Save Pan Am

Pan Am is my new television obsession. Yes, this is definitely due to the fact that I have always been obsessed with 60s history, but there is also a glamorous charm about the show that goes beyond that. What is most endearing about the show is the fact that the creators and writers have decided to include every aspect of 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s history that they possibly could get away with it. For example, some of the show's past story lines include JFK, communist spying (Cold War), Life Magazine, Nazi Occupied France, black American history (racism and beatings), and sexual freedom. The main characters of the show, Pan Am stewardesses, are young, beautiful, elegant, and educated women who travel the world, further proving themselves to be strong and successful in a mainly male-orientated society. Pan Am, while still showcasing men in the dominant positions, is about the female's rise to success in society. These women have literally no borders and get to do everything that they were not permitted to do growing up. There was talk that the show may be cancelled, and that is still a distinct possibility. The Playboy Club, of the same period, suffered that fate recently, and many people believe that Pan Am will follow fairly soon. In all fairness, when compared to monster shows like Dexter and Two and a Half Men, Pan Am does not seem to be doing well. However, according to tvline.com, Pan Am had 5.6 mil/1.9 viewers last Sunday, a 6 percent gain from the previous weekend. So for now, Pan Am is flying steady despite the threat of turbulence.

While I am not the biggest fan of Christina Ricci (the supposed face of the show) in Pan Am, Margot Robbie, Scrubs' Michael Mosley, Karine Vanasse, Grind's Mike Vogel, and Dreamland's Kelli Garner are fantastic and charming in their roles. Garner is especially impressive as the CIA courier Kate Cameron. I have seen her in quite a few dumb blonde roles, so this sincere and deep character is much appreciated. Robbie is slowly growing on me as Kate's sister Laura. Interestingly, in real life she is only 21. At first, Mosley's role on the show seemed to be comedic orientated. However, he has quickly become a character with extreme depth, as he experiences feelings of loss over his military pilot career. Vanasse is a lovely ray of sunshine as the smiley french stewardess Colette. Her character is a former Nazi victim, and we can look forward to a lot more from her character in the future.

So be sure to watch the show on Sunday and see what I'm ranting and raving about. Pan Am needs all the help it can get.

For a preview of next week's episode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-HbKJEpVS4

Picture courtesy of www.film.com.