With its quirky characters, mysterious murders and a detective with a unique gift, Poker Face is a welcome reminder of the crime dramas we all know and love. Featuring nods to classic series such as Murder, She Wrote and Columbo, the comedy-drama created by Knives Out director Rian Johnson is revitalising a tired format – and adding Hollywood stars to the mix.
In the new season of Poker Face, casino worker Charlie Cale has been framed for murder and is still on the run from those who did the crime. Yet, her nomadic lifestyle and unique gift for detecting lies becomes her strength when she meets colourful characters and investigates a new mystery each episode.
“Watching them build a whole new world each week is a joy,” Natasha tells TV WEEK. “[The cast and crew] think of them as isolated movies in a way and we have to work to keep Charlie alive in all that, and also keep her internal road map in swing as much as the show itself.”
Natasha, who is an executive producer on the show, has also played an important part in the show’s stacked cast of guest stars, which includes Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Katie Holmes, Taylor Schilling, Melanie Lynskey and Justin Theroux. The Emmy nominee says she often messages other stars to line up their appearances.
“There’s been some chasing,” she says of securing a wish list of talent. “People want to be a part of it, but no-one wants to cancel their tour dates or gigs, so it’s a tug-of-war. John [Mulaney] was supposed to go to Hawaii for his birthday, but I do remember bringing in a cake on his birthday, so I guess he didn’t go! And that’s nice of him. Some things don’t come through, but there’s a running list.”
After the first season received critical acclaim and multiple Emmy Award nominations, the pressure was on to deliver a stand-out follow-up season. However, Natasha felt confident putting herself in the hands of Rian, who is known for his spectacular plot twists.
“You couldn’t ask for a better partner,” she says of the creator. “But it’s a funny dance and we always want to honour what people love about the show. It makes me miss movies, because you do it and it either goes well or it doesn’t. TV shows are quite stressful that way.”
While having a case-of-the-week-style show opens up multiple possibilities, Natasha says the groundwork begins in the character. And this season, Charlie is trying to find who she is in the wake of the trauma that has unfolded.
“Everyone has some blue-sky ideas in the [writers’] room, but it doesn’t change too much. I don’t think about ways to murder people as often as I should,” the 46-year-old says with a laugh.
“But Charlie has been on the road for some time and there’s probably a lot of loneliness in that. What is that like to not be in touch with her sister, and her best friend has died [in season one] and she’s a bit of a weathered kid looking for a place to call home. It’s quite a thing.”
Poker Face S1-2 is available on Stan
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