Pam & Tommy was enticing from the moment its promotional stills came out. And when its synopsis was revealed, the series circling around the scandal of their illegally released sex tape, there was intrigue at the direction the series would take. With each episode, Pam & Tommy has become a series of joy, heartache, and revenge, yet never losing sight of its victims – Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. And while we have watched their loss, grief, and joy up until this point, Pam & Tommy proved the story does not end at a scandal. And neither does the emotional pain.
A Grim Fairy Tale
“Pamela In Wonderland” sees Pamela Anderson (Lily James) fall deeper into the rabbit hole of male misogyny and societal blame as the lawsuit she and Tommy (Sebastian Stan) filled in the last episode has brought us to the legal ramifications of their actions. While Penthouse has used their right of expression to release explicit photos from the tape, Pamela is about to come face to face with the defense legal team for the magazine, a disposition elicited from Pamela Anderson only. And while Tommy reassures her that it “doesn’t matter, we are in this together”, audiences will come to understand it is the farthest thing from the truth.
What the episode does well is expelling the notions of past behavior being indicative of malice intent or opportunity. As Pamela is forced to endure a grueling deposition, seemingly designed to cause more pain than legal standing, the backstory of what made her a success is revealed. Where the brutal opening questions of the legal team demands answers – “do you know how old you were when you publically exposed your generals?” – the episode whisks viewers away from the inappropriate nature of the disposition. Paralleling the darkness, there is a spark of hope in the starry-eyed innocence of Pamela Anderson who embraced an industry that would deliver her fame.
It’s effective in not only creating hope, something viewers can cling to for Pamela that will survive this, but it keeps the episode from drowning in its wholly oppressive nature. With each question, each force for response, and each video and audio Pamela is required to partake in, we see that hope and spirit draining from her. Had the episode not interwoven her past, the weight of the subject matter may have crushed more than its central character, potentially pushing viewers away from the remaining two episodes.
Isolation in a Crowded Room
As each moment passes, the deposition itself becomes more and more isolating, Pamela’s only “defense” is her lawyer, who tries to intervene, but fails to truly push for his client. Tommy is only present in memory, their joyous post martial period capturing the euphoria they were basked in. And as Pamela alone is asked why she did not think about others’ vantage points of their potential public displays of affection, she is not only physically isolated but emotionally cut off. Cut off from understanding and shared accountability. It is in this moment, the scandal of the sex tape becomes solely Pamela Anderson’s scandal.
And while there is a moment of contact established by the lawyer and the stenographer, who extends a moment of understanding in the bathroom, Pamela is a woman left to fight for herself in a world that has already made up its mind. It is heartbreaking, and far from an entertaining episode. Yet, its inclusion and this isolated look at her deposition is vital to the series, to truly take in the treatment that was extended to Anderson – the victim shaming she had to not only navigate but carry on her own. And while some details may have been altered, it does not void the message surrounding the treatment she received.
Conclusion
“Pamela in Wonderland” establishes an effective contrast between perceived happiness and success against a system and a society designed against women. And the most heartbreaking realization – this is still happening today. A tightly constructed episode, Pam & Tommy once again refused to conform to the typical episode structured timeframes, giving the subject matter the time it needed to flourish and leave its mark. Lily James continues to deliver a career performance through the pain, grief, and strength of Pamela Anderson.
With two episodes left, there may be a bit more of the rabbit hole left to fall, but with all stories, it is all about to come to an end.
What are your thoughts on the series so far? Let us know in the comments below!
Pam & Tommy premieres with new episodes on Hulu every Wednesday!
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