Rating: 
Well, here we are at episode twelve of Pan Am. It takes place toward the end of November in 1963, so you know what that means. Yes, Doctor Who is about to air for the first time!
Our episode begins with Kate (Kelli Garner), finally receiving some CIA training. It seems that they want her to go to Rome and pickpocket some scientist for some rocket information or something. I wasn’t too clear on it because I was so stunned to see them actually show her how to do a job. It only took twelve episodes, too! Interesting thing: she’s using the old “bump into someone and steal their wallet” thing. I could never figure out how that was supposed to work unless you’re carrying your wallet in your coat pocket or something. Even more odd is when someone gets their back pocket picked. I’d like to think I’d notice someone digging around back there.
But I digress. We go from Kate’s training to Maggie’s (Christina Ricci) apartment where she’s hanging out doing stuff and Ted’s (Michael Mosley) fiancée, Amanda. You may recall that last week Amanda stole a kiss from Maggie. Maggie certainly remembers this. The two chat for a bit, and all appears well, though Maggie is now convinced that she’s sending out some sort of signal that’s pining other women’s gaydars.
Speaking of Ted, it turns out he’s going forward with his plans to marry Amanda. Is it just me, or does their whole relationship have a suddenness that makes Don Draper’s most recent marriage look thoughtful and well-planned? I know it gets hand-waved a bit, but still.
Back in New York, Captain Dean (Mike Vogel) and Collette (Karine Vanasse), are trying to sort out exactly how they feel about each other and where they want to go with their relationship. Well, Dean is, anyhow. Collette is somewhat ignoring him and spends most of the flight to Rome flirting with a passenger who happens to be hiding a major secret.
But wait, we aren’t done yet! No, there’s two more plots to cover. One involves Captain Boyle, the “sky god” who was in last week’s episode smuggling cigarettes to Moscow, trying to recruit Maggie into his smuggling ring. The other involves Laura (Margot Robbie), trying to buy back the nude photos of her taken in an earlier episode which have since been sold to a gallery that has a potential buyer for them. If you are now scratching your head and going “What?” you aren’t alone. That episode wasn’t aired, but apparently will be airing next week. Because when your show is having ratings issues, what solves that problem better than airing episodes out of order? Just ask Joss Whedon how that turned out.
At any rate, this was a good episode. Not a great one. But it was good. I liked most of the stories and it was nice to see Kate actually getting some CIA training for a change. I also liked the way that Collette seems quite content to move on away from Dean. I also really liked the way that Maggie handled the smuggling recruitment.
What didn’t I like? Well, the eventual identity of Collette’s new friend was more than a little twee, and I thought the identity of the person who bought Laura’s photos was really eye-rolling. I also felt the episode in general was in danger of capsizing under its own weight, which is no surprise when you count up the number of plots and subplots.
One last word: there’s a major historical event that happens at the end of the episode. For the record, Mad Men handled it way better, and I thought the use of CBS’ coverage of that event in a show that airs on ABC was more than a little amusing. I guess everyone just needs Uncle Walter.
1 Comments
Subject: Pan Am TV Series Oct 2011-12
There are many books written by former Pan Am stewardesses and pilots. They all seem to have their stories very much in common and soon become by themselves repetitious.
Pan Am stewardesses, while important and necessary to the benefit, welfare and safety of passengers, are not all there was to Pan Am.
What is desperately missing were interesting, adventurous and exciting factual stories which begin on the ground.
For instance, the public would be interested to know how potential stewardesses and other supporting employees were hired.
As a former PanAm Station Manager, who came up from the ranks, let it be known that applicants indicating having been bored would not be hired for any position. For stewardess prospects, there are grueling, difficult stress interviews which are extremely selective. Let us not forget the hundreds of thousands of employees who made Pan Am the greatest airline by also working in ‘Passenger Service’, ‘Freight and Mail’, ‘Commissary’, Communication’, ‘Reservation’, ‘Ticketing’, ‘Operations’, ‘Administration’, and ‘Special Services’. With these and other departments; it was all of them who made an effective Pan Am.
Viewers would like to travel along with the stories; from Baghdad to Berlin; from New York JFK to Nuremberg and more. Now it can be told about the good and the ugly of yesteryear. Just some of the problems from those days, were embezzlement, money laundering, smuggling, stowaways and much more with emphasis to keep these items from becoming knowledge to the stockholders. There was one passenger able to bring in massive amounts of pure heroin, all with the knowledge of US Customs. Also of interest was a former Nazi criminal working as a Pan Am personnel chief and comptroller at one of the largest airports.
These and many others are real stories. No fillers or additional fantasy needed.
I wrote a book “Pan Am and Beyond – Turbulence on the Ground” which became a best seller at Amazon in 2000. My purpose was to reestablish contact with former colleagues, employees and friends again.
This book can now be obtained as an e-Book for only $2.99 through:
Amazon (for Kindle) which also lists 22 reviews; Barnes & Noble (for NOOK); Apple (for iPad) and Reader Store (for Sony Reader). I do not expect a profit from any sales. Just enjoy the book.
Ed Parrey