“Poker Face” Season 1, Episodes 5 & 6 Review
Lie detector Charlie Cale does it again in episodes 5 and 6 of the Peacock original, “Poker Face”.
Episode 5, “The Time of the Monkey'' occurs in a retirement home where Cale is working as a janitor. She befriends two spinsters, Irene and Joyce.
Cale learns about the duo's colorful past. The two were part of a, anti-fascist movement in the ’70s.
They had plans to set off explosives at an elite private high school’s Model UN club, but before they could they were betrayed by a friend and arrested.
After being released from prison the two moved into the retirement village and had been there ever since. The episode picks up with their old friend, Gabriel arriving as a new resident.
However, when he arrives he is going by Ben because he is in witness protection. It is later revealed he was the one who betrayed Joyce and Irene.
Well, of course, they end up killing him, and Cale ends up discovering all of this and uncovering the truth.
The highlight of this episode is Joyce and Irene. They are played by guest stars, Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson, who bring a new sass and evil that hasn’t been on the show yet.
Let’s just say after watching this episode it is hard to trust pressure cookers again.
The sixth episode in the series had a very different plot than any episode yet, along with having the most shocking twist.
Ellen Barkin and Tim Meadows guest star in “Exit Stage Death” as Kathleen and Michael, and do a remarkable job portraying their characters very convincingly.
The two play retired actors who dislike each other but end up coming together to put on one last play together. However, throughout all of the rehearsals and the final show, they argue.
It is an easy assumption that one of them is going to kill the other. That was in no way the case.
There is a scene during the play where their co-star is delivering a monologue, and the two are arguing backstage and look as if they are both trying to set up the other to be killed.
In reality, they end up killing Michael’s wife so that the two can be together.
Truly shocking because of how convincing the two were in their hatred for each other.
Cale uncovers the truth, while the play is underway on its second night, and ends with a dramatic trap door exit by Kathleen.
These two episodes were definitely two of the funnier episodes to be released yet.
It has been a while since they referenced the plot from the pilot where Cale made an enemy of a big-time casino owner in Frost, who is supposedly chasing her.
Along with that, “Poker Face” has already been renewed for a second season.
With these two things in mind, it will be interesting to see what is to come in the last four episodes.
Savannah Swartz is a second-year communications major. To contact her, email sms9072@psu.edu.
