Mushrooms, Tasers, and Bears, Oh My!

"**Mushrooms, Tasers, and Bears, Oh My!**" is the second episode of the second season of HBO Max's *The Flight Attendant*. It released on April 21, 2022 on HBO Max alongside the premiere episode, "Seeing Double."

## Synopsis

Cassie reveals her secret to Annie and Max, and sets out to find her mysterious impersonator and suspects the new flight attendant, Grace. Annie prepares for a career-changing interview. Cassie's friends celebrate her year of sobriety.

## Plot

### Something a serial killer leaves behind

Annie scrolls through the reels on the Viewmaster found in the luggage delivered to Cassie, wondering just what the reels on it even are. Max agrees that the images on it "definitely feel like something a serial killer leaves behind." Annie tells Cassie that with all the stuff that happened in Berlin and her leaving on them for hours, it feels like she's living in a spy novel. She asks just what she's involved in. "Nothing," replies Cassie, but Annie tells her she doesn't believe her. Cassie goes for broke and reveals that she's an asset for the CIA, saying that Annie was about to figure it out anyway. Annie replies that she was nowhere close to figuring it out. Cassie tells her that there's more, that she was spying on a mark in Berlin and that there was a woman who looked like her and had her tattoo. Then there was an explosion. Annie tells Cassie that somebody was trying to frame her and Max asks if the blood on the wig in the luggage is from the dead guy.

Annie asks Cassie told her handler at the CIA about all of this. Just then, Cassie gets a call, which turns out to be him. She declines the call, but he calls again, so she takes it. He tells her that he needs a debrief at noon. She asks Annie how she's supposed to explain any of this. Annie tells her that she doesn't think she should, that it could all be evidence that could be used against her. She talks about a client of hers once who was framed and the jury didn't care. She asks Cassie if she has anyone at the CIA she can trust. Cassie agrees she does have a friend, but that she can hear him now telling her to just let them deal with it. Just then, Cassie's boyfriend Marco arrives. They all greet him cheerily, all agreeing mutely not to talk about anyone that's going on. Marco apologizing for being late and Cassie agrees everyone looks exhausted and that they can have dinner tomorrow. Max says he already likes Marco, and Annie says he's chill given that she was blown up. Then she realizes Cassie didn't tell him. She says that tomorrow Max will work to identify the slides and hopefully lead them to whoever is doing this.

Cassie wakes up the next morning, still troubled by the events in Berlin. She has a flash of the new flight attendant, Grace St. James, telling her that her ears are still ringing from the explosion and saying that she's not a good person. She goes to Annie, saying she thinks she knows who her double is. They head to the kitchen with Max, where Annie says that she's awake now and Cassie should tell her the theory. Cassie explains about the new flight attendant, saying that while she was super-cool, there was something about her that made her feel like she could be the double. Annie tells her she needs facts and Cassie lays out that she was in a position to imitate her, being a flight attendant, and that her ears were ringing. Annie is dubious, but Cassie thinks her theory is rock solid. Annie says that she'll give her that it is a compelling argument, but not one that would hold up in court. Cassie says that Grace gave her her address, so she could look around see if anything seems off. Annie asks her what if she is actually dangerous. Cassie tells her that she's built a perfect new life and is clutching to hold on to it, asking if she's really asking her to go against her instincts. Annie tells her that she should.

Max says that Annie also has an interview to get ready for. Annie calls it a "dog and pony show," but Cassie apologizes, saying that she totally forgot. She tells her that she'll be great, that if it's a dog and pony show, she'll be the best pony. She continues that she won't go see Grace, that it is an insane idea. Annie tells her that it's growth and she's impressed by it. Cassie agrees, saying that she has to get donuts for AA meeting, so she really doesn't have time to spy on Grace anyway. Annie tells her she's happy things worked out to be there for her big milestone and Cassie hugs her. "There's always so much touching," comments Annie.

### Going with instincts

Cassie leaves and places a call. It turns out to be to Grace who seems happy to hear from her. Cassie says she's looking to get a gift from her boyfriend, asking she wants to come with. Grace tells her that she would love it, but that she's in the middle of a baking emergency. She says baking is cooler than it sounds, that she does it in a "leather dominatrix outfit." Cassie wishes her luck and hangs up. It then turns out that she's right in front of Grace's place and watching as she leaves. "Oh, okay, yeah," comments Cassie, getting out of the car and calling her a liar. She tails her.

Back at Cassie's place, Max tells Annie that he's going to digitize the slides on the viewmaster and do a reverse image search. She asks what this involves and he tells her she needs to go to her interview. She claims to be excited for it, saying that it would be nice to not have to have him pay her mortgage anymore. She says he basically steals money to support them and it's not a judgment. He asks her what's going on and she says she misses feeling self-sufficient. He tells her she helped people with her legal aid, but she says she wasn't doing it to help them, it was just to make herself feel better. He kisses her and she continues that she's happy for Cassie that she's together, but she's supposed to be the "together" one. Max points out that Cassie nearly got blown up for the CIA. He tells her that she hasn't lost her shine.

Cassie continues to tail Grace, making her way through the local farmer's market. Along the way, she spots her brother, Davey, shopping at the market. She ducks out of sight, wondering just what he's shopping for, and continues her tail of Grace to the Sadies Pacific Airport. She sees Grace head to the tarmac, but is stopped by security from pursuing herself. She excuses herself as looking for the restaurant, and the guard tells her to head up the stairs. She borrows a pair of binoculars from a kid and observes Grace meet a man outside a small plane and take a package, which she then carries away. A waiter asks if she's going to order as she observes the man get back on the plane.

### One year of sobriety

Annie sits down for her interview. It does not go well. She comes across as awkward, making it sound very much as if her actitvities in the past have been borderline illegal. "You say blackmail, I say misunderstanding," she comments at one point. Elsewhere, Cassie arrives at her Alcoholic Anonymous meeting, loaded down with boxes of donuts. She apologizes for being late, but Brenda tells her that she's actually early. She tells her she's brought her one-year anniversary cake. Cassie tells her that her brother and fiancee are coming and Brenda agrees that it's an open meeting, saying it's good she has family who are invested, that hers only ever gave her a restraining order. Davey arrives and introduces himself. Brenda tells them to have a seat. Davey asks if he saw Cassie at the farmer's market, but she says it wasn't her. She thanks him for coming and he hands her a bag. She tells him they don't really do gifts at AA, but he insists. She pulls out a teddy bear wearing a sunglasses and a shirt that reads "Easy Does It." He tells her to press the bear's paw. She does and the bear says the phrase in Davey's voice. She hugs him, saying it's weird and she loves it.

Jenny, the woman from the week before, comes up and introduces herself to Davey. She hugs him, and shows Cassie a ncklace. Marco joins in and the meeting begins. Various people introduce themselves as alcoholics. Davey says he's going to take a couple of photos, but Cassie tells him it's anonymous and to put his phone away. Brenda begins asking about various milestones for sobriety, 24 hours, one week and so on, coming up to one year, i.e., Cassie. Cassie stands up and introduces herself. She comes to the podium, saying she can't believe it's been a year, that she didn't think it would happen. She thanks Davey, Brenda and finally Marco.

A woman in the back begins a slow clap. It's Cassie, or rather the drunkard Cassie from her mind. She says sarcastically that it was beautiful. Cassie finds herself in the mind palace. She says that she doesn't want to be there, that it's an important moment for her. "I earned that chip!" she says, but drunkard Cassie tells her it's a farce. "365 consecutive days of sobriety. Right." says the double drily. Cassie says she's just glad not to be her anymore. The drunkard Cassie asks child Cassie if she thought she was going to grow up to be this boring. Back at the meeting, Brenda hands Cassie the chip, telling her to keep it up, one day at a time. Everyone applauds and Davey cheers. She sits down and Marco hugs her. At the party afterwards, Marco tells her that while he has a whole drawer full of the chips, one year meant the most to him, until the next, and the next. Cassie agrees that she is proud. Brenda comes over, asking her how the letter to her dad is coming along. Cassie groans, asking if she really needs to ask about that right now. They discuss an upcoming trip of hers, in which she's planning to visit her father's grave and leave a letter.

Cassie tells Brenda that Davey is planning out the whole trip and Brenda asks if the bear is from him. Cassie pulls out the bear and Davey comes over, Brenda telling him that Cassie was saying she's grateful for all he's doing. "I'm so glad she's finally knocking this out," he agrees. She tells him that her own kids were a big help with her recovery, asking him if he's looked into Al-Anon. He says that he hasn't, but just then Jenny comes over and congratulates Cassie. Cassie gets a text and while she does, Davey and Jenny chat. The text is from Grace and reads "Free now if you still want to hang?" Cassie texts back "Totally" and tells Davey and Jenny that she has to go, that she and a friend from work are studying for a recertification thing. She offers Davey to come to dinner that evening, but he says he doesn't want to be a fifth wheel and that Jenny has already invited him. Cassie tells him to have fun.

### Shower spying, lunch and mushrooms

She heads over to Grace's house. In the mind palace, drunkard Cassie tells her to just go inside, or how else will she know if she's the one. She then encounters another version of herself, who is also drinking, and who also tells her also to just go, that everything they do ends in disaster. "Who the hell is that?" "That is a black hole of joy," the drunkard, but sparkly Cassie tells her. The sparkly Cassie tells her to talk only to her, that the other one is just depressing. Cassie says she doesn't need the attitude from either of them. She says she's leaving and heads inside Grace's house. Grace invites her, saying she's a total mess, that she just got into a workout. Cassie asks if she settled her bread emergency, and she says she did. Cassie asks how her ears are, telling her that hers are still ringing like crazy following the explosion. Grace says that hers are fine, that they bothered her the next day but she wasn't standing close to whatever happened. Cassie compliments her on her baking and Grace hands her a drink. When Cassie doesn't drink, she apologizes for not asking what she wanted. Cassie claims she likes it, and Grace shows her around, showing her a ceremonial shamshir. She says she was in the army briefly before she realized that her version of saving the world and the army's didn't match up, that they were destroying a civilization. She shows Cassie a picture of herself in the army, saying that people come and go and the only person you can really trust is yourself.

She says she's disgusting and asks if Cassie's okay with her taking a shower. Cassie agrees and Grace says she's really glad she called, that people so often say they want to chill but then never call. She heads off and sparkly Cassie appears, telling Cassie to drink up, that it's just a light rosé that won't affect her at all. "Who's even gonna know?" she asks, but Cassie hides the glass behind a potted plant. She then pokes into Grace's perfumes and drawers. She then spies through the bathroom door, but Grace has no tattoo on her back. She tilts her head back, chastising herself for being creepy. She goes to the living room and sees the package from before. She opens it up to find a bunch of lollipops. "What the fuck?" she wonders. Just then, Grace arrives and Cassie startles. "Hey, you find my side hustle," Grace tells her. "No! Yeah!" comments Cassie, asking if she's selling candy door to door. Grace giggles, saying that that's good,, but that they're medical-grade fentanyl lollipops. "You're a drug dealer?" asks Cassie and Grace says that she kind of is. She tells her that the world is messed up and that there are people who need drugs, but have no access to them, waking up in the morning in pain. The way she sees it, she plays the fentanyl fairy godperson to deserving patients, that sometimes you have to break the system. Cassie tells her it's amazing. She says she forgot she's volunteering at the animal shelter and leaves.

Davey has lunch with Jenny. He tells her that he's glad they're doing it and she agrees, saying that she's been working on a podcast and it's been isolating. He tells her that he loves podcasts, asking what it's about. She says she doesn't want to tell him. "Why?" he asks, but then says she doesn't have to tell him. She explains that it's a true-crime podcast about ordinary people who find themselves in deadly situations and that she was thinking he'd be a perfect guest. "Wait, what?" he asks and she says she finds Cassie's situation fascinating, with her waking up next to a dead body in a foreign country. He tells her it makes him uncomfortable if she's just having lunch with him to get gossip on Cassie. He starts to walk away, but she tells him that isn't it, that he was fun at the meeting and she just ended up thinking that while Cassie may have woken up next to a dead body, she can't imagine what it was like for him. He apologizes, saying that he's been stressed with some stuff he's been going through with his husband Rick. She tells him that she's there if he needs someone to talk to.

In a forested area, Megan Briscoe is digging at some mushrooms when a woman walking by tells her to be careful, that they could be Steinkrympill, which would be deadly. She tells her to buy what she needs at the market, that it's not worth the risk. Megan thanks her, saying she had no idea, but then goes right back to gathering some more. She then prepares the mushrooms with a mortar and pestle, using a field guide book. A woman walks in, asking if she's ready. She puts on a record and asks her dance with her. She pleads for just one dance and Megan gives in and comes over. As they dance, Megan considers the mushrooms.

### Why me?

Annie arrives back at Cassie's place. Max asks her how the interview was. Annie tells him to imagine the worst date ever and then it on fire. She asks if he found out anything about the Viewmaster slides, but he tells her to hold up and back things up, that the interview couldn't have been that bad. She says it was and she doesn't want to talk about it. He tells her that generally she's amazing and they'd be stupid not to hire her no matter what. She thanks him and they kiss. He says he does have news: that one of the Viewmaster slides is a close-up of a plaque at the base of the Lady of the Lake statue at Echo Park Lake. Cassie asks if it's in LA and he agrees that it is. Annie texts Cassie, asking her to meet them there. They arrive at Echo Park and Max confirms the match. Annie says that she hasn't seen any doubles of Cassie and Cassie asks just what they're supposed to do, if they just stand there and wait for something to happen. She says there's just normal people doing normal things when suddenly an air horn honks.

The sounding of the horn has Cassie clutching at her ears and finding herself in the mind palace again. The sparkly Cassie tells her that she might want to stay away from kids with airhorns after she just had her eardrums blown out. Cassie tells her that she didn't see the kids until it was too late, saying she's done taking advice from her, that she sent her on a dead-end with Grace. Sparkly Cassie says she didn't make Grace not be the culprit and it's not her fault that Cassie went on a wild goose chase. Cassie says she told her all day to follow Grace and it's not her, so now she's really scared. "Wow," comments the depressing Cassie. "We're really going to fuck this whole thing up, aren't we?"

Back in the park, Annie asks Cassie if she's okay, and if she wants her to murder the kids with the air horns. Cassie says to save it for later and focus on the monument. Max says that even they crack all the slides, they still have no idea what they mean. Cassie sighs as a camera shutter clicks, her unseen double snapping photos of her. The group heads to a restaurant, where Marco offers a non-alcoholic toast, congratulating Annie and Max on their engagement. He says it's a beautiful ring, though Annie tells him that just because she's wearing it doesn't mean she's engaged. Cassie tells her to calm down, that it's a real hot take. "I'm an original," says Annie. She offers a toast to Cassie and Marco, saying that it's the longest relationship that Cassie has ever been in, a six-month record breaker. Cassie asks about Annie's interview, but Annie tells her it's not really fun dinner conversation. She changes the subject to Cassie's one-year chip and Marco tells her she should have seen her. Cassie tells her that she went around Santa Monica afterwards and then hung out with her new friend Grace. Annie looks troubled, then gets up, telling Cassie that she needs to see in the bathroom.

The two head into the bathroom. Annie tells Cassie that first Marco is literal perfection. Cassie says he's the perfect guy on paper and Annie points out that this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. Cassie shoots back that she thinks Max is amazing, but has yet to admit she's wearing an engagement ring. Annie says it's different and asks if Cassie wants to tell her why she went to Grace's after she thought she could be a murderer. "Annie, it's me. Did you really think I wasn't gonna go?" asks Cassie. She says that everyone knew, but Annie says they didn't, asking if she at least found anything good out. Cassie says she saw in her shower and didn't see the tattoo. She couldn't find anything and Grace doesn't have "the crazy vibe." She tells Annie she bakes bread, which Annie says is "so L.A." Cassie tells Annie that she needed it to be Grace so she could look her in the eye and ask her "Why me?" Annie tells her to settle down, that they have options.

### The new couple in the neighborhood

Cassie is not convinced, saying that even if they figure out the pictures on the Viewmaster, they still have to figure out what they mean. She continues that she feels like she's just standing there waiting for something terrible and she has to do something. Annie shushes her, telling her that doing something is always a bad move on her part. She says she has her and Max and they'll figure it out. Cassie hugs her. "We don't always have to hug," she tells her. Back at the table, Max tells Marco that he's really cool. Marco thanks him, saying that it means a lot, that he lost a wife and now only gets a few times a year with his daughter. He tells him it was a lot of work to just be. "Wow," says Max. Marco asks to tell him about Annie and Max says that Annie is tricky, the most amazing person he knows, but that she's like an octopus. He explains that she's skittish and smart, always having an escape plan. Marco says he's been downplaying the six month thing with Cassie, but after tonight, he feels like maybe he doesn't have to tiptoe around anything. Max agrees that he should go for it.

Outside the restaurant, Marco tells Cassie that he's been thinking about them and the six months thing and it's kind of a big deal. He says he was thinking that maybe they should move in together, sometime soon. She asks what about when his daughter visits and he agrees she'd get to know her, that she's an important part of his life. Cassie says that they should keep talking about that, that it's a good thing to think about. Her phone rings. She says it's a weird number and she should take it. She walks off and takes the call, which turns out to be from Eli Briscoe, Megan's son. Cassie asks if everything's okay and he says he hasn't heard from Megan in a year, but tonight she Snapchatted him an insane message. He says he's sending it because she told him to send it to her. He does and it's a series of emojis. Eli says he tried to Snap her back, but the account was disabled. Cassie tells him Megan loves him more than anything in the world and she'll make sure it's okay. He tells her he hopes so and hangs up. Cassie tries to call Megan, but gets a message that the number is disconnected.

Annie and Max arrive at Cassie's, where they find a man trying to get in. Max asks if he can help him and he laughs, saying that it must not be his place. He apologizes, saying that he can't believe he did it again. He introduces himself, saying that he and his wife Garielle are Airbnbing the place across the street. Gabrielle comes out. "Wrong apartment again?" she asks, and her dog, Mr. Waffles, barks. Annie and Max introduce themselves. Esteban says they'll do their best to keep the dog under control. As Esteban continues to chat, a stun gun is shown behind Gabrielle's back. Inside the apartment, an elderly couple is shown tied up.

## Cast

### Starring

* Kaley Cuoco as Cassandra "Cassie" Bowden

* Zosia Mamet as Annie Mouradian
* Deniz Akdeniz as Max
* Mo McRae as Benjamin Berry
* Callie Hernandez as Gabrielle Diaz
* Griffin Matthews as Shane Evans (credit only)
* J.J. Soria as Esteban Diaz

and

* Rosie Perez as Megan Briscoe

### Guest starring

* Margaret Cho as Utada
* T.R. Knight as Davey Bowden
* Mae Martin as Grace St. James
* Jessie Ennis as Jenny
* Santiago Cabrera as Marco
* Shohreh Aghdashloo as Brenda
* Audrey Grace Marshall as Young Cassie Bowden
* David Iacono as Eli Briscoe

### Co-starring

Special thanks to Monette Moio, Kaley Cuoco's stunt double, body double and acting double.

* Kate Cochran as Cassie Double #3
* Guđfinna Rúnarsdóttir as Female British Birdwatcher
* Graham Littlewood as Male British Birdwatcher
* Jason W. Wong as Marty Chang
* Angela Matemotja as Beatriz Salazar
* Michael D'Amore as Liam Berger
* Noga Wind as Meeting Leader Meryl
* Olivia Cordell as Receptionist
* Rob James as Security Guard
* Arabella Grant as Franny
* Katie Self as Perky Mom
* Sanjay Rao as Waiter
* Patrick Quinlan as Artisinal Cheesemaker

## Trivia

* The title "Mushrooms, Tasers and Bears, Oh My!" is a reference to the line "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" featured in a song from the film *The Wizard of Oz*.

## Quotes

"I have little side job. I'm an asset for the CIA. I know we said no more secrets, but it's the CIA, and they're very secretive. I had to and I was dying to tell you, plus you were just about to guess it anyway. What does it matter?"

"Cassie, I was like literally nowhere close to figuring that out."

- Cassie Bowden and Annie Mouradian
"I feel like I could maybe stop by, look around, see if anything looks off."

"Okay, alternate plan."

"Yeah."

"I go to the moon and I build a house, except there's no oxygen on the moon, so I fucking die."

- Cassie regarding Grace St. James and Annie