Full disclosure. I have been a fan of Kaley Cuoco since I discovered her in “The Big Bang Theory,” as “Penny,” a struggling actress with less than a Rhodes Scholar’s certificate.
Then out of the blue, there she is as Cassie Bowden, a functioning alcoholic flight attendant given to hook ups in the unisex latrine.
Viewers already know how she woke up after a night of booze and bed-walking with handsome Alex Sokolov (Michiel Huisman, Sonny in “Treme,” Daario Naharis in “Game of Thrones) to find his throat cut. OK, done. If you just checked in, he’s dead. No. Yes. No. Kinda.
With Sofi Tukker’s “The Good Time Girl” rocking in the background, Cassie flees the scene, setting up an investigation about a blonde and corpse, with Cassie flying away.
I was pleased, delighted to see how the multiple directors took the blood and bourbon novel and ran with it.
Cassie’s lawyer Ani (Zosia Mamet “Girls” 2012) listens to Cassie’s stuttering, choking tale and advises her to keep her head down and work through the night’s clues.
Cassie ignores the advice, and adopting the guise of a panic stricken but OCD amateur detective, dives into the deep weeds, and begins rattling around in the mysterious Alex’s closet of shadows life.
If you’re one of those fickle pickers, and despite being hooked on episode one of eight, but wondering if you should proceed or switch to something else, take my advice and stay on for the ride.
You could check out the previews of each episode offered to you on the schedule, but don’t count on them to satisfy your curiosity, they’re only teasers. Keep on track as “Flight Attendant “ offers a dark candy box of frights, flights and fantasies.
I went back to episode three to review the memorial service at her deceased lover’s family home. It’s replete with clues and a strange woman with glass-cutting eyes. It’s also fun to check out Cassie’s proper funeral attire.
There’s a phone call there as in “Get out of that house now.” I love those. Every thriller should have a “get out of that house now” call.
As the segments roll on, we get a background story about Cassie’s childhood, with a smoking 747 airliner floating through.
There’s a teasing bit about a private jet service and an attempt by Cassie’s brother Davey (where did he come from?) to root around in her childhood memories.
Prepare yourself for lots and lots of Alex, the walking talking corpse. You knew this hunk wasn’t going to stay dead. This device has been used before, as in the old black-and-white “Topper” film series, but not so charmingly.
I was delighted to watch the hand with the knife trying to make its way in. Just a tease.
The camera work is divided among four talents, but the credits prove Adrian Peng Correia’s is the better of them.
I’m not sure who decided to use the old Hollywood device of split screening; we remember it best from Norman Jewison’s “The Thomas Crown Affair,” but they’ve improved on it.
Blake Neely’s music (“Greyhound,” “The Flash”) leaps out like lightning especially at the ending of the first episode.
It’s clear that Kaley Cuoco has made her way up from “Big Bang Theory” successfully, despite having lost out in the tepid, dreary Golden Globes.
HBOMAX is currently streaming eight episodes of “Flight Attendant” with season two ordered up.
J.P. Devine of Waterville is a former stage and screen actor.
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