One particularly hilarious case offers a spin on the kick the dog trope only to reveal in Charlie’s section that this particular canine really had it coming. That’s helpful for making the audience quickly care for the victim, but she’ll also solve crimes involving those who she doesn’t even particularly like. Lyonne does a fantastic job of earnestly expressing enthusiasm for learning new things and meeting new people. On the other hand, she immediately bonds with anyone who offers her sincerity, from a surprisingly honest mechanic to a passionate pitmaster who teaches her how to appreciate the scent different types of wood add to meat. Like Columbo’s “just one more thing,” Charlie is constantly calling “bullshit” on the people who lie to her. As she points out in the pilot, people lie all the time and often for reasons that are far more innocuous than covering up murder. Charlie knows when someone is lying but not why.
