We’re only in February, and Poker Face is only five episodes into its run, but I’d be perfectly content adding this week’s “Time of the Monkey” episode to my “Best Of” for the year. Anchored by absolutely terrific performances by Lyonne, Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson, the show manages to be funny, thrilling, and at times surreal mystery television.

Proving that you can stick Charlie Cale in any environment and produce a good story, Charlie gets another odd job in an assisted living facility, where she befriends Joyce and Irene, two domestic terrorists from the 70s who took an opportunity for revenge after running into their old cell leader.

Poker Face has been great with charting its anti-procedural, procedural formula and they really went a different way this week. The story telling was first class, with emotional flashbacks and moments that made you laugh out loud and curse the screen from one scene to the next.

And watching what could have been a great friendship between Charlie and the her two elder acquaintances erode was both sad and menacing. Lucky McKee is listed as the director here and that final fight was absolutely wild. And the closing explosion was the cherry on top of a very dramatic and wild television treat.

Everyone needs to be lauded for this television win. Its almost a shame that NBC has this episode exclusive to a streamer. They need to have a prime time tasting of “Poker Face” and viewers need to watch “Time of the Monkey” for free.

It’s that good. See you next week.

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