Precariously riding that wave that is new fall television is ABC’s newest, Pan Am.
As far as ideas go, it’s a great one. Taking place in the 1960s, Pan Am is rife with opportunities for juicy plot developments. Beautiful ladies in vintage garb, the women’s movement, radical politics, international locales, it’s hard to imagine a dull hour. Still, Pan Am’s pilot feels a bit lacking and stiff.
The show centers on the lives of several Pan Am employees, most notably four flight attendants: Maggie, Laura, Collette and Kate played respectively by Christina Ricci, Margot Robbie, Karine Vanasse and Kelli Garner. While there’s a lot here that seems promising, such as the tense relationship between sisters Kate and Laura or the bohemian, yet unexplored life of Maggie outside the airport, none of this is given the right amount of attention or exposition. There’s a message here about female empowerment, but as the hour draws on, it grows feebler and more warbled.
Much of the show’s developments are told through a series of flashbacks, which work great when reminiscing about French Collete’s love affair with a married man, but seem almost laughable when two characters are depicted getting engaged during the Bay of Pigs affair in Cuba.
Furthermore, the strange undercover spy subplot is so bizarre and unnecessary, it serves as a hindrance to the show. I will say that, aesthetically, Pan Am does quite well. From the cerulean blue of the Pan Am uniforms to the interiors of airplane cabins, Pan Am is richly detailed and wonderful to look at. Unfortunately, that alone won’t do.
Pan Am airs on Sundays at 10/9C.
Sarah McBride is an impassioned pop-culture enthusiast. Her thoughts on music, film, lit and life can be found at sarahism.com. You can follow her on twitter @sarahism.