Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Human lie detector Charlie Cale can crack any case, be it a crime of passion, a methodically planned murder or a laxative-based reptile prank gone badly awry. There’s only one conundrum she can’t seem to work out: what to do with her life?The endlessly entertaining, Columbo-pastiching Poker Face returns with Natasha Lyonne’s relentless amateur sleuth once again drifting through small-town America encountering shady characters and suspicious circumstances. Where the first season began with Charlie fleeing from a mob boss — and ended with her being pursued by another — an earlier-than-expected resolution to her predicament gives the new season a different narrative. It’s less about running from something than seeking a purpose.While Charlie adjusts to being a nomad instead of a fugitive, the show’s case-of-the-week format and signature blend of tight plotting and blithe spirit otherwise remains largely unaltered. As before, each episode focuses on a murder and begins with a prologue that reveals the culprit. The intrigue comes not from the mystery but the unconventional means by which Charlie unravels the killer’s nefarious, desperate or downright ludicrous schemes.If the formula risks getting repetitive, there’s enough variety in the stories — everything from a betting scandal to a botched heist to a hit on a school gerbil — to stave off predictability. Look beyond the pulpy premise and homages and you’ll find reflections on how everyday disappointments and rejections, pettiness and greed can drive ordinary people to violent extremes. Killers and victims are played by a line-up of committed guest stars: Cynthia Erivo as identical quintuplets fighting over an inheritance; John Mulaney as an ulcer-afflicted FBI mole; Katie Holmes as a woman trapped in a loveless marriage.But the main draw remains the dry-witted, tender-hearted Charlie, whose outsized personality brightens the show’s macabre moments and more protracted chapters. Yet belying her insouciant charm and natural warmth is a vulnerability and quiet loneliness, teased out by Lyonne in a terrifically engaging performance. For all the troubled lives (and troubling deaths) Charlie comes across on her travels, it’s telling that the longest, perhaps most meaningful connection she forges is with an anonymous man on the other end of a CB radio (Steve Buscemi). “I’ve been thinking about settling down, maybe getting one of these normal lives I’ve heard about,” she muses at one point. Here’s hoping she stays on the road just a little longer.★★★★☆Sky Max and NOW in the UK from May 8 at 9pm and on Peacock in the US
