POKER FACE
There are probably at least 3 or so shows all vying for the mantle of “this generations Columbo” right now. I’m not sure how or why. It is insanely obvious to Columbo fans, the format, the characterization. It’s eerie. It’s nothing new to Columbo fans.
2 TV shows seem to be dominating the format, the somewhat forgettable and slightly annoying Elsbeth (WTF is with those hand bags??) and the amazing Poker Face.
Columbo fans are used to this. We’ve seen this happen damned near from the second pilot of Columbo. And to talk about Poker Face, we have to talk about Columbo.
COLUMBO
Columbo didn’t break the mold, it is what created the mold that everyone else tried to copy. When Columbo first aired, TV shows in the US were primarily single format, or episodic. They didn’t carry a story arch aside from the occasional 2 part episodes (though M*A*S*H toyed with, and pioneered some of those ideas) They also kept strict schedules, and high episode counts. Columbo came along with TWO made-for-TV movies as pilot episodes, at a little over 90 minute runtime. The first airing in 1969, the second some 2 years later in 71.
Afterwards the series, while episodic, aired infrequently through out the first 7 seasons.
The first season opened with a notable Steven Bochco written, Steven Spielberg directed episode running at 72 minutes. The episodes for season one aired about once a month, and we only got 7 episodes the first year. In subsequent years we got between 3 and 5 episodes. It’s important to note that this happened in a time when the standard, and policy for most networks, was to enforce episode counts for TV shows in the high 20s. For instance M*A*S*H, which debuted in ’72, had 24 episodes.
Columbo continued this oddball format across 7 seasons. I don’t know the context of how they managed to pull off such an arrangement. I do know it was a wildly popular show, and for good reason. When I first saw that Steven Bochco, Steven Spielberg banger of an episode I was hooked. I loved the format too.
Columbo gave us a unique and unheard of format for television murder mystery. Where most TV shows of the time presented that a crime had happened, we weren’t given the who or the how until the detective solved the case. With most Columbo episodes we’re given the murderer, we’re given how they committed the crime, and we’re even shown how they cleverly cover their tracks in the first act. We usually don’t even see Columbo in the first act either. Then second and third acts we watch Columbo put on a show bumbling his way through an investigation. Hiding under that facade a brilliant detective. I loved the opening and closing scenes of that Bochco/Spielberg episode. Wildly original, no music to punctuate the tension of the scenes, just practical sound effects. Especially that opening, the typewriter, it’s a great episode, yet not even close to the best Columbo episode either.
Columbo was a complex presentation, while presenting the main character with quite a few comical characteristics, the best episodes of Columbo did not make them punchlines, instead choosing to respect the nature of murder. The best script writers for the show understood that Columbo as a bumbling character of himself, was an act on Columbo’s part. And that the character was far too brilliant or serious about the task at hand to make a mockery of it, instead using it as a tool to get to the truth.
After 7 seasons, Columbo took a hiatus until the late 80s when another network picked up the rights and aired what they labelled as “Specials”.
24 specials(!) in total across 14 years. Finally ending in 2003 after 35 years of television. (Side note: the last episode of Columbo stars Matthew Rhys, who would go on to star in a reboot of another great older similar series, Perry Mason, HBO’s reboot was pretty great.)
A ton of murder mystery shows came after. They certainly have been quite a few that have attempted to capture the juxtaposing tone of Columbo. Or they tried to find some unique way to twist the murder mystery format on it’s head the way Columbo did. Maybe Monk came close, mostly on the shoulders of Tony Shalhoub’s master class acting ability. Then came Poker Face.
POKER FACE
Natasha Lyonne stars in a Rian Johnson created murder mystery TV series. How did that happen? Rian Johnson who gave us the films Brick and Looper? The same Rian Johnson who gave us the Knives Out movies? He didn’t have enough murder mystery omlettes in the pan? The same Natasha Lyonne from But I’m a Cheerleader? Who was amazing in those early seasons of Orange is the New Black (I couldn’t stick with that show after a couple of seasons, though Lyonne was always great). The premise is a little tied up in the idea that Natasha Lyonne’s character has the ability to immediately tell when ever someone is lying, and while that idea might have made for an interesting show on its own, we don’t get bogged own the details of the how and why. It’s just a part of it. This ability lands her in a situation where she goes on the run, we watch her travel from town to town using her ability to figure out and solve murders. All the while striving to put right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will lead… Wait. Well, look, the idea is that while the show does have an over all story arch, it’s mostly background to the monster/murder of the week format and revolving door of wonderful guest actor appearances. The show pays proper homage to Columbo following a similar first act format of showing us the who and how of the murder, with the second and third acts cleaning up the mess. There is also a healthy respect among most scripts for the show when it comes to the weight of the character’s work as a detective and the task of solving the murder. It’s a comedy for sure, it’s a smart comedy that doesn’t make fun of itself or the overall subject. The show is masterful in juxtaposing that weight with the a lovable and funny character who just wants to live her best life, in a world hellbent on closing in and casting a shadow over her.
While season 1 is pretty good, season 2 will probably be on my top ten list for the year. If you haven’t seen it you are in for a treat. Even if you aren’t a fan of Columbo, I think you’ll still love Poker Face.
