Poker Face Recap: Bad Bet

by

I’m not particularly fond of baseball, but I can understand its appeal in principle. With this perspective, I approached the baseball-themed episode of Poker Face with a bit of apprehension, as I usually prefer my mystery shows without sports elements. However, “Hometown Hero” doesn’t require you to be a baseball enthusiast to enjoy it. Instead, it uses baseball more as a symbol for the passage of time. This year’s Eephus was also well-received for its thematic approach along these lines. As an hallucination induced by acid experienced by Hiram Lubinski, the inventor of canned cheese, puts it in “Hometown Hero,” “Baseball is not just a pastime; it is the passing of time.” Although the depth of this message may be less noticeable when sober, it still resonates.

First, we encounter the central figure of our story, Russ “Rocket” Waddell, portrayed by Simon Rex, a former star pitcher whose velocity has waned, leading the Montgomery Cheesemongers into an unfortunate losing streak. It’s hard not to think that someone working on Poker Face is a fan of Red Rocket, as the character seems like a deliberate nod to Rex’s previous role. Fans still attend Velvety Canned Cheese Park to watch these minor league games, but a comeback seems unlikely. In truth, Lucille (Carol Kane), the park owner, hints at Russ’s impending job loss. Manager Skip Dooley (Gil Birmingham) confirms this, revealing that the GM has decided to let Russ go and his final starting game is approaching before his enforced retirement.

Over drinks with four of his teammates, Russ accepts the team’s loss fairly well, understanding it’s the best choice made under the circumstances. His career outlook is bleak, and he relies on the income. Inspired by a fan who bet on their team losing, Russ comes up with a plan. Since the odds of them losing their next five games are 22:1, they decide to pool their resources and place a parlay bet on this outcome. If successful, it could yield a massive payout. They can’t alter the passage of time, but they can capitalize on their own underperformance. Remarkably, his teammates agree, risking their life savings for a potential $3.1 million split between them. The plan progresses smoothly until the fifth game. Originally planned as Russ’s final starting game, he is replaced at the last minute by Felix Domingo (Brandon Perea), a newcomer with impressive skills and enthusiasm reminiscent of someone just promoted to the minor leagues. He doesn’t win Russ over when he mentions that he expected Russ to be the next Roger Clemens, subtly questioning Russ about his career decline. “Time takes us all,” Russ responds, underscoring the theme.

In an attempt to ensure no room for error, Ruffin Prentiss (Goose) secretly drugs Felix with LSD, hoping this would sabotage his performance. However, the plan goes awry as the drugs unexpectedly enhance Felix’s pitching skills instead. This seems to put the Cheesemongers on track for victory, but the high-stakes gamblers manage a dramatic comeback in the ninth inning, causing the Cheesemongers to suffer an epic loss and secure Russ and his associates a substantial sum of money, effectively ending their involvement with baseball. However, Russ had carelessly left behind evidence – the tainted gum. When he returns to retrieve it, he encounters Felix at the pitching machine. Felix, having figured out the plot due in part to Jacob Lynn’s (Carl) careless note-taking about the divided winnings, demands the entire $3.1 million or threatens to expose Russ and his partners. “Time eventually catches up with us all,” Felix says, “but you had both the time and the talent of a great. You were the one who squandered it.” This statement serves as motivation for Russ to regain control – which he achieves when he throws a fastball at the back of Felix’s head, resulting in his death. Instead of calling the authorities, Russ replaces the spiked gum and sets the pitching machine to its maximum power, making it appear that the machine, not Russ, was responsible for the fatal pitch.

Charlie’s story starts with an unexpected ball to the head. Influenced by her newfound community and inspired by marathon viewings of “The Office”, she lands a job as an administrative assistant, only to find out that everyone else is working from home following COVID-19. A stray baseball then crashes through the window, knocking her into the Cheesemongers’ path. After confirming she won’t sue (“I’m more of a lover, not a fighter”), Charlie gets a job as a ball girl. The community she was seeking is found here, and it aligns with her affection for the underdog. Lucille is struggling to keep Velvety Canned Cheese Park afloat, while Russ represents a tale of wasted talent. When someone yells “come on, Rocket, you’ve still got it,” Charlie realizes it’s just empty optimism. Post-game at the bar, she tries to lift Russ’ spirits, but he’s honest that it’s been years since he could throw a fastball. Baseball is the only thing he’s ever excelled at, and now he can no longer do that. Charlie, who’s familiar with possessing an uncommon ability, empathizes with his suffering.

In Montgomery, Charlie appears content, but an encounter with Felix propels her into another realm. Although he insists he’s not doing drugs, it’s obvious that he’s under the influence. Regrettably, Charlie doesn’t suspect the tainted gum before she consumes a bunch of it herself. A Yellow Submarine-like journey ensues, where Hiram (B.J. Novak) exhorts her to protect the ballpark and save the team. This motivation compels her to investigate when Felix is discovered dead next to the pitching machine the following morning. Despite not having any particular affection for the boy, Charlie feels a sense of duty due to her LSD trip, as a wrongful death suit could close the ballpark permanently. If Felix was under the influence while operating the pitching machine, it would lessen Lucille’s liability. Charlie knows Felix was drugged due to his truthfulness and her own vivid experience, but when she tests the gum, it shows no traces of drugs. For now, she’s hit a wall in her investigation.

In simpler terms, this story isn’t particularly complex to decipher. A woman notices that someone has won $3 million from betting on the Cheesemongers’ losing streak, and then sees Carl with a gold grill (teeth-grill). This suggests illegal gambling activities. Charlie, who is talking to Benny, a former cop, comments that these aren’t genius criminals. They confess to spiking Felix’s gum, but Charlie lacks the evidence – no toxicology report from Felix’s autopsy. However, the report does mention that the ball that hit Felix was moving faster than 100 mph, which the machine couldn’t have thrown. So, someone else must have thrown a fastball. Russ admits his fastball is gone, but Charlie suspects he’s lying. She doesn’t want to believe Russ is involved in illegal betting and gum spiking because she likes him. But when Charlie accuses Russ of wasting his talent, he throws a fastball (not at anyone’s head this time), confirming her suspicion that he might be involved. (The story becomes more intriguing when Charlie is nearer to the culprit than the victim.)

At the baseball stadium, it’s Russ’s last game, but there’s a possibility he won’t have to retire yet. Charlie informs him that a Major League scout is present, which seems implausible, but Russ can’t help but believe it. As he pitches, he searches for the scout, and indeed, someone with a radar gun is watching him intently. The crowd cheers as Charlie announces “Rocket” is on, and his excitement finally helps Russ throw a 101 mph fastball during an actual game. This is exactly what the “scout” was waiting for – it turns out he’s actually a police officer, tipped off by Charlie, and he signals his colleagues to secure the exits. Instead of attempting to flee, Russ tips his hat to Charlie and continues to play. The ending is surprisingly moving, even for someone like me who isn’t a big baseball fan. There’s a sense of bittersweetness as we watch Russ, aware that his time has come, throw another fastball while the crowd continues to cheer his name.

Just One More Thing

• Good Buddy’s continuous talks with Charlie have given these episodes a pleasant structure since Beatrix Hasp decided to abandon her hit, but her motivation for continuing to move seems less clear now. If she has found a sense of belonging in Montgomery, what could possibly prompt her to leave again, likely before the next episode?

Mentioning that an episode of Poker Face features a star-studded cast might seem like stating the obvious, but I felt compelled to bring up Ego Nwodim, who delivers hilarious performances as a baseball announcer whose obsession with Velvety Canned Cheese is causing her bodily issues. “I’ve been experiencing a tingling sensation in my right arm,” she remarks, later disclosing that she can no longer perceive the color green.

Additionally, I found B.J. Novak’s brief appearance amusing when I figured out that the character was a product of Charlie’s mind, stemming from her extensive viewing of The Office.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I’ve had the pleasure of watching Noah Segan grace the screen multiple times. He’s best known for his roles, including Lew, the character who reluctantly joins the high-stakes gamblers. Notably, he’s a familiar face in Rian Johnson’s work, appearing in films like “Brick,” “Looper,” “The Last Jedi,” “Knives Out,” and most recently, “Glass Onion.

Last week’s character, Brandon Perea, truly shone during his moments on screen with exceptional portrayal of a person using drugs. His unique perspective on God and angels, which he describes as monkeys, definitely left a lasting impact.

One amusing aspect of the episode that stood out to me was Skip’s recurring jokes about his unexpected relationship situation, as depicted in the book “So You Find Yourself in an Open Marriage“. I found myself chuckling at his quip, “And while we’re at it, let’s rally for traditional monogamy,” which was met by Carl’s solitary and melancholic “woo.

The chewing gum that Felix uses seems strikingly similar to Big League Chew, a brand that the film director of “Tár”, Todd Field, helped create. This is indeed a fact, you can verify it yourself!

Read More

2025-05-22 16:54