5 Stars
Kaley Cuoco, aka Penny on the Big Band Theory, has proven that she is a competent actress in her own right in the entertaining new series The Flight Attendant. If you don’t have HBO, it’s worth the $14.99/month steaming to watch this highly engaging, quirky mystery, with twists and turns. It also has its share of thriller moments, mixed with comedy, and the seriousness of facing one’s demons while trying to stay alive.
The series quickly takes Flight with Cassie Bowden on her way to Thailand. While serving a man in first class seating who flirts with her along the trip, she agrees to go out with him. They spend the night in a whirlwind of drinking and sex. The following morning she wakes up next to him. He’s quite dead, having had his throat slit. Naturally, she can barely reminder the evening before and the panic begins.
Michiel Huisman plays the dead man, Alex Sokolov, and very much remains a character throughout the eight episodes in spite of being murdered. It’s quite entertaining. Kudos for his ability to run around drenched in fake blood in a lot of scenes, holding his slit neck. If you have a problem with blood, you may have a problem watching his appearances on a few occasions. However, he’s not always dripping red.
Cassie, unfortunately, has a drinking problem that stems from her childhood. Naturally in denial, the show not only is about the unraveling the mystery of Alex’s death, but also facing her childhood that turned her into an alcoholic. When her relationships continue to unravel with her brother and close friends, it eventually leads her to a self-realization that besides someone else wanting her dead, she’s killing herself.
There are a few other subplots that involve another Flight Attendant and her poor decisions, along with the FBI tagging along trying to figure out what’s going on. Cassie’s closets friend, who is an attorney, also shares a large portion of the storyline.
Frankly, I was quite impressed by Kaley Cuoco’s acting abilities that she clearly had not the opportunity to showcase on the BBT. Nevertheless, she has undoubtedly matured in this well produced production that left a smile on my face. I hope it evolves into another series and her adventures.
