Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

The Flight Attendant

By Marina Gordon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Frenetic, fun murder-mystery is bloody and boozy.

TV Max Drama 2020
The Flight Attendant Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 11+

Based on 4 parent reviews

emarnold15
emarnold15 Adult
January 14, 2021
age 14+

Great thriller show

I really enjoyed this show, it's a great mystery-thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Kaley Cuoco is fantastic, it's nice to see her in a different role. I've never watch a crime show that was as original and unpredictable as this one. There is a lot of f-bombs in the show. Kaley's swearing fits the situations she's in, but her friend, Annie, drops the f-bomb a lot for no reason. I find her character a bit annoying so that may be why I find her swearing more annoying, but just a heads up about that. There is a sex scene in the first episode, but it is only a few seconds and doesn't show much. There is another in the second episode that last a bit longer and shows a lot more nudity (the guy is shown from behind completely naked). Also, there is a LOT of alcohol consumption and alcoholism in general. All in all a great show, I was able to look past the few things that annoyed me and enjoyed it. I'd say 14+.
Aaron C.
Aaron C. Parent
December 27, 2020
age 15+

Interesting & Thrilling

It does have some sexual content & mild nudity. But it has strong language and alcohol consumption. All of these help take the story forward & make it more gripping. The Tension increases with every episode.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT establishes in its first five minutes that Cassie (Kaley Cuoco) loves her job -- she travels the world serving first-class passengers, parties wherever she has an overnight, and hooks up with men at every port. Then she wakes up in Bangkok to find that Alex, her latest bedmate (Michiel Huisman), lies atop blood-soaked sheets and has a gruesome slashed throat. She'd been so drunk the night before that she has no idea what happened, but instead of going to authorities she scrambles to erase any evidence of her presence and hurries to catch her next flight out. Alas, her colleagues (including Rosie Perez as an older, protective friend) recall that she was flirting with Alex (known to them as 3C for his seat number). Could Cassie have done this?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (6 ):

Kaley Cuoco's ascent into a meatier role after The Big Bang Theory landed on Thanksgiving 2020, when a series about pre-COVID-19 travel feels like a most welcome dream. Though The Flight Attendant's fast-paced story of murder, alcoholism, and sheer panic is nightmarish, the eight-episode series feels soaring and sparkly and fun when you're watching solo in sweatpants. The writing moves at a breakneck pace; in the first 45 minutes we're introduced to Cassie, her partying lifestyle, her cohort of flight attendants, her brother and his family, her drinking problem, traumatic childhood memories, and, of course, that dead body. As both star and executive producer of The Flight Attendant, Cuoco is clearly signaling that she's moving beyond "Bazinga," and HBO has become a favorite network for stars looking to push beyond a PG audience (Euphoria, anyone?). Older teens and adults should strap in, hang on, and brace for whiplash.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how flight attendents are typically portrayed in the media. Does The Flight Attendant support or subvert that tendency? How does it ring true, and how does it depart from expectations?

  • Is drinking glamorized in the series? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?

  • Sex has a strong presence in the series. What might the story have been like without sex as a major motivator for several characters? What did you think about the show's depiction of the characters' sexualities?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate