Poker Face Returns This Spring with New Guest Stars in Tow

Poker Face, one of our favorite TV shows of 2023, is finally set to return, and soon. Season 2 of Rian Johnson and Natasha Lyonne’s homage to classic detective TV shows will start streaming on Peacock in Spring 2025, so basically at some point in the next four months or so. And since nobody really considers June to be in the Spring, even if three weeks of it technically are, I’m going to assume we’re looking at a release date in April or May.

If you somehow missed the first season of Poker Face, imagine if Columbo was played by Lyonne (who’s also a producer, writer and director on the show) and unraveled mysteries throughout America while on the run from a man (played by Benjamin Bratt) who wanted to kill her (but only after solemnly reciting the lyrics to Blues Traveler’s “The Hook”). Basically, we’d see how and why a crime was committed, and then watch Lyonne’s character, Charlie Cale (who, crucially, can always tell when somebody is lying), solve it. Each episode had a TV movie feel, with new settings and guest stars, and Lyonne as the only regular appearing in every episode. It’s tempting to view it as an early entry in the new wave of character-centric mystery shows like Elsbeth and High Potential, only without the creative or time constraints of network TV.

With Lyonne as the only regular, the first season of Poker Face became known for its guest stars—one of whom, Judith Light, won an Emmy for her work on the show. Poker Face‘s list of good actors in inspired roles is long (and includes Chloë Sevigny and John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats as members of a washed-up metal band) and it’s no surprise that Season 2 will add to that bounty. Announced guests so far include Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, Giancarlo Esposito, Melanie Lynskey, Patti Harrison, and Sam Richardson (can Tim Robinson be far behind?), including a couple dozen more announced guests—and the promise of even more to come.

In addition to announcing a window for Season 2’s release, Peacock has also released the first batch of images from the new season. You can find those below, along with the full list of announced guests so far. But first, here’s a note about the new season from creators Johnson and Lyonne hinting at some of what’s to come.

Charlie Cale is back on the run, and in Season 2 we’ve taken her journey to the next level one murder mystery at a time. From minor league baseball to big box retail, from funeral homes to alligator farms and even a grade school talent show, Charlie navigates her crime solving existential road-trip with deadpan wit, human empathy, and her signature uncanny lie-detecting ability.

To bring Season 2 to life, we pulled visual inspiration from American 70s cinema, all the stuff we love like Robert Altman, Bob Rafelson, Peter Bogdanovich.  But the backbone of this show is TV – the kind of TV we grew up watching, episodic case of the week gems like Columbo and The Rockford Files and Quantum Leap.  Each episode is a mini movie, existing in its own world with a unique tone and vibe, featuring an eccentric lot of characters played by a truly gonzo parade of guest stars. We still can’t believe we got to work with rockstars like Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes, John Mulaney, and Awkwafina (and many many more, the list is kinda dizzying) who all dove into the game with joy and came ready to play.

Twelve killer new episodes are coming your way.  Buckle up and see you on the road!

Thanks,

Rian and Natasha

Poker Face Season 2 Guest Stars Include:

Alia Shawkat
Awkwafina
Ben Marshall
B.J. Novak
Carol Kane
Cliff “Method Man” Smith
Corey Hawkins
Cynthia Erivo
David Krumholtz
Davionte “GaTa” Ganter
Ego Nwodim
Gaby Hoffman
Giancarlo Esposito
Haley Joel Osment
Jason Ritter
John Cho
John Mulaney
Justin Theroux
Kathrine Narducci
Katie Holmes
Kevin Corrigan
Kumail Nanjiani
Margo Martindale
Melanie Lynskey
Patti Harrison
Sam Richardson
Sherry Cola
Simon Rex