Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Coming this fall: ABC's "Pan Am" -- "Mad Men" in the skies?

I've done two episodes now, and it's difficult not to scream, 'You're getting it wrong!' First of all, EVERYONE is too tall, both the men and women, but that's what you get these days what with steroids in Pablum. Though, I see that's changing as the casting notices are asking for actors under 6' 1". Second, these kids don't even know how to hold a cigarette or drink a cocktail. None of them seems to even know how to stand erect. A third annoyance is the twenty-two-year-old costume guy trying to tell me how much cuff showed in the 60s and how they tied their neckties. Sheesh.

Still, aside from the boredom of sitting around the set all day, it's fun to do, and to see a lot of gals in 60s clothes all at once is an added bonus. Even though they do complain about the 'weird clothes'.

Ciao,

Jack
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
I've done two episodes now, and it's difficult not to scream, 'You're getting it wrong!' First of all, EVERYONE is too tall, both the men and women, but that's what you get these days what with steroids in Pablum. Though, I see that's changing as the casting notices are asking for actors under 6' 1". Second, these kids don't even know how to hold a cigarette or drink a cocktail. None of them seems to even know how to stand erect. A third annoyance is the twenty-two-year-old costume guy trying to tell me how much cuff showed in the 60s and how they tied their neckties. Sheesh.

Still, aside from the boredom of sitting around the set all day, it's fun to do, and to see a lot of gals in 60s clothes all at once is an added bonus. Even though they do complain about the 'weird clothes'.

Ciao,

Jack

That isn't fair, I mean that the girls complain about the clothing. I would be begging to take them home with me if I were an extra. As for the costume guy, I'm sure they threw an old magazine at him for "prep" before the show, and that's how he became the expert. :rolleyes:

Good for you, I think that's fantastic!
 

MrBern

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,469
Location
DeleteStreet, REDACTCity, LockedState
I enjoyed the pilot & wont quibble until we see the show take off or stall out.
But the image of the stewardess partaking in espionage seems familiar...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU&ob=av3e
3078226224_25387dbf93.jpg

britney-spears-flight-attendant-toxic--large-msg-120353486448.jpg
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
Congratulations on landing an appearance on the show, Senator Jack.

I guess I'll watch the episode at some point. Is this show interesting, despite the inaccuracies?
 

Feraud

Bartender
Messages
17,190
Location
Hardlucksville, NY
That isn't fair, I mean that the girls complain about the clothing. I would be begging to take them home with me if I were an extra. As for the costume guy, I'm sure they threw an old magazine at him for "prep" before the show, and that's how he became the expert. :rolleyes:

Good for you, I think that's fantastic!
You have to realize these girls probably know no more about clothing than the garbage they buy at The Gap.

Senator Jack is the only guy there who looks like he isn't wearing a costume.
 

rue

Messages
13,319
Location
California native living in Arizona.
I've done two episodes now, and it's difficult not to scream, 'You're getting it wrong!' First of all, EVERYONE is too tall, both the men and women, but that's what you get these days what with steroids in Pablum. Though, I see that's changing as the casting notices are asking for actors under 6' 1". Second, these kids don't even know how to hold a cigarette or drink a cocktail. None of them seems to even know how to stand erect. A third annoyance is the twenty-two-year-old costume guy trying to tell me how much cuff showed in the 60s and how they tied their neckties. Sheesh.

Still, aside from the boredom of sitting around the set all day, it's fun to do, and to see a lot of gals in 60s clothes all at once is an added bonus. Even though they do complain about the 'weird clothes'.

Ciao,

Jack

You look great Senator :D
 

scotrace

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
14,376
Location
Small Town Ohio, USA
Good grief, this thing is awful. The men are all far too young and where the hell did they find them? The School of Squint and Dimples? Worst CGI (helicopter bit) ever. All has the feel of a lot of kids doing what they think is right for the period and pulling it out of their butts. Mad Men has a feel of realism. An imperfection here and there. Believable characters. Pan Am is like a bad Chinese knockoff.

(no bearing at all on the good Senator Jack's involvement - I wish they'd brought you in to save it)
 

Connery

One Too Many
Messages
1,125
Location
Crab Key
I could not get passed the actors. It appears as if children were pretending to be pilots and got hold of their parents' uniforms. The concept is interesting and Senator Jack's work is appreciated.:)
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
Good grief, this thing is awful. The men are all far too young and where the hell did they find them? The School of Squint and Dimples? Worst CGI (helicopter bit) ever. All has the feel of a lot of kids doing what they think is right for the period and pulling it out of their butts. Mad Men has a feel of realism. An imperfection here and there. Believable characters. Pan Am is like a bad Chinese knockoff.

(no bearing at all on the good Senator Jack's involvement - I wish they'd brought you in to save it)

I'm having a difficult time getting past all of those things, too, like the actors doing what they think was right - It interferes with everything pretty badly. I hate how prissy the girls are.

When I watched the pilot (ha, ha) I thought it was alright for a first attempt, and said I've give it another chance. I gave it another chance last night... And it's not getting any better. I'll give it another try next week, but I'm sure I'll be disappointed. My mum has been watching it too, and her opinion was that it could be interesting if it was done right. I think so too, it's too bad.
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,228
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
I was also disappointed in the second episode, but intend to keep watching.

What I think is weird is that the characterizations and storytelling on the show are just as much out of the early sixties as the look. As opposed to Mad Men - where characters are defined/limited by the timeframe, but stand out as VERY well-defined, believable people - Pan Am's characters are simplistic, outdated stereotypes, as if the show itself was written/made in 1963.

Speaking of Mad Men knockoffs, I see that The Playboy Club has been canceled and removed from the schedule after airing just two episodes... the first casualty of the new season. Yeah, it was really THAT bad! (I only made it three minutes into the pilot before turning it off in disgust.)
 

C-dot

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,908
Location
Toronto, Canada
Speaking of Mad Men knockoffs, I see that The Playboy Club has been canceled and removed from the schedule after airing just two episodes... the first casualty of the new season. Yeah, it was really THAT bad! (I only made it three minutes into the pilot before turning it off in disgust.)


I'm reading all this bad stuff about the show, and it's made me a bit curious to see it :p

ETA: I've just watched the pilot and a bit of the second episode. I find it difficult to believe girls in the 60s addressed each other with "hey." I also thought the dancing was remarkably similar to what you'd see in a modern club...
 
Last edited:

Chasseur

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,494
Location
Hawaii
Ok, all this talk and the involvement of Senator Jack made me wander to the ABC site and take a look. Much like peaking through one's finger's during the gory part of the horror movie... I guess because I do not watch much TV today but it just seemed really, really bad to me: bad acting, bad dialogue, bad music score, and everything seems "fake" like whatever is playing on those Blue Ray High Definition demo TVs at Costco... do not think I can make it through a whole episode... Mad Men might not be perfect, in particular after season 2, but egads this was awful...

But those girls are cute in their outfits...[huh]
 
Messages
11,579
Location
Covina, Califonia 91722
I guess because I do not watch much TV today but it just seemed really, really bad to me: bad acting, bad dialogue, bad music score, and everything seems "fake" like whatever is playing on those Blue Ray High Definition demo TVs at Costco... do not think I can make it through a whole episode... Mad Men might not be perfect, in particular after season 2, but egads this was awful...

But those girls are cute in their outfits...[huh]

Sometimes they are either trying too hard or not trying hard enough at being natural for the era.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,259
Messages
3,032,341
Members
52,712
Latest member
Yamamoto
Top