The Game Is a Foot

Cynthia Erivo lacked subtlety and simply wasn't up to the task of playing multiple roles. The sisters came across as caricatures rather than characters.

I feel a bit sorry for the writers. I could see how amusing the lines could be if delivered with a little finesse, but instead we got a bizarre mix of intensity and over the top acting. Perhaps Erivo's shift from stage which needs big expressions and movement, to television which requires a more naturalistic approach, caused difficulty.

I need to fill in more words so will just say that Tatiana Maslany set a high bar for acting multiple chapters in Orphan Black.

Wouldn't it be cool to know when someone is lying? Sure. But imagine always knowing-at every moment, with everyone you meet-that something isn't quite right. That white lies and half-truths stand out like blinking neon signs. It's a blessing and a curse, and "Poker Face" knows exactly how to make that tension sing. Over the course of its first season, Charlie Cale transformed from a drifter with a party trick into a reluctant folk hero-using her unique lie-detecting ability not to hustle cards, but to uncover injustice. With Season 2, the show picks up right where it left off, and this premiere is a confident, stylish, and thrilling return to form.

"The Game Is a Foot" once again deploys the show's signature inverted mystery format with surgical precision. We meet Amber Kazinsky -a faded former child star navigating the minefield of family trauma, impending inheritance, and long-buried secrets. The writing smartly gives us a full psychological portrait of Amber before even introducing Charlie, letting the drama simmer and unfold in ways that are both shocking and grounded. When Charlie does arrive, the episode kicks into a different gear, showing off the series' gift for weaving two storylines together into a suspenseful, emotionally rich conclusion. The script-penned by Laura Deeley-is full of sharp turns and tension, elevated further by Rian Johnson's sleek, gothic-tinged direction. Set on an eerie coastal estate, the episode draws on the atmospheric elegance of "Knives Out," making full use of symmetry and rooms full of secrets to capture both the grandeur and the decay of this dysfunctional family's world. It's beautiful, it's moody, and it makes you want to pause just to drink in the details. Natasha Lyonne remains the show's magnetic core, slipping back into Charlie's boots with that unmistakable blend of curiosity, sarcasm, and stubborn heart. She's matched note-for-note by Cynthia Erivo, who delivers a bravura performance that's both technically dazzling and emotionally sharp-playing five different siblings with subtlety, wit, and clarity. It's a showcase of range that doesn't feel like a gimmick, but rather a seamless part of the story's engine.

With strong writing, strong performances, and that unmistakable Johnson-ian visual flair, this is a season premiere that reminds us exactly why "Poker Face" works so well. It's clever without being smug, stylish without being empty, and above all, fun as hell.

It's hard to pinpoint where precisely this one went off the rails, but it's easily the weakest entry of what's been an entertaining show thus far; and is a weak start to Season 2.

I typically enjoy Cynthia Erivo and defend her often against online trolls because she is so talented, but those talents simply aren't being showcased here. Between the writing of the sister characters and the direction given to her, they're just *too* over the top to the point of it being farcical and feeling like a SNL sketch or something. Janelle Monáy was able to pull off multiple characters with a Rian Johnson production - so it is possible - but Cynthia wasn't afforded the same strength of material.

Hopeful the rest of the season is uphill from here. Cynthia - looking forward to Wicked Pt 2 <3.

Norma Kazinsky (Jasmine Guy) is wealthy domineering mum, taking advantage of her meek daughter Amber (Cynthia Erivo) who has been taking care of her for years.

Her other sisters abandoned their mother. Then Amber learns that her mother has changed the will and is leaving everything to someone called Felicity Price.

Amber tracks her down and finds out that Felicity is an identical sister she knew nothing about.

Meanwhile Charlie Cale has been evading hitmen who are still after her. She is picking fruit with a woman called Delia. She used to be a child actress and looks exactly like Amber.

There were quads who all appeared in a kids cop show but were ripped off by their mum Norma.

When Delia learns of her mother's death. She and Charlie go to the funeral hoping that Delia can get the money have mum stole.

Only to confront Felicity, the heiress. Charlie knows Felicity is not who she claims to be.

Like Columbo, the fun is how Charlie unmasks the impostor. Amber might not have a leg to stand on.

The opener of the second series was a showcase for British actress Cynthia Erivo who plays 5 different roles. There was also a lot of comedy as Charlie evades the shooters.

I wonder if the producers regret killing off Adrien Brody at the end of the last season. Now a two time Oscar winner.

Sadly, season two does not continue with what I thought would be the natural evolution into Charlie becoming a true detective.

Instead of creating circumstances which land her in happenstances, the show could've evolved her into the female Colombo. Charlie is curious like a detective. She asks the type of questions that a detective would. She applies deductive reasoning to figure out what may have happened. But she's not a detective? And she has a super power of sorts; the ability to know if someone is lying. I've only watched the first two episodes but, unless some good writing develops, I'll have to stay with my first impression on S02... cheesy.