanna Robinson
Sticky. Very sticky situation. Absolutely not.
J. Kyle Mann
Not what you want.
Joanna Robinson
Would you, like, are you so superstitious that you would not do, like, a haunted house or a haunted hayride?
J. Kyle Mann
I'm fine with it, but mostly, like, not that interested. Here's the thing. Halloween, not my holiday. More of a Thanksgiving guy. Ultimately, more of, like a July barbecue kind of guy. I'm not out here trying to get spooked.
Joanna Robinson
Do you think it's because you come from a long lineage of funeral directors? Directors. And you take death more seriously than the goons do at Halloween?
J. Kyle Mann
You know what? You're right. We are more evolved. We have a healthier relationship with death. We don't need to make it a joke. You know, this is part of who we are. This is part of the natural life cycle.
Joanna Robinson
Very serious. Wow. You don't like Halloween. I'm.
J. Kyle Mann
I'm neutral slash indifferent. Like, actually slight negative. Neutral is too, too positive. Slight negative.
Joanna Robinson
Follow up question. You, Rob Mahoney, Are you a costume party person? Like, would you dress up for a costume party?
J. Kyle Mann
Absolutely, if there's a theme, if there's a participation element. Some friends of mine back in Dallas used to celebrate every year Leonardo DiCaprio's birthday. Long story. You had to show up in costume as a Leonardo DiCaprio character of some kind. So, yeah, I have many, many great costumes. I would say my favorite of those was Leo Did. I think it was a Vanity Fair photo shoot where he's in a black turtleneck with a swan wrapped around his neck.
Joanna Robinson
The swan.
J. Kyle Mann
Let's just say the costume went off. It really worked out.
Joanna Robinson
Oh, yeah. The very first swan cover is, like, absolutely iconic. That's a great costume. I just don't understand why you don't then apply that zeal, that clear talent you have for this to the holiday where we all dress up and. And have fun. You know, I think what I want.
J. Kyle Mann
Is the camaraderie of knowing we are all on theme together. Like, we have a joint mission. We're all aiming for the same thing, and we're gonna reach at it together versus actual Halloween. You have so many varied levels of investment execution. Some people are spooky, some people are funny. Like, it's just all over the place in a way that does not do a lot for me.
Joanna Robinson
All right, so a more organized Halloween for Rob Mahoney, please.
J. Kyle Mann
Yes, please.
Joanna Robinson
That's a note for the American populace. Okay, Charlie's smartest move. She doesn't always make the smartest moves, and we'll talk about that in a second. But what's her, like, most impressively intelligent move that you think she makes?
J. Kyle Mann
See, I would say this is maybe not her smartest collection of episodes. She's not coming up with all the stops here.
Joanna Robinson
Gotta say, my memory is that in season one, she is also quite often fumbling and bumbling, and we're like, oh, Charlie. It's part of the Charlie. Yeah. Oh, Charlie. And she gets out of it because she's, you know, Has a superpower.
J. Kyle Mann
Yes. Well, no. She has a preternatural sense.
Joanna Robinson
You agreed. You agree.
J. Kyle Mann
I agree.
Joanna Robinson
You said yes.
J. Kyle Mann
That was me trying to. Yes. And my podcast partner, not me, endorsing every word that you say.
Joanna Robinson
The first thing you said was yes. Okay, what is the smartest thing Charlie does in this collection of episodes?
J. Kyle Mann
So I would. I have kind of a tie here, because one of them, I think, is very smart, but not in a super obvious way, which is in episode one, when she detects Amber is telling her a set of facts and the family lawyer is telling her the same set of facts. And the fact that one is ringing true and one is ringing false I think is like a great setup to use her power in the first episode of this season. And it's like a really smart way to kind of walk that line. Is that a brilliant maneuver? I think it's probably great writing. More than it is great. Charlie being Charlie. Her actual smartest move, I think, is throwing the vape into the incinerator. I think it's her real superpower. Joe is listening every episode, every throwaway line. You tell me that a battery will explode in this furnace, then I'm going to remember that I'm Going to lock it up. I'm going to throw my vape in there at just the most opportune moment possible.
Joanna Robinson
And I was like, I didn't know. I didn't know it would do. I didn't know it would go like that. No, it was pretty impressive. I almost had best vape moment as a category, but there was just, like, a clear answer. Well, she. She's vaping up a storm until she decides to go back to the cigarette. So, yeah, those are all good ones, I have to say. Maybe this isn't the smartest. It's just the one that, like, delighted me the most when she's trying to figure out where the bag of meth went and whether or not the gator was capable of stealing the bag of meth. That she was like, no, look how cleanly it was taken. These are definitely, definitely human hands. Stole this bag of meth.
J. Kyle Mann
I don't know what it is about the meth gator, but, like, everything about that episode really, really gets me for some reason. Just.
Joanna Robinson
I know it was fun.
J. Kyle Mann
What a show we've got.
Joanna Robinson
It's like what Cocaine Bear should have been, honestly, is how I feel about that. Charlie's dumbest move, even though it's not her fault, the twist tie on the gator cage.
J. Kyle Mann
I mean, it kind of worked.
Joanna Robinson
It held. And it's not her fault that Fran came along and untwisted it, but I was just like, that's. That's. You're very lucky that that did not go poorly for you, Charlie. Anyway, what is your. What is your answer?
J. Kyle Mann
I think her dumbest move, and this is. This may be observable by this point in the podcast, based on which episodes we've talked about most of her actions in episode three. I don't really understand what Charlie is doing, how forthcoming she's being, why she's just, like, going along with these various schemes, being, like, super upfront about everything, including her preternatural sense of bullshit. I don't know what she's up to in episode three, but episode three kind of goes off the rails.
Joanna Robinson
Episode three, where John Mulaney shows up with his, like. I will just say whatever he has done to his face had not settled when he filmed that episode. His face is, like, in a Silly Putty state and it's. Oh, no, I think it has, like, settled down since. But anyway, it was just, like, kind of un. Ungainly. But there's a Stephen Sondheim runner and I'm trying to spare you from it. I Could spend the whole podcast talking about the musical references in that episode. But I was like, rob doesn't usually, like, make you talk about basketball. For most. Usually I ask you about basketball. So I'm gonna, like, spare you for me talking about musicals. But the Sondheim Runner through that episode is quite good a reason why that episode works so well for me. But everything that Charlie does is quite baffling. And so that is where we find ourselves in that. Okay.
J. Kyle Mann
And Joe, you say that about musicals. I will say I, you know, I'm musical open and certainly musical humor open in this kind of context. I'm also a human being, for reasons that I cannot explain to you. Have had several Tick, Tick Boom songs stuck in my head for now, like, 48 hours, and I don't know where they came from or why. Have not. I've only seen that movie. Have not seen it in years. They're just lodged up there somehow. You know, I'm just in therapy with Andrew Garfield.
Joanna Robinson
You got Garfielded?
J. Kyle Mann
I got Garfielded. I got subconsciously Garfield, like a sleeper agent. I must have seen, like, his face somewhere, and it just popped back into my head.
Joanna Robinson
Have I told you about my favorite. My, like, current favorite piece of swag that we have in. In the house?
J. Kyle Mann
You simply must.
Joanna Robinson
In our. In our kitchen, we got. There's a timer, like a. Like an egg timer, like a spin in and a tick, tick, tick, tick, ticks. And it's just got Andrew Garfield's face on it. And they set it out for We Live In Time. It's just an egg timer with Andrew Garfield's face on it. And it's magnetized. So it's just on, like, the hood of our, like, range. It's just there. And I use it all the time. And I think about Andrew Garfield when I do, but I haven't been thinking about Tick, Tick Boom. And maybe I will start doing that.
J. Kyle Mann
There you go. I mean, look, if you got the egg timer, it's already. It's already built in. Is there a Cor. Flow egg timer that you can collect the set?
Joanna Robinson
They just did Andy. I think they just did Andrew Garfield.
J. Kyle Mann
It's a real missed opportunity. If you had, like, a McDonald's Happy Meal with those toys in it, I would buy them a We Live In Time egg timer with Andrew Garfield and Florence P. On them. I shell out some money for that.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, that sounds like the. The words of someone who dressed as the mini fair Leonardo DiCaprio cover.
J. Kyle Mann
Guilty as Charged.
Joanna Robinson
Other than learning that Ramoni once dressed as the vanity fair, Leonardo DiCaprio cover. The most interesting fact you learned from these. These stretch of episodes. I gave you an example not knowing that you definitely probably already knew what you could do with cremains. But what. What did you learn from these four episodes?
J. Kyle Mann
I don't wanna speak out of turn. I'm gonna say that my ancestral family funeral home was not putting people's remains into records. Was not putting them into toilet seat covers.
Joanna Robinson
But did you know that you could press remains into a record?
J. Kyle Mann
I did know that. I just don't think quite our style.
Joanna Robinson
I didn't know.
J. Kyle Mann
We're a little more tasteful than that, ultimately.
Joanna Robinson
Okay.
J. Kyle Mann
You know.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah, you're elegant. I got it. Okay.
J. Kyle Mann
Mine was less like a fact of, you know, for example, that you can't throw a battery into a furnace and more a fact of life courtesy of, you know, Steve Buscemi piping in. In these episodes. Joe, this is a quote from. From that character, Good Buddy. Is that. Is that his official canonical name?
Joanna Robinson
Good Buddy? Yeah. Good Buddy says I think is a Gilligan's island reference.
J. Kyle Mann
I think I seem to just like a 104 good buddy kind of thing.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. But I think that's.
J. Kyle Mann
Is that from Gilligan's Island?
Joanna Robinson
Gilligan's Island? Maybe not, but I think it is.
J. Kyle Mann
We're gonna have to get to the bottom of that. If you know where 104 good buddy comes from and if it is Gilligan's island, please email us@prestigetvpotify.com the quote from that character is, there is no destination. There is only the highway. And I believe if we open our perception and trust and humble ourselves and find sanctuary when we need it, that highway will find us. That's some facts. That's the thing I do. That's a thing I did not fully embrace and understand until watching this episode of television.
Joanna Robinson
And that's what I'm saying. Like, I feel like we can look forward to more of these, like, words of wisdom from Steve seven going forward. Before you send us an email about this, I might want to walk back. Think Gilligan's.
J. Kyle Mann
Do you, Joe, state your claim. If you feel like that's true, I want you to stand on it.
Joanna Robinson
I know that the Skipper calls Gilligan. Like, I want to say, maybe it's like Little Buddy, but I think.
J. Kyle Mann
I think. I think there is a Little Buddy element. There could. I mean, look, there could be multiple kinds of buddies on Gilligan's Island. That's very possible.
Joanna Robinson
Good Buddy. I just thought like it was a Gilligan thing, which fit in with the 70s thing, but we could Google it instead. Why don't you email us prestigious Spotify.com and don't ask ChatGPT. Only email us if you know this, what the answer is. We want human reactions. Okay, here's what I learned. And it's like a, a semantic thing. The difference between a rat and a mole. I don't know that I had like, just maybe never really thought about it. But in episode three, they're talking about, you know, Ray Perlman's character is concerned that there's someone in her organization is ratting on her. So she's like, there's the rat, blah, blah.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
And then later someone's like, oh, the mole. They said, did you say the rat or do you say the mole? And I was like, what do you mean? What's the difference between a rat and a mole? And so the difference, as far as I understand it, right. I mean, I guess I should have known this. It just, I was just like, it was just a moment where I was like, I've never considered what the difference between a rat and a mole is, but a mole being someone like who's long term embedded in an organization versus a rat being someone who's like, there's a sense of betrayal from a rat, but there'd be a sense of betrayal from a mole. I don't know. In the Departed, leaving aside the literal rat and the Jack Nicholson talking about the rat, those are both moles, wouldn't you say?
J. Kyle Mann
I would say they're both embedded. So this is the question. Is it a matter of like, timing and circumstance? Like if you're going in to infiltrate and filter out information, that feels more mole to me. If you're in an organization and you decide to turn state to witness or turn whatever, yeah, that would make you a rat. But also, is there an element where it's like, if you are part of the establishment, then you are a mole infiltrating the establishment. You wouldn't have a rat within the FBI. You know what I'm saying?
Joanna Robinson
Yeah.
J. Kyle Mann
So a rat, only the mole can work for the man. That's.
Joanna Robinson
And only a rat can snitch. Is that what you're saying?
J. Kyle Mann
But where does that leave the snakes.
Joanna Robinson
And the stool pigeons? I don't know.
J. Kyle Mann
See, we've learned something, but we have more questions than answers.
Joanna Robinson
I couldn't actually could not find a satisfying, like clear cut answer to this. There's like a few Reddit threads that I was like, thank you. Other people, years ago, other people have asked These questions. But again, presshcvotify.com if you have thoughts and questions about.
J. Kyle Mann
Is an undercover cop like the one we see during episode four, the cop who's been a janitor, like, hiding in plain sight the whole time? It's just a good bit. If you're an undercover cop. An undercover cop would, by our definition, that we're kind of sussing out here, be more of a mole than a rat. Cause he's going in to infiltrate. But also, if you're a cop.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. So a rat is someone who has been turned.
J. Kyle Mann
Yes.
Joanna Robinson
You know, is an original gangster. Is like part of the. The team. Those three scary guys that she was playing.
J. Kyle Mann
Right.
Joanna Robinson
Well, not playing Pokemon, whatever. And Richard Kind. So. But Richard kind of when they cut to, like, the. The suspect board, and it just said, like, not really involved. Next to Richard Kind. It's really funny. But those three guys, if any of those three guys at the. At the card table turn their rats, definitely. But if you join the FBI knowing that you are going to be an agent for hire sort of thing, you're a mole.
J. Kyle Mann
So Wahlberg and the Departed definitively a mole or. Sorry, not Wahlberg. Dame. Sorry, Damon and the Departed. Yeah, sorry, Damon a mole.
Joanna Robinson
But DiCaprio a mole because they both join with the intention of infiltrating and then distributing that information.
J. Kyle Mann
Can you be a mole if you are a police officer acting lawfully? I don't know.
Joanna Robinson
But you're a mole from the perspective of the criminal organization that you've infiltrated?
J. Kyle Mann
Without a doubt. You know, from a certain point of view, Joe, you're absolutely right.
Joanna Robinson
Okay. If you think the Departed is a double mole situation, press CG and Spotify if you can think of a double rat. Like Donnie Brasco.
J. Kyle Mann
Yeah.
Joanna Robinson
Like, what's a double rat situation?
J. Kyle Mann
There's gotta be one out there. I would love to hear about any. Any double rat situations that come to mind for people. I would love to hear about those as well.
Joanna Robinson
Yeah. All right. Anything else you want to say about Poker Face before we depart this podcast here today?
J. Kyle Mann
I love this show. I. You know, clearly we're going off the rails a bit here by the end, but I think that's in part because the tonality of the show lends itself to it and the silliness that's kind of baked into what it can be. So excited to have it back. I would watch an infinite number of episodes of this show, as many as they would care to make. And so to have a full season, and we're just at the start of it. I hope we can keep checking in.
Joanna Robinson
Jo so that is it for Poker Face episodes one through four of season two. We will be back in some form to check in on Poker Face. Maybe not week to week. We'll see. Because we're not doing week to week, I don't think we're doing any sort of show specific emails. But again, prestige tvpodify.com if you have Gilligan's island information for us, rat versus mole information for us, all sorts of stuff, we love to hear it from you, our listeners. And we will see you next week with the Last of Us coverage with your friends and neighbors coverage. We have a really sick interview on the Last of Us podcast next week. We got I can say it now because we've already conducted the interview, but Neil Druckmann and Hallie Gross who co wrote Last of us part 2 the game and Neil Druckmann who is the co showrunner of the HBO show and Hallie worked on season two, talked to us about the episodes that could premiere this Sunday. So great interview. They're the best. They're wonderful and so tune in for that next week. And thanks to Kai Grady who is working on a on a Friday afternoon after taking a flight from Texas to California. The best. And thank you to Justin Sales for allowing us to do a Poker for Random Poker Face episode. Thank you so much Justin and we will see you soon. Bye.
Podcast Summary: The Prestige TV Podcast – ‘Poker Face’ Season 2, Episodes 1-4: Best Guest Stars, Favorite Jokes, and Meth Gators
Release Date: May 19, 2025
In this episode of The Prestige TV Podcast, hosted by Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney (J. Kyle Mann) from The Ringer, the hosts delve into the first four episodes of Season 2 of the acclaimed television series Poker Face. The discussion is lively and insightful, providing both fans and newcomers with a comprehensive overview of the show's latest season.
Joanna Robinson opens the discussion by highlighting the shift in the show's premise for Season 2. Initially centered around Charlie's escape from mafia-controlled scenarios, the new season broadens its scope by adopting a "murder of the week" format in different towns each episode.
Rob Mahoney emphasizes the change, stating:
"We're gonna go to a new town every week. There's gonna be a new mystery, usually a murder of some kind to solve." ([03:29])
He appreciates how the show maintains its core essence while exploring new narratives, driven by Charlie's unique ability to discern truth from deception.
One of the standout aspects of Season 2, as discussed by both hosts, is the impressive array of guest stars.
Gabbie Hoffman as Officer Fran Lamont is lauded for her portrayal of a police officer entangled in complex ego-driven scenarios.
Rob Mahoney remarks:
"A police officer stuck in a spiral of ego. And also Alligator Method. Like, I don't know what more you want from a TV show than that." ([16:17])
Richard Kind in Episode 3 captivates listeners with his role as Rhea Perlman's love interest and an informant to the FBI. Joanna Robinson expresses her admiration:
"I love Richard Kind. Anytime he shows up in anything, I'm thrilled beyond belief." ([17:37])
John Sayles, the director known for classics like Secret of Roan and Lone Star, makes a memorable appearance as a police chief, adding depth and authenticity to the episode.
Steve Buscemi introduces an intriguing recurring character, "Good Buddy," whose philosophical musings over a CB radio add a unique flavor to the narrative.
Joanna Robinson shares her enthusiasm:
"Adding Buscemi in as, like, a potentially weekly or, you know, every few weeks or something like, that character is really exciting." ([12:07])
Runner-Up Guest Stars:
Katie Holmes delivers a delightful performance in Episode 2, portraying a character with a "bad wig" that adds a layer of humor and unpredictability to the storyline.
Rob Mahoney adds:
"She has found this era of her career where she'll just show up in something like this... and she brings a totally different charge than anybody else on screen has." ([19:28])
Season 2 of Poker Face is replete with humor and witty moments that resonate with the audience.
Episode 4: Divine Gator
The setting of a cop award ceremony, humorously named the "Flopa Kopa," provides ample laughs.
Rob Mahoney comments:
"Every time they just said Flopa Kopa, I was laughing." ([20:17])
The subplot involving cops debating who among them is the "loose cannon" adds a comedic twist to the episode's tension.
Joanna Robinson notes:
"It was just calibrated. Perfect level of non-celebrity celebrity." ([20:40])
Episode 1: The Game Is Afoot
Charlie's quirky habit of gnawing on a turkey leg throughout the episode serves as a running gag that delights listeners.
Joanna Robinson shares:
"Charlie's dumbest move... the twist tie on the gator cage. It held. And it's not her fault that Fran came along and untwisted it." ([44:43])
Episode 3: Whack A Mole
The blend of musical references, particularly the Sondheim runner, enriches the episode's narrative and provides a nostalgic nod to classic musicals.
Joanna Robinson remarks:
"The Sondheim Runner through that episode is quite good a reason why that episode works so well for me." ([13:28])
A unique and entertaining element introduced in Season 2 is the presence of meth-addicted alligators, adding an unexpected layer of danger and absurdity to the show's mysteries.
Episode 4 features the concept of "meth gators," creatures that pose both a physical and metaphorical threat to Charlie as she navigates her cases.
Rob Mahoney humorously reflects:
"Meth Gators... Everything about that episode really gets me for some reason." ([44:31])
The culmination of this subplot sees characters falling victim to the antics of these heightened gator threats, blending horror with dark comedy.
The podcast hosts commend the show's visual storytelling and cinematographic excellence.
Rian Johnson's Direction:
The dramatic reveal of a prosthetic leg dangling off a cliff stands out as a visually stunning moment.
Rob Mahoney describes it as:
"The dramatic reveal of the prosthetic leg dangling off of the cliff... That was my first return to Poker Face moment." ([30:15])
Giancarlo Esposito's character burning in his funeral home office delivers a visually intense scene reminiscent of Breaking Bad, showcasing the show's ability to blend suspense with intricate character studies.
Joanna Robinson elaborates:
"Watching him sit there in that chair... like he's just about to melt off of his own bones as he sits there in the fire." ([31:04])
Twilight Zone Influences:
The hosts draw parallels between the show's twist endings and the classic Twilight Zone episodes, highlighting Poker Face's penchant for dramatic irony and unexpected conclusions.
Rob Mahoney notes:
"That episode... felt very Twilight Zone." ([32:10])
Charlie’s distinctive style continues to be a highlight, blending 70s-inspired fashion with quirky accessories.
Beach Fit Ensemble:
A standout moment is Charlie's beach look featuring a Hawaiian shirt, teal Ray-Bans with red frames, and a beer helmet, encapsulating her eclectic personality.
Rob Mahoney praises:
"She's rocking a lot of high socks in this season... like, jean shorts, high socks, lot of bolos with open collars." ([23:32])
Party Down Cater Waiter Outfit:
In Episode 4, Charlie adopts a cater waiter look complete with matching pink sunglasses, adding to the episode's vibrant and humorous tone.
Joanna Robinson comments:
"She's got the matching pink sunglasses to go with it. It's pretty great." ([24:15])
The podcast features several memorable quotes from the episodes, enhancing the listeners' understanding and appreciation of the show's depth.
From "Good Buddy":
"There is no destination. There is only the highway. And I believe if we open our perception and trust and humble ourselves and find sanctuary when we need it, that highway will find us." ([49:05])
Other humorous and poignant lines from characters enrich the storytelling, providing both levity and insight into the narrative.
The hosts touch upon the change in showrunners for Season 2, with Tony Tost taking over from Rian Johnson, bringing his own flair and experience from shows like Longmire.
Tony Tost's Influence:
His background suggests a potential for maintaining the show's quality while introducing new elements and narratives.
Joanna Robinson notes:
"Tony Tost... worked on Longmire... we're like, who's this person that we have not heard of." ([07:59])
Upcoming Projects:
The hosts briefly discuss Tost's film Americana, highlighting its ensemble cast and potential stylistic similarities with Poker Face.
Rob Mahoney reflects:
"There is something shared between them... something shared Western vibe." ([10:31])
Joanna Robinson and Rob Mahoney conclude the discussion by expressing their enthusiasm for Poker Face Season 2, anticipating continued excellence and unique storytelling in future episodes.
Rob Mahoney states:
"I love this show... I would watch an infinite number of episodes of this show." ([55:01])
Joanna Robinson encourages listeners to engage with the podcast's community for further discussions and insights.
For more in-depth discussions and upcoming episode analyses, tune into The Prestige TV Podcast weekly. Join Joanna Robinson, Rob Mahoney, and other Ringer personalities as they continue to break down your favorite television shows.