Poker Face is a show on Peacock where Natasha Lyonne travels the country, speaking like an old-timey cartoon character, solving mysteries thanks to her special ability to recognize when anyone is lying.
The first season is the story of her running away from a Casino boss. Pretty good stuff. But season 2 is untethered from a major storyline, allowing Charlie Cale (Natasha Lyonne) to have even more random adventures with more unique characters.
But what makes Poker Face special to me, besides Rian Johnson and co.’s ability to tell clever, well-shot mystery anthologies—is the list of talented guest stars popping up out of nowhere, providing more color and life to a beautiful, funny show about, ya know, killing people.
So let’s rank these talented guest stars, from least to beast.
Here are the Top 20 guest stars in Poker Face season 2
20. Justin Theroux
You put one sip of alcohol in my system and I am in your face, breathing hot dog breath directly into your nostrils—screaming to you about The Leftovers being the greatest show of all time.
When I’m down weeping about how amazing Carrie Coon is, I’ll eventually get to Justin Theroux’s performance as well.
But in Poker Face, Justin Theroux plays an assassin who kills Justin Theroux and wears his face over his face—as one does.
19. Haley Joel Osment
Mr. “I see dead people” himself, graced season 2 of Poker Face with his presence—playing an energy drink CEO whose wedding day is interrupted by his mother—a mob boss—and The Iguana—the most prolific assassin in the world.
I know I know, typical wedding day shit.
18. John Cho
I am going to shit on John Cho later in this article but for now, I will celebrate his ability to play a slimey con artist who believes he is some sort of Robin Hood—stealing from the naive to give to himself and his Merry Men—in a scam where he pretends to clean money for a Georgian billionaire.
I don’t believe every actor is capable of just sitting in a chair and looking cool.
John Cho has that gene.
17. Jason Ritter
Jason Ritter’s dad raised both of us so technically, I’m here to hype up my big bro.
Three’s Company was on my television every night from ages, like, 8 to 28.
If anything, he was in my home wayyy more than he was in Jason’s.
But also, his Poker Face character is really funny.
He plays a local health inspector who wants to get jacked like all the guys at his gym and asks the gym owner to share some of the secret stuff he watches him deal to the top lifters but the secret stuff ends up being breast milk, which is a health violation.
Obviously.
You can’t just be dealing BM all willy-nilly.
Jason Ritter is also married to my wife, so that sucks.
16. Richard Kind
If you turn on any comedy show made in the last 20 years, there’s a 90% chance Richard Kind will appear in it if the show runs long enough.
Only took 2 seasons before Richard Kind was called upon to play kind of the same neurotic character he typically plays.
In the 3rd episode of season 2, Richard Kind plays the mob husband of Rhea Perlman—who complicates their escape from the country.
Maybe it’s because Richard Kind typically plays weird, strange, lonely old men but I genuinely enjoyed his relationship with Rhea Perlman.
He brings heart to a relatively silly episode of the show.
15. Margo Martindale
I need to thank Bojack Horseman for giving Margo Martindale her flowers in a running gag about her being the greatest character actor alive.
Because she is.
They were right.
Home run in The Americans.
Home run in Mrs. Davis.
Grand Slam in Mrs. America.
Put her in anything involving a “Mrs.” and “America,” and she’ll crush it.
14. Corey Hawkins
A rare romantic comedy broke out in the middle of season 2.
This episode was probably my least favorite, as it was a big departure from the tone of the other episodes but Corey Hawkins saves it by portraying a genuinely good man who just wants the best for his buddy (played by Sam Richardson) and it ends up costing him his life.
13. Simon Rex
Simon Rex’s career shouldn’t make sense.
It’s an anomaly.
We’ve never seen anything like this.
He has the most mid-2000s-ass filmography, including a shitty rap album released on Myspace under the moniker “Dirt Nasty” in 2007.
He should’ve been cancelled or overdosed or robbed by his agents or imprisoned or on Fox News by now.
And instead, he’s put together an interesting little indie movie career and pops up on shows like Poker Face, to play an aging pitcher who convinces his teammates to intentionally lose games so they can win gambling money.
You have to know your strengths and Simon Rex’s strength is playing a bad human who is so pathetic, you almost empathize with him, despite the terrible human stuff.
12. Carol Kane
If you put a gun to my head and asked me who the singularly funniest individual to appear on this show, after a few minutes of hemming and hawing, I’d eventually spill the truth: it’s Carol Kane and it’s not close.
In the same episode as Simon Rex, Carol Kane plays the ballpark owner who hires Natasha Lyonne as a ball girl which sparks her involvement in the upcoming investigation.
Natasha Lyonne and Carol Kane were just two human muppets talking like aliens at each other.
99% of comedy is just sounding like an amalgamation of every Jewish person you grew up around.
These two women have mastered this art form.
Both of these legends have this unique ability to embody an entire era when they open their mouths.
Every kid is on TikTok now.
They all sound the same.
Accents are dying.
Natasha Lyonne and Carol Kane are time capsules.
11. Giancarlo Esposito
I promise you, I am not about to sit here and type about Giancarlo Esposito being a great actor as if I am the first to make this groundbreaking observation.
Sure, I think I can hit a homer off Justin Verlander.
I think I can beat Joey Chestnut in a hot dog-eating contest.
But my hubris has limits.
Giancarlo Esposito is one of the GOATs.
I won’t pretend like I have something new to say about his work.
10. Lauren Tom
I don’t want to get into just how washed I really am but I was watching new episodes of Futurama live on TV in like, 2001.
Lauren Tom voicing Amy Wong, was a massive part of my formidable years.
I’d go to sleep at night with this woman’s voice in my head.
I have nothing but admiration for Lauren, who plays the grandmother of Awkwafina, unfortunately, but gets tricked by a scammer who wants to use her for her rent-controlled penthouse in Manhattan.
It’s a beautiful story in between all of Awkwafina’s “what is you talm bout’s”.
9. Taylor Schilling
Comedy 101: Give me a disgruntled government employee who’s an asshole to her boss because she’s in the midst of a divorce.
We don’t need more than that.
It’s an anvil falling on Elmer Fudd’s head.
It’s Sideshow Bob stepping on a rake.
No notes.
8. Patti Harrison
Put Patti Harrison in everything. I will march in the streets for this. Hit me with bean bags and tear gas, I don’t give a fuck.
In Poker Face, Patti Harrison plays Alex, a woman who is the perfect companion to Charlie Cale. While Cale can identify whenever someone is lying, Alex cannot lie. She’s the most earnest woman on Earth.
Patti Harrison becomes Robin to Natasha Lyonne’s Batman, until the end when you realize she’s more like Jason Todd than Dick Grayson.
7. Gaby Hoffmann
Gaby Hoffman was introduced into my life on Girls as Adam Driver’s weird ass sister. And now she’s an Emmy-nominated actress with the perfect acting tone for a show like Poker Face.
Gaby plays a Florida police officer nominated for Cop of the Year at the Florida Panhandle Cop Awards, aka the FlopaCopa’s, a joke they could’ve hit 90 more times and I would’ve laughed every single time a character said “FlopaCopa’s”.
Hoffman grows pissed at losing every year to Kumail Nanjiani who plays an annoying social media influencer “Gator Joe”.
6. Cynthia Erivo
Coming off singing her ass off in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo stars in the first episode of Season 2, playing 4 characters at the same time.
It didn’t quite hit the highs of Michael B. Jordan playing twin brothers in Sinners but it’s a great way to land on your feet in between Wicked 1 and 2.
She’s a star now.
She didn’t have to waste her time playing around with Natasha Lyonne.
Every performer on this list has made some really cool acting choices and I hope Cynthia Erivo continues to select dope projects.
I promise, you do not need to star in a Jurassic Park sequel.
5. John Mulaney
John Mulaney plays a crooked FBI agent whose double life leads him to stress-induced ulcers he can only nullify with gallons of milk.
Just read that description again, remember who John Mulaney is, and you’ll understand why this was a Top 5 performance of the entire second season.
4. Alia Shawkat
Alia Shawkat has really tapped into an ability to portray sociopathy like no one else.
At birth, she was gifted with the tools to easily transition back and forth between a regular woman and a complete maniac.
I’m convinced Search Party ended with her becoming a cult leader because the writers realized she had this mutant gene.
In Poker Face, Shawkat plays a scammer who attempts to steal Lauren Tom’s rent-controlled penthouse.
She makes the Top 5 for killing Awkwafina.
Thank you for your service.
3. Katie Holmes
In maybe the most heartbreaking story of the series, Katie Holmes plays Greta—an unhappy woman stuck in a marriage with an uptight, type-A, hyper-focused funeral home director who murders her after finding out she wanted a divorce and planned on running away.
I know Katie Holmes is most known as a TV actress but in this episode, it felt like a movie star dropping in to bring real gravity to a super depressing story.
I’m sorry about whatever happened between you and Jamie Foxx, Katie.
Text me if you need someone to talk about it with.
2. Method Man
Growing up, Method Man was just a guy who breaks it down to the bone gristle, Ill speakin’ scud missile, heat-seekin’
Johnny Blazin’.
He’d even give you nightmares like Wes Craven.
His third eye seen it comin, before it happen.
(This writing is for like, 7 people and none of the 7 people who would like it even know this site exists. Go stream Tical, man. Catch up to me.)
Anyway, I had no idea Method Man was genuinely funny and goofy.
Honestly, I feel like he’d punch my teeth out of my gums if I said that to his face.
1. Melanie Lynskey
Melanie Lynskey played only a small part in her episode but I need it to be known that Deadseriousness is a Melanie Lynskey stan page.
My DREAM job is holding her bag while she goes to the bathroom.
I am also available to open all doors and hold all elevators for her, but I assume my resume would get lost in the millions of people already applying for the position.
At a hotel bar in Philly, Melanie plays Regina Gilvary—a woman who never takes risks, who is presented with the opportunity to have an affair with a guy she meets sitting at the table next to her.
After seeing her murder people in Yellowjackets and murder people in The Last of Us—Melanie Lynskey plays a little sweetiepie who gets taken advantage of and kills herself because of it.
I will never forgive John Cho for what he did.
I don’t care that he was just acting.
You hurt my friend and it’s on sight.
Thanks for reading.
Let me know your favorite Poker Face season 2 guest stars, leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee.
