The Flight Attendant is a HBO Max series based on the novel of the same name written by Chris Bohjalian. It is a mystery thriller with comedic elements and stars Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) and Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones).
Review
After reprising her role as Penny from Big Bang Theory for 12 seasons, Kaley Cuoco shows that she can play more than a happy-go-lucky girl next door in this eight-episode thriller series. Kaley Cuoco plays Cassie Bowden, a flight attendant who has an inclination towards alcohol-fueled nights and one night stands in cities she visits. She flirts and spends the night with a first-class passenger, Alex Sokolov (Michiel Huisman) only to find him dead on their bed the next morning. Even though, Cuoco has been known to play more comedic roles, she definitely shows her ability to play a complex character in this series. Cassie is a character that is occasionally a fun, party animal, occasionally a train wreck with deep trauma and occasionally introspective about her actions and what caused them. Cuoco juggles these different parts of Cassie very effectively, yet being able to execute great comedic timings in her portrayal of the character.
The Flight Attendant’s script and plot make the whole show extremely riveting. The series is a perfect blend of a murder mystery and comedic elements without steering from the main plot. Usually with fast-paced mystery thrillers, writers often don’t have enough time and room to develop the characters. However, The Flight Attendant nailed this portion. The suspense is well-paced in certain episodes, with comedy putting a smile on your face every now and then. Meanwhile, the characters are deep with most of them having certain back stories that are not too overwhelming. This in turns allow the actors like Cuoco to show their ability to portray multi-layered characters. Moreover, the production effectively used split screen storytelling and fast cuts to build suspense, while creating a classic feel which are amplified by highly stylized shots. The animated opening sequence is also a fun element in the whole series
However, if you are expecting a big plot twist, you might be slightly disappointed at this one. The culprit is someone you could guess from a few episodes in as they are usually the casual character, appearing relatively consistently in the background. Therefore, the reveal might not be as shocking to those who are familiar with the genre. The murderer in the series is different from the one in the books, and hence it might be worth a shot to see if the reveal is executed in a better way. Nevertheless, there is a small twist at the end of the series that sets the pace for the second season. That was a nice reveal and definitely make me more excited for a potential Season 2.
The Flight Attendant has already been renewed for a second season. Although the trailer has yet to be released, I am already looking forward to learn a bit more of Megan’s story and see how they further develop Cassie’s character as there is supposedly a “new adventure” for her. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a fresh, exciting Season 2
Verdict
7 /10
A binge-able series and a fun watch, especially if you are into murder mysteries. I have yet to read the book too, but I heard it is just as awesome if not more!
Streaming on HBO Max
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