Vents MagaZine Music and Entertainment Magazine
Related Articles
Soon, Peacock is going to drop a new show that I am enthused for. It’s called Poker Face, and it stars Natasha Lyonne. Oh, and it was created by Rian Johnson. The show is being pitched as a throwback to mystery shows and whodunits and procedurals of a bygone era. I’m looking forward to Poker Face, but before it drops, here are some weekend viewing recommendations to get you primed for the pump.
On the Rian Johnson front, obviously watching Knives Out or Glass Onion would benefit you. He only gets to make a show like this because of the success of films like that. However, also check out Brick, his debut movie. It’s a film noir set in a high school, but it actually works. I think it’s better than the Benoit Blanc films, personally, though I am a big fan of those two movies. OK, maybe Knives Out is on Brick’s level.
If you aren’t familiar with Natasha Lyonne, watch the first season of Russian Doll on Netflix (which is where you can catch Johnson’s Benoit Blanc movies as well). The second season is good, but the first season is where it is at. Lyonne is singular in terms of her aura and persona, and this is the best encapsulation of that at this point.
Then, it’s time to watch one of the shows that Poker Face pays homage to. I, naturally, would go with Columbo. The great thing about Columbo is that there is no overarching story. Every episode is a made-for-TV film. I would suggest watching “Short Fuse,” “Etude in Black,” and “And Old Port in a Storm” if you can only watch a few episodes. Those episodes plus some Russian Doll plus a couple Johnson films? You’ll be primed for Poker Face to be sure.
