TV Review: ABC's 'Pan Am'

ABC premieres its retro drama, Pan Am on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET. The following are reviews from TV critics around the web, compiled by B&C.

“There’s soap here, and the liberated-woman part sometimes feels like a reach. But the show is fun, it makes flying look like fun, and yes, that line of stewardesses does look good enough to stop an airport.” — David Hinckley, New York Daily News

“Aside from having a far better basis in truth than the ridiculous similar claims made by NBC’s Playboy Club (many of today’s workplace protections for women were won in court by stewardesses), it also provides opportunities for old-fashioned, coffee-tea-or-me fun. And when Pan Am is at its best Sunday, fun is exactly what you get.” — Robert Bianco, USA Today

“Ultimately, Pan Am‘ is light enough to fly away. This is an escapist soap opera that brings together an attractive cast and puts their characters through very familiar melodramatic paces.” — Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe

“Rich visuals carry the hour. Subsequent installments will need to deepen the storylines to sustain a series.” — Joanne Ostrow, Denver Post

“The difference is that Pan Am romanticizes the past, whereas Mad Men, on AMC, takes pleasure in slyly mocking antiquated mores.” — Alessandra Stanley, New York Times