Poker Face Season 2 Episode 8 Review: The Sleazy Georgian

Poker Face Season 2 Episode 8, “The Sleazy Georgian,” subverts the show’s trademark murder formula in favor of a delightful, fresh con artist story. Much like the last few episodes, it’s a creative swing for the fences that successfully bears fruit, proving this series is capable of coloring outside the lines it sets for itself. 

Twist After Twist After Twist 

After a slight dip in quality, notably around episodes four and five, Poker Face continues its upward trajectory. There’s a chameleon-like quality to its presentation, too, and it’s particularly obvious with “The Sleazy Georgian.” The writers seamlessly shift between episodic tones and filmmaking styles while often paying homage to auteurs and iconic movies. 

Narratively, the story unravels like a con artist’s wet dream — it’s full of twists, switcheroos, and turning tables. You question what’s real; what’s the truth. It’s very much in line with the con group, spearheaded by Guy, that Charlie meets. 

“The Sleazy Georgian” also requires you to pay attention. Details matter. In that regard, its detail-oriented nature is reminiscent of a good con. Overall, though, the outing is well-paced, occasionally tense, and action-packed.

It truly tests Charlie’s mettle, in a way, as she goes head-to-head with Guy. He tries to persuade her to use her innate lie detector to scam “bad people,” but when she pushes back, he pulls harder. Guy challenges her ability to read someone’s tells and keeps her on her toes. Watching Charlie pull the wool over his eyes is a blast. 

Additionally, cinephiles will appreciate the cinematic shots throughout, from Regina walking to the hotel to the shots of (presumably) NYC outside said hotel. 

Performances

Poker Face is famous for its A-list guest roster, and “The Sleazy Georgian” brings in the big guns with John Cho and Melanie Lynskey. Cho turns up the charm as Guy and is as compelling a screen presence as ever. Lynskey makes you feel for Regina. As Charlie aptly puts it, Regina made a mistake in a moment of vulnerability, which Guy took advantage of. Lynskey taps into Regina’s vulnerability and makes the character profoundly relatable. 

The dynamics between Cho and Natasha Lyonne are fun to explore. The peaks and valleys of those dynamics contribute to the excitement of the narrative. Charlie is seldom ever challenged — well, at least not by an adult — so it’s fun for us as viewers. Not even a human lie detector is impervious to life’s curveballs. 

Here’s hoping the remainder of the season can maintain this momentum because, as far as I’m concerned, this show is on a roll. 

Stray Observations: 

• It’s a But I’m a Cheerleader mini-reunion! If only Lyonne and Lynskey shared a scene. 
• Am I the only one who thinks Regina is reminiscent of Shauna Sadecki from Yellowjackets? It seems Lynskey is falling into a certain typecast, but I’m not mad about it. She plays this kind of character so well, though. 
• I love the jazzy and piano versions of Charlie’s theme here. 
• Charlie dragging that stool across the floor almost made me jump out of my skin. Like nails on a chalkboard. 
• Charlie’s outfits in “The Sleazy Georgian” are envy-inducing. I need them in my closet. 

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Poker Face drops new episodes every Thursday on Peacock. 

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