Pan Am...did anyone watch?

[Lindley]

Spot's Meow wrote:

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I think it's kind of funny that some don't like the show because it doesn't accurately portray commercial flights and pilots. Since when were TV dramas meant to be realistic?? If that is your criteria then you can't watch any cop, lawyer, or medical shows or any other show for that matter depicting any profession, because I'm sure they are not at all accurate.

True. On the other hand, accuracy usually goes over well and doesn't require a whole lot of effort, so why not call them on it up front?

Also, I think some are making the mistake of seeing this as a show about aviation. Really, this is a show about stewardesses and their personal lives, so correct aviation details are hardly necessary.

It's a bit about both, but yes, I did notice that focus.

[Marc]

Warped9 wrote:

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I admit part of the appeal is the period setting even if it is glamorized. It sets it apart from what we're so familiar with today. In 1963 I was only four years old so my memories are rather dim, but I do recall something of those times.

Probably an intresting time for those people flying too. We take jets for granted but back then I guess it would be change from going from the aircraft like the DC-4 to travelling on the 707s - as the pilot's announcement went.

But just think - these days we fly with portable media devices, computers, inflight entertainment systems - none of that on the Clipper "Majestic".

Btw which variant of the 707 where they depictiing given the engine design (with what looked rocket nozzels) on the back?

Also gather some had water injection like the B-52s which I gather would to the smoke on take off (and just thinking - it could be a production cost thing for them clean take offs - that smoke could be expensive to animate).

[billcosby]

Win for the thread title!!

Although it was mostly enjoyable for me, the secret agency subplot seems silly and I although the concept itself (of a secret agency working an airline in the 60s) is cool, I'm worried it won't be dark enough for my tastes.

But there's a lot I like about it too... Ricci's good. The scenery/decor/props etc look fantastic and I like that my wife and I will have something to watch together.

MY WIFE: That's Christina Ricci? I couldn't tell it was her at all.
ME: That's because Tim Burton had nothing to do with this. You'd recognize her if she were dressed as a marionette in striped black and white all over in front on an eerie nightmare castle.

Another thing that surprised me was the lack of importance the male characters will have, this is certainly a female-centered show and should be interesting. I hope there are Evil Spies and catfights with lasers and shit.

[CorporalCaptain]

I'm set to record it on Friday.

[Warped9]

Marc wrote:

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Probably an intresting time for those people flying too. We take jets for granted but back then I guess it would be change from going from the aircraft like the DC-4 to travelling on the 707s - as the pilot's announcement went.

But just think - these days we fly with portable media devices, computers, inflight entertainment systems - none of that on the Clipper "Majestic".

There was an apparent air of romance to air travel then. It was a time when air travel was beginning to be seen as accessible to the ordinary folks. Distant locales were now becoming within acceptable reach in terms of time and expense.

Today air travel for most seems like a protracted and cramped affair, but then the simple prospect that you could fly to a distant destination made it feel wonderful and having a sense of adventure.

[J.T.B.]

Marc wrote:

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But it was a brand new jet on it's first flight, Guess you could equate it to Kirk's line about there only being 12 ships like the Enterprise in Star Fleet, yeah Pan Am has lotsa plane but these are brand new Jets and there's alway a bit of thrill to be the first on something.

But those pilots should have flown the same type aircraft for hundreds of hours, what would be so exciting about this one aside from the new plane smell? Commercial pilots try to be all business, they don't get giddy about stuff like that, that just rang false. Not to mention the fact that they were about to rotate and should have had their eyes on the instruments instead of giving each other shit-eating grins.

Spot's Meow wrote:

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I think it's kind of funny that some don't like the show because it doesn't accurately portray commercial flights and pilots. Since when were TV dramas meant to be realistic?? If that is your criteria then you can't watch any cop, lawyer, or medical shows or any other show for that matter depicting any profession, because I'm sure they are not at all accurate.

Some more than others. But for me, doing a period piece raises the whole level of commitment to authenticity. The less realistic, the less I'm interested. Such are my tastes.

Marc wrote:

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Btw which variant of the 707 where they depictiing given the engine design (with what looked rocket nozzels) on the back?

That was supposed to be a 707-121 with JT3C engines. The tubes were for noise suppression. Which also raises the question of why that aircraft was such a big deal: The 100s were old news by then, the Intercontinentals were the hot new thing. I don't even know if PA was still buying 100s that late. Anyway... I wonder if they'll use any CGI DC-8s?

And yes the 707 with water injection was quite the smog machine, as in this AA example. Love the Astro-Jet livery, though!

--Justin

[Brolan]

I flew on rival TWA during the '60s when I was eight, and the show captures that time well. I remember being allowed in the cockpit of the 707 and being presented with my "pilot wings". Heady stuff for an eight year old.

I remember the stewardesses (as they were called then) being darn near perfect-looking, but tired, at the end of the New York to London flight.

[Marc]

J.T.B. wrote:

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But those pilots should have flown the same type aircraft for hundreds of hours, what would be so exciting about this one aside from the new plane smell? Commercial pilots try to be all business, they don't get giddy about stuff like that, that just rang false. Not to mention the fact that they were about to rotate and should have had their eyes on the instruments instead of giving each other shit-eating grins.

from what I read in wiki pilots pretty much transitioned direct from the the prop driven to the 707s and there weren't exactly lots of jets to train up on (this direct transition resulted in a one fatal crash and as well as other near accidents).

Pan-Am flew a total of 128 707s and Boeing had delivered 388 of them by the of 1963. Factor in the surplus of pilots from the U.S.A.F who flew in WWII and Korea so would have hundreds of flight hours.

On top of that the the captain has been newly promoted (hence the co-pilot joking about not being able to call him captain") and the co-pilot newly promoted to jets it could easily be the be the sort of big event that leads to shit-eating grins.

[Warped9]

After missing the premiere episode last week this evening I got a look at the second episode of The Playboy Club. Not as horrible as I had thought it would be (based on the reviews and comments I'd read), but not as good as Pan Am.

And neither are in Mad Men's league, but in fairness they are going for a different type of show. I hated the Nick Dalton character in TPC who was so obviously channeling Don Draper. It impressed me as cheap and unimaginative.

[Goliath]

Spot's Meow wrote:

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As for my personal opinion...I guess it was okay, but nothing special. I will give it another shot. There was a little too much romance in the first episode; if it's basically going to be all about relationships and lovey stuff I will give it a pass.

Lovey stuff?

Ew.

[Spot's Meow]

J.T.B. wrote:

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Some more than others. But for me, doing a period piece raises the whole level of commitment to authenticity. The less realistic, the less I'm interested. Such are my tastes.

I would agree if it were a period piece focused on aviation, but it's just not. It's basically a soap opera on planes...the authenticity should be in the look, feel, and culture of the era. Who cares about the details of what the pilots are doing? It just doesn't matter to the show, and it's realistic enough that any average viewer wouldn't know the difference anyway.

[Cicero]

J.T.B. wrote:

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Other than that, it was okay I guess. The CIA angle is interesting.

I thought it was horse shit. The excitement and changes the Jet Age brings to people's lives aren't interesting enough to build a story on, you have to have some espionage angle? Apparently the only thing they learned from Mad Men is a series set in the '60s can sell.[/QUOTE]

Apparently, Pan Am actually was heavily infiltrated by the CIA during the 1960s; just as they said on the show, Pan Am employees had perfect cover for espionage.

My grandfather was a Pan Am pilot during this period (only four years older than the actor playing the captain in the first episode, oddly enough), which he always describes with pride, and which my father describes with glee and awe, so it was especially fun for me to see a loving recreation of that world.

I wonder if the series will ever have cause to touch upon the neatest Pan Am story I've ever heard of. A Pan Am clipper flew all the way around the world in an incredible six-week trip that was originally supposed to be a quick fill-in ferrying trip down the West Coast for one of the pilots, but which quickly became something very different because of Pearl Harbor. If a movie were made of the story, it would seem improbably cliched - down to the inevitable desperate attempt to pilot a floating plane out of the dead end of a river canyon (in the middle of Africa, no less). It's such an incredible story that I hope there would be some way to work it in, even though the show takes place twenty years later. Here's a map of the plane's trip in December 1941 and early January 1942.

Altogether, I thought that the show was nice, but not a great series. I think I'm looking forward to the next episode more than I am for Prime Suspect or Person of Interest (the other two new shows I enjoyed), even though the premiere episodes of both of those shows were probably better written and more involving. I think I just like Pan Am's optimism.

Btw, the pilot is currently available for free on iTunes (Prime Suspect is too).

[Warped9]

Cicero wrote:

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I think I just like Pan Am's optimism.

I see this as part of the appeal. The touch of glamour and romance and getting away from the sense of cynicism that permeates so much of contemporary programming. It seems every show has at least one smart ass like character spouting cynical one liners. It's everywhere so no one notices anymore.

[J.T.B.]

Spot's Meow wrote:

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I would agree if it were a period piece focused on aviation, but it's just not. It's basically a soap opera on planes...the authenticity should be in the look, feel, and culture of the era. Who cares about the details of what the pilots are doing? It just doesn't matter to the show, and it's realistic enough that any average viewer wouldn't know the difference anyway.

I think that's probably right. Most people won't know, so why bother? When I read about the smoking ban I figured that was the level they were going for, and the comparisons to Mad Men were superficial.

And so ends my involvement with the TV series Pan Am.

--Justin

[FPAlpha]

The promise of a show to depict the glamour of the 60s is what drew me in and i came out satisfied.

I know that not everything is realistic and people who harp on that incessantly kind of boggle my mind.. no show on earth is 100% accurate because real life usually doesn't make for good drama or even exciting views so i always give every show a bit of leeway in that regard (unless the writer is so bad he needs leeway constantly to make anything work).

So i wanted to see the period my parents grew up in and especially my mother who was about the age of these stewardesses back then and i wasn't disappointed.. different times back then and the intelligence subplot has me intrigued. I hope they pull a Forrest Gump and use the show to depict major historical events through the eyes of the crew.. i think that would be interesting to see.

Will definitely tune back for the next episode.