Pan Am – The first season ends, but will there be a second?

As the first season of Pan Am comes to a close, there’s not much left unsaid (at least by me) about the chances for a second season. As far as the ratings go, the show certainly didn’t perform up to expectations. Not picking up the full back nine order was a pretty telling sign. The decision to pull an episode of the production order, and then air it later in the season without an explanation pretty much sealed the deal. I don’t have a lot of faith, despite thinking that Pan Am was a lot better than most critics ever gave it credit for. Stranger things, however, have happened in the past. The so-called season finale left many of the stories open ended enough that fans could be happy with this as an ending, but enough open story lines that a potential second season could pick up from.

Kate finally has the opportunity to get the training that she’s desperately needed since her first day on the job, but only by giving up her job at Pan Am and dedicating her life to working for the CIA full-time. I hadn’t really thought that her status as “just an asset” was what was keeping her from visiting The Farm (the not-so-secret training base for the CIA, located about 15 minutes from where I went to college). She’s left with a big decision; she’s obviously a natural for the spy game, as shown by her role in taking down rogue MI-6 operative Roger Anderson. But, as she celebrated the end of 1963 on a rooftop with her closest friends, it was apparent how much she loved her “real” life. As farcical as many thought Kate’s story was this season, it was easily one of my favorite parts of the show. And Kelli Garner has easily been one of the two breakout stars of Pan Am.

The other, obviously, is Karine Vanasse. I remember how much I disliked Colette in the pilot, but my opinion of her changed rather quickly once the season got going. Her work in “Ich Bein Ein Berliner” was outstanding, but it was also when the audience really got to know her character. If there is another story I’d be disappointed by missing out on, it would be her search for her brother. The news that she wasn’t who she thought she was could have been a negative story, but accompanied by the existence of a brother is a wonderful way to allow us to see her explore her unknown past — hopefully with Dean (not that he deserves her, but hey, I am a hopeless romantic).

Speaking of being a hopeless romantic, I was more than a little disappointed that Amanda dropped a baby-bomb on Ted just as he and Laura finally figured things out. Those crazy kids deserve to be together, but I just don’t see how that could happen with Amanda fathering Ted’s child. At least we will be spared a storyline where Amanda tragically loses the baby to serve the story purpose of getting Ted and Laura back together. I want to see them together, if for no other reason than to watch Ted meet Andy Warhol, but I’m afraid of what would have to happen, plot-wise, to make that happen.

If there’s anything else good that comes out of the likely cancellation of Pan Am is the quick death of the “Maggie Ryan, International Smuggler” storyline. It just seems … beneath her. It wasn’t that long ago that Maggie wanted to change the world. Sure she wasn’t above throwing some elbows to get ahead, but I find such a significant shift in her life goals in such a short time period hard to believe. Admittedly, the President’s assassination would have had an impact, but this just feels wrong. I enjoyed much more her relationship with Congressman Chris Rawlings … even if it meant changing the world one politician at a time.

Considering how unlikely a second season is at this point, I guess I should highlight one of my favorite parts of Pan Am that has somehow escaped mention in my reviews all season long. I loved the historical tidbits; they weren’t overpowering, they were just there. This week was the mention of Idlewild International Airport’s name change to John F. Kennedy International after the President’s assassination in 1963. It was just a quick discussion between Dean and Ted in the cockpit while on approach. It wasn’t overt, it was just there, making sure that viewers who were paying attention walked away from the episode just a little more knowledgable.

Notes & Quotes

• “I dated a prince once.” – Maggie
  “You did?” – Laura
  “Johnny Esposito. His father was the muffler king of Clatsop County. Every time we pulled into a filling station, we were royalty.” – Maggie
• “I guess if you really love someone, that makes them perfect, even if they don’t necessarily feel the same way about you.” – Ted
• I didn’t like Omar much, but he did have a pretty sly way of telling Colette that she was going to be investigated before they were allowed to formally court.
• “You’ve come a long way from the stewardess who didn’t think she could could switch a passport.” — Richard
  “That was a lifetime ago. My biggest problem was my sister on the cover of a magazine. My parents were the enemy. And this country was Camelot. “ – Kate
• In an effort not to complain about more than I already have, I’ll skip over the fact that Pan Am skipped over showing us, real-time, as our favorite flight crew dealt, and the rest of the country, dealt with the emotional baggage associated with Kennedy Assassination. I know Mad Men did it, which would only increase unnecessary comparisons, but I still would have liked seeing that story play out in this medium.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Feb 20, 2012 @ 00:14 EST5EDT