HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant proved to be a terrifically fun flight as a dark comedy-thriller with a terrific turn from Kaley Cuoco (who we all underestimated, and we can partially blame “Bazinga!” fallout for that). Following the Thursday night finale to what was thought to be a limited series, however, HBO decided to book another voyage for Cassie/Alessandra Ricci (yes, that alias is sticking for me) and associates. If you have watched the finale already or don’t mind spoilers, our own Brian Grubb delivers his verdict here — he wholeheartedly enjoyed what went down), and yeah, I totally need more of Miranda’s spooky vibes and for Shane to personally judge me in a harsh manner. And I wouldn’t mind having a best friend like Annie to pick up the pieces.
The good news arrived from an HBO Max press release, which made the surprise reveal that the series will return for more. I say “surprising” because this truly was released as a limited series, and given that the show’s based upon Chris Bohjalian’s New York Times bestselling book of the same name, source material for another round presumably was not waiting in the wings. Although, surprise? HBO Max states that Cassie will appear in “a new adventure,” and here’s word from star and executive producer Cuoco:
“To say that I am elated would be an understatement! The positive response to our show has surpassed all of our expectations and I’m so proud of the entire team behind its success,” said executive producer and star Kaley Cuoco. “I’m thrilled to continue my partnership with Team Berlanti, Steve Yockey, HBO Max and of course my beloved studio, Warner Bros. I have amazing partners in Suzanne McCormack and Mackenzie Shade at Yes, Norman Prods., where we are committed to delivering diverse and quality entertainment, including an exciting (and probably a little crazy) TFA season 2!!”
I dig it. Normally, shows that receive the limited-series assumption and play out almost flawlessly (like Watchmen, The Queen’s Gambit, and The Outsider) always leave people wanting for more, but audiences know it’s better not to ruin perfection. One season is enough in those instances, but with The Flight Attendant, it exceeded expectations when it could have crash-landed. It painted a non-stop caper that held up against a high-concept (Cassie wakes up next to a dead dude, and who killed him?), and if the delivery was lacking, the whole thing would have fallen apart. So, Season 2 could be a winner, too, and I look forward to finding out if that’s the case.