The Flight Attendant Review: Seeing Double / Mushrooms, Tasers, and Bears, Oh My! (Season 2 Episodes 1 & 2)

A year and a half after The Flight Attendant tied up its first season, the series is back with another mystery to solve. 

On The Flight Attendant Season 2 Episode 1, “Seeing Double,” and The Flight Attendant Season 2 Episode 2, “Mushrooms, Tasers, and Bears, Oh My!,” we meet Casey just shy of a year sober. This is a big step for her and the kind of fresh start she needed after the tumultuous events of Season 1. 

For a series that is based on a book, where the source material constituted the entire first season, it was hard to predict where The Flight Attendant might go. We has our thoughts about what we want to see on The Flight Attendant Season 2, and so far the series seems to be checking off several boxes. 

First, let’s talk about the overall mystery of this season. Meeting Cassie who seems to have it all together is similar to the start of Season 1. Cassie is living a seemingly glamorous life until a traumatic event collapses her house of cards.

The first two episodes set up a similar tone, but one that brings up more notes of stolen identity rather than being framed for waking up next to a dead man. It feels extra shocking given how the series presents Cassie as having her life together. 

We know that the events in Berlin are going to come, and it’s not surprising when it all comes crashing down. The twist that someone who looks like Cassie might be behind it is shocking, and the kind of thing that could rattle her recovery. 

On Season 1, we had questions about if Cassie could have killed Alex. However, now we are seeing an intentional frame-up. It’s one thing to be suspected of a crime and another to be in the crosshairs of someone who is toying with you while committing crimes in your name.

The show solidifies that with the change in the occupants of Cassie’s headspace.

I loved how the show used Alex as a way for Cassie’s internal monologue. However, it wouldn’t make sense for him to stick around after finding out who killed him. Cassie had to close that chapter of her life and move on. 

The versions of herself, on the other hand, make perfect sense. While last season was more about Cassie dealing with external stressors, this season feels primed to answer questions about identity. After all, the first episode begins with Cassie thinking someone is pretending to be her at a time when she’s trying to reconcile her past self with where she’s going. 

The little bits of Gold Dress Cassie and Black Hole of Joy Cassie is interesting to watch as we see Casey start to really reconcile her past with her future. It’s easy to imagine how younger Cassies will factor into the story especially if we see the trip home that Brenda mentions.

Despite Cassie moving across the country, the series doesn’t lose the cast of characters we came to know and love in New York. Ani and Max come to visit for an interview and provide the perfect comic relief as Cassie pieces together what happened in Berlin.

These three characters have an Avengers-like vibe that just works. It doesn’t matter what mess they get into, they’ll solve it. Even if they can’t see the whole picture yet.

Given that Ani’s one-year suspension is up, we get another metamorphosis in tandem with Cassie’s story. Ani’s attempt at returning to the legal world and reconciling her past at an unethical law firm feels on point with the themes the series sets up.

I had a feeling at the end of Season 1 that we were going to see Ani go through a complete career change and it’s feeling like Season 2 is primed to see that through.

Overall, Season 2 of The Flight Attendant feels primed to give us the same fast-paced mystery as it did in Season 1.  While themes and character growth have already happened, these episodes prove that there is room for more without losing some of the drama and comedy. 

Stray Thoughts:

• I am already a big fan of Grace. I have questions about her, but I think that she’ll prove to be an interesting character as the series continues. 
• Shane and Cassie are still going to go to dinner right? I want them to catch up and for Shane to give her a little perspective. 
• Why did Cassie decide to wear red at the hotel in Berlin? If she’s supposed to be a spy wouldn’t her mark notice the red coat? Benjamin says that she gets too involved but I get the feeling the outfits don’t really help. 
• There was just the right amount of Esteban and Gabriella to make me fear them, but not enough to give too much away. 
• I am really intrigued by Meghan’s storyline. I was half expecting that we may not see her since she’s on the run for committing treason, but I love the thin thread that the writers have planted, and I hope they continue to see it through.
• The opening credits continue to be a thing of beauty. Love the new style, but I’m 100% going to be picking it apart for clues as the next episodes drop. 
• If Brenda isn’t involved in more scenes in the coming episodes it’s a waste of Shohreh Aghadashloo.

What did you think of this episode of The Flight Attendant? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Flight Attendant airs Thursdays on HBO Max.

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