On the surface, and based on the promotional campaign, Pan Am seemed like a lighter-than-air send up of 60's fashion and an age when flying was glamorous and not the never-ending quest to smuggle 3.2 ounces of shampoo in your carry-on. And back when the thought of a pilot didn't bring you to the nauseating mental image of Jake from The Bachelor? Ah, the halcyon days of yore... To a certain extent, Pan Am definitely fulfills that promise, creating an atmosphere of the 60's that I gladly got swept up in. It all had a shiny, polished Catch Me If You Can vibe that was surprisingly well done and convincing. Beneath the shiny surface, however, the pilot establishes its four heroines as interesting women leading complicated lives, ranging from affairs to broken engagements to international espionage. Yeah, that last one came as the real surprise. When the pilot first began to establish the storyline, I was a bit skeptical, but as the pilot progressed, I was definitely on board. The show's international capabilities and historical flavor made the espionage angle exciting and believable, giving the show a sense of mystery and and intrigue that I genuinely didn't see coming. Espionage is always such a lovely surprise, isn't it?Beyond the twisty or romantic plot points, it's the characters who are the core of the show. The show did an outstanding job of establishing quite a few different characters in a very short amount of time, relying on well-integrated flashbacks to flesh out each of their back stories. In spite of the number of people involved, it didn't feel rushed or forced. Indeed, the direction was very good and the pilot flowed naturally, keeping an entertaining pace throughout, all the while covering a lot of exposition. Not an easy task.
Indeed, by the end of the pilot, I was kind of bummed that it was over. I got so swept up in the people, the the fabulous 60's locations around the world (I thought the special effects were quite good), and the storyline that I never once checked to see where I was in the episode and was a little surprised that 43 minutes had flown by so quickly. (I'm suddenly realizing how many unintentional puns are littered throughout this sucker. Just go with it.) Amid the personal and professional plot exposition, an ongoing storyline involving Kate's first spy mission kept me on my toes throughout, worrying that she'd be exposed, that the mission would fail, etc. It gave the pilot a nice air of suspense. I found myself really getting invested in each of these people and was genuinely dismayed at the end when it was revealed that Kate was actually replacing the elusive Bridget as the new intelligence agent. Where's Bridget? Is she dead? Why is she being replaced? What exactly did she do for them? The fact that I wondered these things at all and was so invested in the answer speaks highly of the show and bodes well for its future.All in all, there's very little to complain about with this stylish, romantic, exciting new series. The onscreen talent is strong across the board, with each of the lead actresses bringing something unique and interesting to her role. In spite of the number of very pretty people to keep track of, I never mixed anyone up or got confused, and I walked away feeling like I have a real understanding of these women, their lives, and how liberating the job of stewardess was in some ways and how restrictive in others. The Playboy Club claims that their bunnies were the women with all the power back in the 60's, but I think it's the ladies flying 35,000
feet over the bunnies heads. In spite of the strictly-enforced uniform, complete with girdle, the restrictions and requirements, the ogling eyes of the passengers, these women got to see the world and live independently. It was an escape for monotony, from marriage, from parents, from whatever. At the end of the episode, the pilots are discussing the fact that they're different from other women, and that they're evolved. "There's more to life than primordial ooze," one pontificates. There certainly is for these women. While The Playboy Club hardly sold me on the power and independence of its bunnies, Pan Am made their case and won. I'm sure the job wasn't as glamorous as the show makes it seem, but it sparkled onscreen. In terms of perceptions of women in general, the role of stewardess doesn't seem like much a "votes for women!" step in the right direction, but taken in context of the era, it gave women a lot more freedom than many of their more traditional counterparts, and for that, I heartily approve.
All you can really ask of a pilot is that the audience wants to know more. Not only do I want to know more, but I already feel like I have an awful lot. When discussing the show at work, I was able to recount all the main characters' names without even trying. Beyond names, I feel like I have a fair grasp of who they are why they're doing what they're doing. That's a tall order for 5 episodes to fill, let alone one. Kelli Garner does a particularly nice job as novice spy Kate, but she's in good company with fine performances all around. The show created a cohesive universe and milieu for these characters to exist and it allowed the actors to really craft their roles. There were a few minor elements that I quibbled with, but when stacked up against all the show has going for it, they're hardly worth mentioning at all.Pilot Grade: B+
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