WARNING: This post contains Season 1 spoilers Poker face.
Its first season Poker face it came to an end, and damn, it was a wild ride.
Of course, as with any TV season, some episodes were more enjoyable than others.
Here’s my ranking of Season 1 episodes, from least favorite to favorite:
10.
Episode 3 – “The Stall”
Honestly, this mostly loses points because I thought a dog was beaten to death, but I also didn’t find the killers in this as compelling as the others (as much as I love Lil Rel Howery).
9.
Episode 1 – “Dead Man’s Hand”
Even though the pilot is one of my least favorite episodes of the season, I enjoyed it enough to watch the next episode. While the casino setting didn’t do anything for me, the performances are compelling — Adrien Brody plays a great scumbag.
8.
Episode 2 – “The Night Shift”
This is another case of a setting I’m not too keen on. There are exceptions – The Mummy and No, to name a couple — but desert multimedia doesn’t grab me. Again, though, they all gave great performances (including ’90s Jack Black, Colton Ryan).
7.
Episode 7 — “The Future of the Sport”
It was a nice change that no one actually died in it, especially since the near-victim was caught up in the feud between her father and his sought-after replacement. While I liked the arcade scenes, unless it’s the opening of one Final destination movie, a race track is not a very interesting setting for me.
6.
Episode 10 – “The Hook”
The opening to this was both funny (I found myself simultaneously thinking “poor Cliff” and chuckling) and informative (around the fourth episode of the season, I began to wonder how much time passed between each of these murders, Charlie continued to find herself embroiled in).
I also really enjoyed seeing Natasha Lyonne reunite with her But I’m a cheerleader actress Clea DuVall (even if they weren’t playing girlfriends) and was pleasantly surprised by the twist that Sterling Sr. wasn’t the bad guy Charlie thought he was after all (besides being a mob boss).
5.
Episode 5 – “Time of the Monkey”
This one kind of scratched an itch I’ve had for the previous three episodes. I kept waiting for Charlie to be attacked by one of them literal killers he kept dealing with* so it was a strange relief when it finally happened. I also love that she got her ass kicked by some old women, one of whom even a wheelchair couldn’t stop.
4.
Episode 4 – “Rest in Metal”
Chloë Sevigny is a fantastic rock star and the songs created for the episode are really good listens. (Peacock, if you’re reading this, feel free to release the songs!)
Also, Natasha Lyonne crowd surfs, flips the bird and screams, “FUCK YOU, RUBY!” it’s just a prime moment of television in general.
3.
Episode 6 — “Exit Stage Death”
I love watching actors play actors, especially when the characters are cartoonish and terrible, and Ellen Barkin and Tim Meadows nailed it. This episode also had a big twist and the fact that Meadows and Barkin’s characters decided that the show should go on even after the arrest? Awesome.
2.
Episode 9 – “Escape from Shit Mountain”
This episode just ticked all the boxes for me. The title itself is amazing, and a snowy mountain cabin is one of my favorite settings for a murder mystery. I liked that they twisted the format a bit with this episode, with the “death” we initially see actually being Charlie.
The acting in this one was also especially sweet, considering our villain is an overly rich white guy who has no problem killing women, people of color, and both.
Speaking of which, I’m going to need Joseph Gordon-Levitt to play more lovers ASAP.
1.
Episode 8 – “The Orpheus Syndrome”
It felt like the closest episode to Halloween this season, and I’m a stickler for all things scary. I loved the stylistic and editing choices made in the last act, especially the surreality of Cherry Jones’ breakdown as she was made a murderer. Acting wise, I wouldn’t be surprised if both Jones and/or Nick Nolte got a nomination or two for their performances.
Also, of all Charlie’s jobs, this was the one I envied the most. It just looked like so much fun!
What were your favorite episodes? Poker face? Sound off in the comments!