Pan Am
Sunday, 10 p.m. on ABC
This series follows the lives of beautiful Pan Am stewardesses (and a few handsome pilots) in the early 1960s. It's a bit like "Playboy Club," but on an airplane. Also, less stuff happens.
"Pan Am" has oodles of retro glamour, but the light tone didn't work for me. Musically and visually, the pilot starts strong and ends strong. But sometimes in the middle, I felt like I was watching a slightly racy Disney movie. In fact, at one point when a stewardess was running through an airport to make her flight, I half-expected a shaggy dog or waddle of penguins to crash into her in a madcap fashion. I really think most of that is due to the soundtrack (note to ABC: more of the jazzy lounge singers, less of the swelling orchestral "Secretariat" theme music).
Apart from a few catty attendants and some extramarital shenanigans (light smooching is all we see), there's no real drama or tension until nearly the end. And even then, it's not very convincing. Still, given the interesting twist at the end, I'm holding out hope that "Pan Am" can make some adjustments and soar. But right now, it's not a show I'm the least bit excited about. Stars Christina Ricci, who looks fantastic.
Brooke Cain isn't always proud of the number of hours she logs in front of the TV, but her loss of brain cells can be your gain. From reality shows to sitcoms to the more serious stuff, Brooke keeps her DVR smoking so that she can help keep you in the know. Brooke also tweets for Happiness is a Warm TV (you can follow