Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Dustin Rowles | TV | November 13, 2025
Here is one of the more bizarre cancellation announcements we’ve run across. Peacock has inexplicably canceled Poker Face, the critically beloved Colombo-type procedural starring Natasha Lyonne. I’m not sure what kind of audience it had, but I do know that a certain type of viewer — the type that reads Pajiba or Vulture or The AV Club — was very passionate about the Rian Johnson series. Outside of The Traitors, it’s been the only must-see series on Peacock for the better part of three years.
But here’s the twist, according to Deadline: Rian Johnson is going to shop the series elsewhere, and my guess is that he’ll get a lot of interest from a streamer already working with Johnson on the Knives Out movies: Netflix. But if Netflix or any other streamer ultimately decides to pick up the series, it will be without Natasha Lyonne, who has exited the show. In a potential future iteration of Poker Face, the character of Charlie Cale will continue, but be played by… Peter Dinklage.
What?
It’s not that unusual to replace series leads with other actors (the lesser Hemsworth recently replaced Henry Cavill as the title character in Witcher). It is, perhaps, somewhat unusual to replace an actress with an actor who bears no physical resemblance whatsoever.
But also: I like it. Dinklage would be an excellent Charlie Cale. Dinklage is excellent in everything. And I would love nothing more than to see Poker Face continue elsewhere, preferably on a streamer with a larger subscription base than Peacock so more people can enjoy one of the best mystery series in recent years.
