The Flight Attendant: Hitchcock-esque thrills and deliciously dark humour - why you can’t miss Kaley Cuoco’s murder mystery drama

As far as hooks for TV shows go, the opening episode of The Flight Attendant is about as good as it gets.

Kaley Cuoco’s vodka-swigging, party-loving flight attendant Cassie wakes up after a night out in Bangkok in the wrong hotel, the wrong bed and with a dead man by her side.

With absolutely no idea what happened, an increasingly desperate and irrational Cassie makes a series of increasingly bad decisions that will leave your nerves shredded and get your murder mystery senses tingling. It's fair to say that the Sky Max and NOW series is about to become your next TV obsession.

The opening episode teases the viewer with glimpses of Cassie’s home life, friends and some mysterious strangers, played by T.R Knight (Grey’s Anatomy), Zosia Mamet (Girls) and Michelle Gomez (Doctor Who), dropping hints about the different ways in which this murder mystery could unravel.

But it's Cuoco, who is also executive producer on the series, who brings an electricity to this show, which is based on the novel of the same name by Chris Bojjalian.

Brilliantly balancing the dark absurdity and humour with the surreal and terrifying Hitchcock-esque elements of the story, it’s a career-best performance from the Big Bang Theory star.

Here are three reasons The Flight Attendant is a must-watch…

1. It’s a glossy, pacey, twist-filled thrill ride

The Flight Attendant doesn’t waste a second of its opening 45-minute episode, sucking you in with Cassie’s wild lifestyle and then throwing in a dead body mystery to seal the deal.

It's witty and occasionally surreal, with a crackling fast-paced plot and a soundtrack from Blake Neely that lifts the tension levels into the stratosphere.

And if you're looking some unexpected plot turns, The Flight Attendant has got more twists than a pretzel factory.

2. It’s a murder mystery with big laughs

Not many shows can strike the balance of having a scene where a bloodied man lays in bed with his throat slit, soundtracked by Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. But The Flight Attendant finds a unique balance of humour and horror that perfectly clicks.

The black humour, comedic skills of Cuoco and surreal elements of the plot bring a pulpy tone to the series, but the laughs are used smartly to suck you into the show’s darker themes of trauma and alcoholism. It’s the smart balance that makes the show striking and affecting.

3. Kaley Cuoco will blow you away

Best known for playing Penny in the Big Bang Theory for over a decade, we knew Cuoco had comedic timing and on-screen charm.

But The Flight Attendant showcases a different side to her talents as she juggles the show’s unusual styles with aplomb.

Bringing a vulnerability and a fragility to Cassie, she also throws herself head-first into the hot mess physicality of the character. 

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