While you tune in to observe the brand new HBO Max darkly comedic homicide thriller The Flight Attendant, and it is best to (and now you can, as HBO Max has launched the primary episode early!), you might be shocked to see Kaley Cuoco enjoying a job markedly totally different from Penny on The Big Bang Theory. Cuoco’s option to play Cassie Bowden, the titular flight attendant who travels and events internationally, is a shrewd and sudden follow-up to the broad comedy that catapulted her to stardom.
Tailored from Chris Bohjalian’s best-selling novel of the identical title, the miniseries rapidly attracts the viewer in as Cuoco works a flight to Bangkok and meets a gorgeous businessman, Alex Sokolov (Michiel Huisman), whom she chats with all through the flight. As soon as they land in Bangkok, Cassie tells her crewmate Megan (Rosie Perez) that she’s going to remain in that night, however she meets up with Alex for a date evening that includes dinner, consuming, intercourse, consuming, showering collectively, and extra consuming. When Cassie wakes up the subsequent morning hungover and hurting in Alex’s luxurious lodge suite, she seems to be over on the man subsequent to her and, properly, he is lifeless (not a spoiler, it is within the trailer and it is the inciting incident that kicks off the story).
Kaley Cuoco Explains Why The Flight Attendant Was the Best Follow-Up to The Big Bang Theory
Not simply lifeless, however murdered. A shocked and frightened Cassie tries to piece collectively what occurred the evening earlier than however the extreme consuming makes it close to unattainable for her to recall particulars. And, as we rapidly discover out, this is not the primary time Cassie has been drunk to the purpose of blacking out and forgetting what occurred, nevertheless it’s by no means concerned a loss of life earlier than and Cassie is freaked out to the extent that she begins making a string of dangerous selections. With out revealing all these selections — as a result of it is simply an excessive amount of enjoyable watching her make them — it’s each oddly compelling and horrifying to observe Cassie react from her core of panic and concern of being accused of homicide or probably discovering Alex’s killer and being killed herself.
Again house in New York Metropolis, Cassie confides in her high-powered legal professional buddy Annie (Zosia Mamet), and whereas Annie is outwardly cool and composed, she is aware of Cassie is totally out of her depth in the case of coping with FBI interviews and being a homicide suspect. Mamet’s efficiency is dry, acerbic, and a sensible stability to Cassie’s frenzied power. Within the 4 episodes HBO Max launched early for evaluate, Cassie tries to determine who killed Alex and the search takes her to all types of sudden locations. As Cassie does these items, she’s additionally having flashbacks, and a inventive storytelling system retraces a few of her steps and takes us again to her childhood.
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Steve Yockey (Supernatural) developed the sequence for tv and he is performed a sensible job of choosing what the viewer is proven in every episode. The episodes are additionally structured such that they go away the viewer wanting extra because the thriller deepens. The sequence additionally boasts a robust ensemble solid together with T.R. Knight as Cuoco’s brother, Bebe Neuwirth as Mamet’s boss, and Rosie Perez as Cassie’s coworker, who will get her personal juicy story.
Should you’re coming to The Flight Attendant to see the additional adventures of Penny, you are not going to get it. As an alternative, you will discover an brisk, darkish comedy that doubles as a homicide thriller. And thru 4 episodes, it really works.
TV Information score: 4/5
The primary episode of The Flight Attendant is on the market now on HBO Max as a particular preview, however the sequence formally premieres November 26 on HBO Max with the primary three episodes. Two new episodes will probably be launched every of the next Thursdays, with the finale airing on Dec. 17.