The Hook (Poker Face)
"The Hook" is the tenth episode and first season finale of the American murder mystery comedy-drama television series Poker Face.
After her friend is found dead, Charlie uncovers a plot where the owner's son ordered her murder to protect a powerful client.
This episode follows Charlie, having been found by Cliff, who takes her to Atlantic City to see Sterling Frost Sr. to settle her debts.
Emily gives Charlie the keys to their father's boat, and while she admits she knows her sister is a good person at heart, she also says she has left no place for her and her niece to be a part of the life she chose for herself.
As he stalls her by pretending to start up the boat, Charlie finds blacklight-reactive poker chips, which were used to mark Frost during the blackout.
Charlie fights off Cliff, hitting him in the eye with a penis-shaped ring that she received from the bachelorette's party, and escapes by jumping into the water.
Johnson stated that the series would delve into "the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching.
"[4] Benjamin Bratt also joined the series in the recurring role of Cliff, whose character chases Charlie after she ran away from the casino in the first episode.
[7][8][9][10] Ron Perlman previously appeared in "Dead Man's Hand" in a voice cameo at the end of the episode, while Simon Helberg reprised his role from "Time of the Monkey".
Co-showrunner Lilla Zuckerman explained, "we arrived at this idea of her having a scene with her sister while we were breaking the rest of the season, and I think it was smart for us to save it for the finale.
"[15] Charlie's scenes with Emily were inspired by Inside Llewyn Davis, where "you don't necessarily understand all of the old wounds between these people — you just get a little peek.
Club gave the episode an "A–" grade and wrote, "For the most part, Rian Johnson's Peacock drama has evolved into a crackerjack hit centered around Charlie's lie-sniffing gimmick.
The show has delivered thrilling murder mysteries, fascinating characters played by notable stars, and the slowest of slow reveals about Charlie's history.
The first season wraps on a high note by finally pulling on that last thread and introducing Charlie's estranged sister, Emily, played by Clea DuVall.
"[16] Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone wrote, "'The Hook' so expertly bottled that delicate balance of comedy, drama, and suspense that has made this show so wonderful.
It's an hour where Charlie can be in genuine fear for her life, while also escaping peril for the moment by sneaking aboard a party bus full of drunken bridesmaids.
"[18] Miles Surrey of The Ringer gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Poker Face can take solace in the fact that its first season went out with a winning hand.
"[19] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic wrote, "As this week's season finale culminated with shots of a highway cutting through amber-toned fields, it inspired a counterintuitive feeling: hope in the American dream.
The site wrote, "In the end, Charlie caught the bad guy, of course — using an, um, unusual ring to subdue Cliff — and went back on the run, this time with a different casino boss vowing to track her down.
But for now, let's enjoy what Lyonne has given us this season: an instantly memorable TV character with an endless supply of sassy one-liners and a few hidden depths still left to explore.
