It's flying just as high as the Undoing
Both these shows are based off a book, and they also both star women who can receive shocking information.
I loved The Undoing, it was everything I love about Nicole Kidman (eye acting, being scared of her sneaky son entering a room, and her inability to keep an accent) and it propelled Hugh Grant into a space I’m excited to see him occupy (the void left by K*vin Sp*cey). Unfortunately, it was just a little one and done, with twists and turns that had us on the edge of our seat.
Something we also saw with another HBO (Max) original, The Flight Attendant. Only that show didn’t take itself too seriously.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a trashy TV show moonlighting as a prestige piece of art (a la David E Kelley’s other book based TV show Big Little Lies), and the high production value and self seriousness only add to the complex hilarity that is, at its core, verbose dialogue and wild plot points. But what The Flight Attendant managed to pull of beautifully well was a complex hour long dramedy (I hate that word) that was effective in both performance and shock value.
Both shows had amazing casts. While Nicole brought her signature (middle aged fragile women with a strong core), Kailey Cuoco was rather surprising fit for the lead role. As someone who I knew from her sitcom acting as the bratty teen from 8 Simple Rules (not Big Bang Theory… Though that’s how my grandmother knows her [it’s her favourite show]), she really brings the nuance in this. She’s great at making the larger than life moments seem real, and she can play the smaller moments with the acuteness of a Kidman. Though I’m a little tired of seeing women be alcoholics, it was fun to watch her just slam back beers in a bodega.
The villainous men in these shows were great. As I said, Hugh Grant play the truest charming sociopath amazingly, and it was rather shocking. Though I mean… I’m not surprised (as I’m sure he’s not the nicest man [I just have trust issues since Ellen]), but his sweet fatherly affection coupled with his manic menacing presence was a big swing. One I hope pays off with the casting.
[SPOILER] Colin Woodell as Buckley was also verryyyyyy good! He played that bumbling idiot amazingly, and then the TURN! WOWE! That was well placed, and I definitely didn’t see it coming (though I dunno… I might be a little dumb with twists now [I use to be good at predicting them, but now to so much]).
From the ensemble casts, to their chaotic theme songs (fun jazz, and just Nicole Kidman singing), both these shows are spiritually linked. I’m surprised HBO was just like “lets put them on roughly around the same time!” But I have been seeing a lot of Twitter talk about how The Flight Attendant doesn’t match up. And I’d say that’s an unfair criticism of a show that’s just trying to be more fun.
Both these shows are goofee, but because The Undoing has a bigger star studded cast, a darker film grain and Hitchcockian shots of Nicole Kidmans eyes it’s treated like it’s “superior”?! I don’t think so…
These shows are great, and truthfully I don’t think one is superior than the other! They each star strong fragile women building themselves back up after life’s thrown them a curve ball. They both get into serious legal trouble, and uncover deep secrets about the men they love. They’ve got surprises, character growth, and a plucky lawyer best friend who does the most no matter what the cost. One has Donald Sutherland making grand speeches about being an old fashioned cocksucker, the other has Michelle Gomez bring chaotic neutral goddess energy… So they' both have their pluses!
I’d say, if you loved The Undoing, you’re going to love The Flight Attendant. It might not be as gritty, but it’s certainly got pizazz (and also a second season so…)