The Televangelist: 'Pan Am' Season 1, Ep 3

• ABC.com
• You're not Jon Hamm! The real Jon Hamm is over there! You're an impostor!

?I'm going to be brutally honest here. I have nothing to write (and yet …). I watched "Pan Am" a few hours ago, was moderately entertained, but was distracted by the sweat I was accumulating trying to formulate a response to it. There have been times in my reviewing past, with certain shows, where I have pulled a rabbit from a hat even I didn't know existed ( "Entourage," ). This is a skill honed from, of course, my time as an English major. When in doubt, overanalyze something seemingly minute. Use metaphors. Debate something that clearly only has one side. Zoom out and explore themes, not matter how obvious.

?Still "Pan Am" gives me very little to work with, especially following (and perhaps especially because it follows) a "Breaking Bad" finale that would make the most hardened of television detractors weep with joy for the resurrection of the medium. I have tried to defend the show in the past two weeks as finding its legs, being sugar-coated but that's ok!, and succumbing, even through my rage at the Jonah Lotan recasting, to pandering to those who might be obsessed with it based solely on style. But I can't go on! I'm tired! I'm beat! I was spoiled by "The Good Wife" into thinking that a one-hour drama on a Sunday night meant great things, even if it was a network drama!

?If I jump ship next week in favor of, perhaps, "The Good Wife" (TBD) there's still a good chance I'll continue giving "Pan Am" a look-in. Mostly because I need something to watch while I eat lunch on slow Wednesday afternoons, but also in the hope that it may get better. Last night's episode was a start, though if I was revising the unaired scripts I would suggest the following: