Monday, November 7, 2011

Pan Am: Laura & Kate's Relationships

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Did anyone else feel like this episode didn't really further the show? I mean, we all know that racism was much worse in the 1960s than it is now. And maybe you didn't, but I saw the Kate-Niko thing ending badly. No story for Collette or Maggie, and barely a mention of the pilots. I honestly think that the scripts are putting too much emphasis on Kate and Laura... and it's really starting to hurt the entire show. With the numbers declining every week (albeit not by much in the past month), we must hope for a upswing in interesting stories... or Pan Am will be facing cancellation. On another note, it's becoming increasingly difficult to understand the timeline on this show easily... several times per episode I have to question when a scene is taking place.

Pan Am "Truth or Dare" (S01E07): [I'm going to rip this episode apart in trying to provide a chronological look at what took place... just so you know. First up, we're on a plane.] The girls play truth or dare on the plane, as there aren't any passengers on the flight. [I love watching people play this game. I feel like I played a dozen times in my teen years and it was never that exciting for me...] Laura admits that she had nude photos taken by the Life photographer, and Colette is dared to fly the plane. [kinda shocked at both of those...] The plane lands to pick up some Navy guys and bring them back to New York. On the way home, one sailor is having an impromptu bachelor party up in first class. [I guess that's as good a place as any?] Joe, the lone black sailor, sits in coach, though he does make a toast at the party. One of the guys tries to get Kate to strip, but all she does is give him her clothes, which he uses to put on a show. [really? cross-dressing at a 60s bachelor party? ooook.] Collette gets the co-pilot and other guy out of the cockpit by saying that Kate is taking off her clothes, then gets Dean to let her fly the plane, completing the dare. [I thought this was kinda cool.] Kate tells Laura about Niko, including the part about him being a Yugoslavian Communist. Laura is happy for her sister's love.

That evening in New York, Kate and Niko are spending some quiet time together, and he reveals that he's going back to Yugoslavia for good. Kate calls Richard and tells him, but that only results in three guards coming to Kate's apartment at 1am to capture Niko. [I didn't like how they conned the neighbor!]

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While that's going on, Laura and Maggie are hosting a party. When it's over, Maggie heads to spend the night with a guy, and Joe stays the night on the couch.

The next day, Kate meets with a contact and begs to see Niko again. When she gets to where they're holding him, he confronts her, wondering if she tells him any truthful things, and why his conversations with her have been recorded. [well, yeah, I'd be wondering those same things!] Niko explains to Kate that even if he was an agent of sorts for the US, he'd be in Yugoslavia and in danger, not in New York under protection, and she's shocked. [can't expect her to know, but still...]

Meanwhile, Maggie's building super comes by in the morning to tell Laura that there will be no more parties, and that Joe can't be there. So, Laura goes with him to wander the city for the day, and their first stop is Grand Central Station, so he can get his ticket home. Two guys soon confront Joe for being with Laura, since that's "not okay." [so many racist things on television this week...] A fight breaks out and when it's over, the two head to Kate's. She can't help though, as she's headed to Crown Heights to see Niko. [the reason isn't clear to them, though, and I'm not sure if Joe took it the right way. If Laura already had some background on Niko at this point, why didn't Kate say a little something?] Laura admits to Joe that she didn't kiss Joe because she was afraid of what people would think, and that she locked her door the night before. They end up kissing.

At the airport, readying for their three-week, around-the-world flight, Laura finds the glass bird ornament that Joe had planned to give to his mother. [I wasn't expecting him to leave her that! Though I am definitely intrigued by the three-week flight schedule!] Kate and Niko part ways, as he's heading to Yugoslavia for the long-term. The last thing Kate tells him is a place to go in London for billiards, as he has a layover there. [an interesting bit of information... I guess. Who leaves the airport on a layover, though?]
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

joe and laura. yes!:) put these two together. they make a great couple. glad of her mistake; she wants to be with this guy, but ended up thinking what people exactly thought, when seeing them at grand central station.

glad that niko and kate are together as well. love conquers all folks, love conquers all!:)
laura and joe belong together.

Anonymous said...

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