Oh, Pan Am. Remember that whole promise you made of adventure and escapism and women doing any number of things that didn’t involve them fawning over fellas? Boy, did you ever do the exact opposite of those things. Pan Am is hobbling toward the finish line and sometimes I think I’m the only one left cheering it on. Actually, I’m not really cheering anymore. The only reason I’m still standing on the race course is because Christini Ricci and Ashley Greene are going to do some snogging next week, which means I’m going to be writing about it anyway. So, here I am!
AFTERELLEN BAIT
Pan Am‘s run has been disappointing in lots of ways to lots of different people, but I think the most discouraging thing from an AE Bait perspective is that this show was passing the Bechdel Test every single week for most of its run. And now it has devolved into two separate love triangles, in which this “new breed” of women spend their days crying and fighting over the only two men on the show. Collette, who was the most promising character, is now just a pawn in Bridget and Dean’s reconciliation. And Laura, who ran away from her own wedding in the pilot because she wanted to see the world, is now pining away for the cad Ted to propose to her instead of his childhood sweetheart. Even the wannabe bohemian Maggie almost set Kate on fire that time she thought Kate was making a play for her man.
At least Kate Cameron is still pursuing her espionage career. It’s inexplicable, but at least it’s not another tired ol’ soapy love story.
FEELINGS, FEELINGS, FEELINGS
At this point, I just feel a prevailing sense of boredom. Well, that and bemusement. How many new storylines did they introduce this week? Bridget returns, Kate’s in charge of retraining her, Ted gets engaged, Laura takes up photography, Dean and ZZZzzzz. Whoops. My boredom took over again when I was forced to talk about Dean.
FEMINIST SENSIBILITY
For a second there, it looked like Maggie was going to try her hand at freelance journalism. Remember when she set Congressman Rollings speech on fire and nearly burned down their hotel? Yeah, well she isn’t finished with him. She writes a scathing op-ed about him, which she pushes for publication. It’s nice. It’s a nice moment. Until she tries to pull it from publication when she realizes she’s in love with Rollings. I mean, why fixate on a man’s propensity for nuclear holocaust when you can gaze adoringly at his dimples instead. Siiiiigh.
REMINISCING RUDDER
When Kate goes to take her CIA-mandated lie detector test (which is what happens when you shoot a jeweler in the face), the Beatles are staying in her same hotel. Not quite as fun as he time Don Draper told Sally he was taking her to see them at Shea Stadium, but still: HISTORY!
Are you still watching Pan Am? What are your feelings about the show’s trajectory? Are you sticking around for the lady kiss?
