Poker Face Recap: Florida Man

by

Upon reading comments about my review on the season premiere of Poker Face, I was taken aback to discover that certain viewers found the episode featuring Cynthia Erivo as quintuplets to be excessively whimsical. This series, undeniably, thrives in an exaggerated reality. One must set aside skepticism, such as accepting that Charlie Cale encounters a murder mystery in every episode, and these murders are meticulously planned in a manner uncommon in real life yet captivating for TV viewing. Personally, I’ve been able to appreciate the occasional absurdity and improbable situations due to the exceptional writing, direction, and acting. However, the episode titled “The Taste of Human Blood” has gone beyond my tolerance level; it has ventured into being overly playful or nonsensical, a departure from the show’s usual balance.

In a nod to the fact that I’ll always hold episodes featuring ’90s child star Gaby Hoffmann, who portrays Florida cop Fran LaMont, in high regard. Fran, known as one of the good ones due to her leniency towards an attempted burglar over a single mistake, has been consistently nominated for Cop of the Year at the Florida Panhandle Cop Awards since 2019, but has always lost out to Joseph “Gator Joe” Pilson (Kumail Nanjiani). Gator Joe, famous for his TikTok channel where he apprehends drug addicts alongside his gator sidekick Daisy, earned his nickname from saving a baby gator from a meth dealer named Stanky James. Initially unbothered by the award, Fran has developed an unhealthy obsession as she continues to lose to Joe, who exploits his inept rival’s catchphrases “gator done” and “you have the right to shit your pants.

In this production, the humor is wide-ranging and intentionally references the “Florida Man” meme, which Fran’s superior, Chief Pendleton (played by John Sayles), strongly criticizes. There are plenty of chuckles before things take a turn for the chaotic. At the 2025 FlopaCopas, Fran feels self-assured, not just because she’s sent Edible Arrangements to all judges but also due to an underlying confidence. However, her spirit is shattered when she finds out that Gator Joe has won yet again in the competition. To make matters worse, he collides with her during a heartrending breakdown and calls her a baby before boasting, “I’m the Michael Jordan of being a cop in Florida … panhandle.” Clearly, Fran seeks revenge, and kudos to director Lucky McKee for the tense scene where it seems she might murder him. However, she resists, choosing instead to embarrass him by lacing his energy drink with reptile laxative.

she steals meth from a display of confiscated items and forces some up Daisy’s nose. This scene is reminiscent of the movie “Cocaine Bear,” but it helps clear her of suspicion. Soon, Joe’s partially eaten body is found, and Daisy becomes the prime suspect, even when the cops catch her in the act.

It’s fortunate that Daisy has found an exceptional ally in Charlie, who’s stumbled upon a band of renegade animal activists after drifting aimlessly following Beatrix Hasp’s departure. This group, known for secretly rescuing distressed animals, have identified Daisy as their ‘white whale’, a troubled alligator being mistreated by Gator Joe, likened to Judy Garland in the alligator world. The group’s leader, Hutch, often speaks mystical nonsense about communicating with animals, but Charlie finds him hard to resist due to his attractive demeanor. When assigned to free Daisy from her cage at FlopaCopas, Charlie is initially skeptical until she experiences a profound vision upon gazing into Daisy’s eyes. However, when she returns to find Daisy gone, she realizes that the alligator she was supposed to save has already devoured Gator Joe instead.

It comes as no surprise that all the officers at FlopaCopas are keen on euthanizing Daisy. The assumption is that once an animal tastes human blood, it will crave more. (Although this seems dubious to me, it apparently happens.) Charlie is advocating for “gator due process,” but surprisingly, Florida law enforcement remains indifferent. It’s now up to Charlie to delve into the investigation, during which she notices several oddities: the missing twist tie from Daisy’s cage, which couldn’t have been removed by Gator Joe as he was honestly in need of a bathroom break; and a trail of Oreos leading from Daisy’s enclosure to the bathroom, suggesting someone deliberately brought Daisy there. While Charlie’s investigations often provide convenient leads, this one is particularly hard to accept, considering her timely, seemingly orchestrated attempt to kidnap Daisy that furnished most of the clues. To her defense, she does uncover that a bag of meth has been stolen, reasoning that it would be challenging for Daisy to walk away with it herself. It appears someone took the drugs and intentionally fed them to Daisy to make her more aggressive. When Charlie queries Rusty about “meth gators,” he replies, “Oh, every week, yes. This is Florida.” Reasonable enough!

Initially, Fran is eager to conceal her accidental murder of Daisy. However, a call from Chief Pendleton alerts her to a TikTok video posted by Gator Joe, which shows Fran crying, secretly recorded using his hidden camera glasses. Since Daisy has consumed the evidence, if she’s killed, the glasses will be found in her stomach, revealing incriminating footage of Fran. To protect herself, Fran teams up with Charlie, who finds a sleeping Daisy in a storage closet. They hide the gator under a movable buffet table and manage to get it into Fran’s police car. This raises questions about the commenter who described the first episode as “farcical,” given these recent developments. In the swampland where they plan to release Daisy, Charlie eventually realizes that Fran cannot be trusted. Recognizing that Fran has no intention of freeing the gator, Charlie steps in just as Fran is about to shoot Daisy. “I thought you were one of the good ones,” she tells the officer. This episode challenges the notion that all cops are honest.

Charlie swiftly uncovers the facts surrounding Gator Joe’s incident, finding it incredibly strange and even slightly irrational. A moment of self-reflection leads her to admit, “I’m conveying this in a logical manner, but it’s undeniably insane.” The narrative takes an absurd twist as Fran, experiencing a cosmic bond with Daisy, chooses to reveal all secrets. Chief Pendleton resists letting Fran confess and resign, despite the outlandish nature of the story, insisting she’s “one of the good ones” in law enforcement. However, Fran had enough and decides to atone by working at the gator sanctuary instead. Meanwhile, Charlie is eager for her next escapade, stating, “I’m learning how to truly appreciate this trip,” to her CB radio companion Good Buddy. She manages to dodge a confrontation with Daisy, who, as promised, has acquired a taste for human blood. The episode concludes on an appropriate note, hinting at its excessive nature.

Just One More Thing

In this production, Steve Buscemi lends his voice, much like Rhea Perlman’s unique tone was our only introduction to Beatrix Hasp before her physical appearance. The concept of Charlie having a far-off ally appeals to me, and I hope Good Buddy continues to make appearances.

In this particular episode, I found it quite challenging, yet there were numerous enjoyable aspects, especially at the FlopaCopas. Being one of the last few who still recalls A&E’s “The Glades,” I was thrilled to see Matt Passmore making a cameo as himself.

• More amusing FlopaCopas jokes: the police groupies that Chief Pendleton nicknames “swine enthusiasts,” and the hors d’oeuvres served with the question, “May I serve you your Miranda Snacks?

In a clear indication of growing discontent towards law enforcement officers not taking responsibility for their actions, the announcement of the Best Internal Affairs Investigation award was met with jeers. Beneath this surface lies a tension that I find more intriguing than the antics of Florida Man.

As a film buff, I must admit, Charlie’s romantic side has always been a mystery to me. So, the moment she flirted with Hutch was truly a heart-fluttering scene for me. “We’ll be in your ear the whole time,” he warns her. To which, she playfully retorts, “Watch out, it’s a bit waxier than usual in there.” Sticking out her tongue, she clearly wasn’t born with the charm for this game!

Kudos to director Lucky McKee, who puts in his best effort in this project, but had more compelling material to deal with during his tenure on “Time of the Monkey” last season. If you haven’t yet watched the 2002 cult horror film May, written and directed by McKee, I strongly recommend giving it a watch.

Read More

2025-05-15 17:56