TV Show review
November 26, 2020 · TV-MA · Canceled
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Flight Attendant.
Woke representation / casting
Diverse supporting ensemble with intentional choices noted by creator; includes non-binary actor Mae Martin in a queer-revealing role (Grace) and complex gay Black character (Davey) given depth beyond stereotype; lead and major arcs remain story-driven rather than identity-first.
Woke political dialogue
No explicit activist speeches, institutional lectures, or identity-politics arguments; dialogue stays personal, comedic, and mystery-focused.
Identity-driven story themes
Supporting queer elements and Cassie’s self-exploration via multiple inner versions add mild personal-identity layers; central arcs center on alcoholism, trauma, and recovery without framing around systemic oppression, patriarchy, or modern social-justice causes.
Western institutional / cultural critique
CIA and law-enforcement appear as plot devices in fish-out-of-water comedy; no activist reframing of institutions as toxic, patriarchal, or colonial.
Review
The Flight Attendant is a two-season dark comedy mystery thriller about reckless alcoholic flight attendant Cassie Bowden, who wakes up next to a murdered passenger in Bangkok and becomes entangled in international intrigue while battling blackouts, guilt, and addiction. The series mixes stylish murder-mystery plotting, surreal fantasy sequences, and personal recovery arcs across its 2020 and 2022 seasons. It includes visible diverse supporting casting and incidental queer characters, presented through creator statements as authentic world representation rather than central plot drivers or activist messaging.
Woke character or canon changes
Adaptation added queer supporting characters and diverse casting emphasis not central to the source novel; no race/gender swaps of leads or major ideological rewrites of established figures.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No notable right-leaning or anti-DEI criticism treating the series as pushing identity politics or propaganda; reception stayed entertainment-focused.
Creator track record context
Steve Yockey’s public comments and body of work (including queer rep focus and inclusive team-building) show consistent modern representation priorities; other key writers and producers lack documented activist or identity-driven patterns.
Production
