(Spoilers for The Flight Attendant Season 1 below)

The Flight Attendant Season 2 takes place about a year after the events of its first season. Cassie has been sober the entire time, and is now working as an asset for the CIA. However, things get complicated when she discovers that a woman who looks just like her is committing crimes. Annie and Max are struggling with their deepening relationship while doing their best to help their friend. Meanwhile, Megan is on the run after betraying the North Koreans. These plot lines all intertwine in a mostly interesting and well-done fashion, with one glaring exception. The Flight Attendant’s sophomore season is a messy but thoroughly enjoyable ride that, in my opinion, is even better than the first thanks to the strength of its protagonist’s arc.

Plot-wise, The Flight Attendant Season 2 is solid but has issues. The writing is the weakest part of the show, as some events are a bit nonsensical. The main storyline revolves around the mystery of who Cassie’s double could be and why Cassie is the one being framed. While it is engaging throughout, you have to suspend your disbelief a little bit. Personally, my favorite part about this storyline had to be the conversations Cassie has in her head. Because we have a Cassie double on the loose, the person who occupies Cassie’s head this season is… herself. We’re introduced to more versions of Cassie as the season progresses, and this gives us an even deeper look into who she is as a person. And speaking of which, the best plotline of the show has to be Cassie’s struggle with her sobriety. It feels authentic and at times, painfully realistic. Being sober doesn’t solve all of her problems, after all. She’s still impulsive and often makes poor decisions (although sobriety did tone this down). The episodes that focus on this and on the effects her alcohol addiction had on others are the best episodes of the series. In my opinion, it’s all executed marvelously. But Cassie’s not the only character who gets growth this season. Annie and Max also go through strong arcs this season, and their scenes in each episode are always highlights. Annie in particular is really lovable this season, and I loved seeing her development as the season went on. Her dynamic with Max is always interesting to watch. However, there is one storyline that I personally think is outright bad: Megan and her whole North Korea situation. It’s sort of baffling that so much time is spent on this unlikable, entitled character who doesn’t really change. Megan is not a compelling character, and I found myself rooting against her every step of the way. And not only is this arc nonsensical, but it’s also really boring. I get that part of The Flight Attendant’s appeal is its camp. Despite my issues with the main plot, I enjoyed it for what it is. But when an arc is both unrealistic and uninteresting, it’s difficult to excuse. All in all, the writing in The Flight Attendant’s second season is mostly good, but not without its flaws.

Now that the show’s weakest aspect has been discussed, it’s only fair to bring up one of its greatest strengths: its acting. Every member of the cast brings the energy needed for a show as wild and entertaining as this. Zosia Mamet is a standout as the much-needed straight man to the chaos that is the rest of the show. I really felt for her every step of the way, and a huge part of why Annie as a character works as well as she does is that performance. I have many issues with the writing of Megan, but I can’t deny that Rosie Perez is great in the role. Her charisma isn’t enough to save Megan, but it does help. T.R. Knight and Deniz Akdeniz are both heartfelt and charming. Sharon Stone is only in a few episodes, but every scene she has is one of the best in the entire series. But obviously, the best performance of the show (and the biggest reason why The Flight Attendant works as well as it does) is Kaley Cuoco. She somehow tops her incredible performance in the first season and brings so much life to the show. She nails the comedic moments and especially the dramatic moments with ease. Cassie’s arc this season is amazing, and the biggest reason why is how outstandingly Kaley Cuoco portrays it. She gives what is so far my favorite performance of the year, and deserves every bit of acclaim she has gotten. The rest of the cast of The Flight Attendant Season 2 do a solid job as well, but it’s the Kaley Cuoco show through and through.

When it comes to its technicals, The Flight Attendant’s sophomore season continues to shine in the aspects where it was already great. The directing is still excellent as its somewhat chaotic nature serves the show well. The same can be said for the frenetic score, which helped keep me on the edge of my seat. The editing helped keep each episode tight and engaging. It’s also a huge reason why Drowning Women (one of the two best episodes in the season) works as well as it does. Aside from those, there’s nothing that’s super noteworthy. The show is just generally technically well-crafted.

The Flight Attendant Season 2 is far from perfect. Not every storyline works or is completely believable. However, the strength of its better storylines outweighs its weaker ones. It’s certainly messy, but for the most part, it’s also very entertaining (and emotional when it needs to be). Kaley Cuoco is consistently astonishing and greatly helps this season be the absolute best it can be. As a fan of the show, I’m happy with what I got, and would highly recommend this season to anyone who enjoyed season 1.

8/10