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I am an English and Film major, cinephile, and aspiring writer! When I'm not buried in school work and lectures, I'm usually in the depths of streaming services and their plethora of film options. Or reading.
Steve Yockey’s comedy mystery thriller The Flight Attendant is back with an exciting new season, premiering April 21st on HBO Max with two brand new episodes coming your way. Based on the novel by Chris Bohjalian of the same name, Yockey teams with an incredible group of writers and directors to manifest the story with colorful, comedic, and suspenseful twists on screen.
Considering the chaotic mess our erratic protagonist, Cassie (Kaley Cuoco), had to endure in the first season, it ended quite fairly. There was, of course, and rightfully so, the subtle allusion to a new season, but we weren’t left with too many questions by the end of it.
I only have a few, and I’m sure most viewers want to know the answers to them as well. First, where’s Miranda (Michelle Gomez)? I’ve grown to adore her craziness.
Second, where’s Megan (Rosie Perez)? Not sure I care about her character as much, but she’s got her feet in quicksand, too, so I’m eager to learn what’s up with her.
And last but not least, will my sweet Italian boy Enrico (Alberto Frezza) be okay?! I must know! (Alberto, call me.)
In Season 1 of The Flight Attendant, Cassie led an already hectic lifestyle as a flight attendant with Imperial Atlantic. She frequented bars and nightclubs with her friends, hooked up with strangers (and occasionally her passengers), and constantly put herself on the top of everybody’s “Worry About” list. Add to that, she woke up next to a dead man in a hotel room in Bangkok one drunken night. Afraid of falling under the punishment belt of Thailand’s death penalty, she did what any scared American that hasn’t taken a Forensics Anthropology course in their lifetime would do: she cleaned the crime scene with her bare hands, fled the country, and avoided the FBI.
I personally have taken a Forensics Anthropology course as an elective, but before that, even I (a non-STEM major) know not to smother the crime scene with my DNA. Cassie’s negligence in the first episode of Season 1 pretty much set the standard for her future rendezvous. Reckless, obviously, but entertaining nonetheless.
Cassie was dealt an interesting and unusual hand. It’d make anyone wonder how the creators of The Flight Attendant will be able to replicate the same enigmatic aura from the first season into this upcoming one.
Season 2 Premiere Episode — “Seeing Double”
The Flight Attendant’s Season 2 premiere episode was written by Steve Yockey and directed by Silver Tree.
Now LA-based and almost a year sober from alcohol (a vice that metaphorically played its own character in the season), Cassie starts off Season 2 with a bang. Literally, she has new bangs. They’re not just your basic styled fringe, they’re cute and wispy and very appropriate to the trendy LA scene. So she’s already fitting in quite perfectly.
A year after going through the most internationally twisted and criminal escapade of her life, the roaring waves have settled for far too long. Since sobering up, she’s gotten her life together a lot better than expected. On top of her daytime job as a flight attendant with Imperial Atlantic, she side hustles as a civilian asset for the CIA. Her supervisor, Benjamin (Mo McRae), would like to emphasize the term “civilian” as in, not an actual CIA officer. Take note of that, Cassie, if you want to live a peaceful life. Though we should all know by now that a job title won’t stop her from going above and beyond with her job. She regularly attends AA meetings and has a hot new photographer boyfriend, Marco (Santiago Cabrera).
Things begin to heat up when she’s tasked to keep her eyes on a certain German courier on her flight to Berlin and during his stay at the hotel. They’re simple instructions but Cassie took it upon herself to add a list of unnecessary investigative skills to the job description. Her curiosity inevitably leads her to yet another mystery she must solve instead of leaving it to the professionals, and it inadvertently causes her to witness an alleged murder on the streets of Berlin.
Her best friend Annie (Zosia Mamet) and her boyfriend Max (Deniz Akdeniz) return to the show as well by paying a visit to Cassie in LA. There are other reasons for their stay in California, so they won’t be leaving anytime soon, I hope.
The episode–which started with a 23-minute long intro before the beginning theme credits even started to roll–concludes with Cassie’s concern over a mysterious blonde entangled in this crime and how they look almost exactly alike. From the back, at least. And how it can pull her into, yet again, another mess in which she’s being framed for a crime she didn’t commit.
Season 2 Episode 2 — “Mushrooms, Tasers, and Bears, Oh My!”
The Flight Attendant Season 2, Episode 2 was written by Elizabeth Benjamin and Jess Meyer, and directed by Silver Tree.
When Cassie was working through her issues in Season 1, her mind would force her into this strange psychosis where she was often accompanied by the dead guy she woke up next to, Alex (Michael Huisman). Together, they’d piece information together in real-time and it weirdly worked out for her. She’s since abandoned that subconscious lair, but now that she has another Whodunit circumstance in her life, she’s thrust back into an entirely new mind nest. This time, she’s accompanied by different versions of herself instead of some dead guy. The fun ol’ party Cassie, depressed Cassie, and a much more put-together Cassie team up to help the actual Cassie piece information together. In hindsight, it sounds like a perfect team with different personalities and perspectives on the situation, but for the most part, they cause even more stress to the case.
To celebrate her official one year of sobriety, Cassie’s brother Davey (T.R. Knight) visits LA to show support for an alcohol issue Cassie has been dealing with since her youth. It’s another excuse to bring the whole east coast crew over to the west and I am absolutely here for it. A world without T.R. Knight is purely a crime in and of itself.
Cassie has had her eyes set on a particular person she believes is the doppelgänger out to frame her. She spends most of this episode trying to get to the bottom of it and the results turn into a twist you’ll have to see for yourself.
Final Thoughts On The Flight Attendant Season 2 Premiere
Curiosity sure kills the cat, but in Cassie’s case, it offers some entertaining television drama. I first have to applaud the amazing work of Blake Neely, the composer for The Flight Attendant’s tense and compelling score amongst other award-winning films and television shows. The music works breathlessly along with the show’s stylistic editing with multiple frames beside one another, quick cuts, and artistically purposeful camera angles. It complements the spy theme of the show in a way that keeps viewers physically unable to take their eyes off the screen.
I was initially worried about how the show’s creators would be able to put Cassie in a new mess that won’t deem it hackneyed. Knowing Cassie, though, her life is anything but simple. Throwing her into complicated criminal activity shouldn’t be surprising, so I’m interested to see how she’ll manage to meander her way to the “Case Solved” stamp this time.
A plus side to her string of illegal activities includes the charming dynamic between her friends and family. Her poor decisions affect the people around her, so it’s always interesting to see how those subplots play out. Additionally, we’re treated with a ton of humorous back-and-forths, wit, and sass from a personality diverse ensemble.
The only thing I haven’t been able to get over is the fact that Cassie has already been through this before, shouldn’t she have learned by now that: (1) Working solo on a mission is dangerous and could almost get her killed again; and (2) Wearing noticeably red attire actually attracts the attention of those you’re trying to secretly follow? I’d imagine she grew an extra anxious eye, but no, instead I did. She remains mostly clueless about the idea of discretion, and how vital that element is in solving mysteries. Refer to the article’s photo above and take note of how well she’s trying to secretly photograph someone from afar.
The aforementioned Enrico was a small supporting character at best in the first season. I’m not entirely hopeful for his return since it wouldn’t make sense to the ultimate plot. But a girl can only dream.
The new season of The Flight Attendant premieres April 21st on HBO Max, this time with the kind of amped-up editing and cinematography sure to put it back on the Emmys’ nomination list.
Honorable acknowledgment: Thank you Tia and Emily for the hair bangs education. I knew there was a noticeable difference in Cassie’s bangs from Season 1 to Season 2. Although it’s completely irrelevant to the plot (I think), God forbid I describe Cassie’s hair with the wrong terms.
I am an English and Film major, cinephile, and aspiring writer! When I'm not buried in school work and lectures, I'm usually in the depths of streaming services and their plethora of film options. Or reading.
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