Pam & Tommy

Much like Lee and Anderson’s romance, the show starts off quickly, pulls you in, and demands attention. The two married in 1995 after knowing one another for only 96 hours and soon found themselves the center of controversy after a private recording of them having sex on their honeymoon was stolen by an aggrieved former employee. The earlier episodes of the series feature fun and endearing moments between the couple, though they contrast starkly with Lee’s inexcusable negative treatment of seemingly anyone in his employ. The show relies primarily on lower-lit interior scenes and static camera shots, giving the actors ample opportunity to convey inner thoughts and emotions.

Although the show has plenty of moments that inspire sympathy for each of the three main characters, Anderson is far and away the primary casualty, artfully demonstrated by James’ performance. Her Pamela stands out as particularly compelling among the cast, though everyone involved does an excellent job and makes their own solid contribution.

For anyone who grew up in the 90s, like me, the more fun parts of the show are the references to that time period. Just try not to smile as you watch Pam and Tommy frolic in the ocean to LEN’s “Steal My Sunshine.” Gauthier’s mullet is a thing of beauty, and I excitedly pointed out to my husband Pam’s uneven hair part and messy-perfect curls as a style I tried desperately, and unsuccessfully, to mimic in my teens. The music and fashion took me right back to the time period that I, admittedly, probably remember with more fondness than is deserved.

The show’s main theme is Anderson’s victimization, not just at the hands of a leaked sex tape, but by the men around her, including lawyers, coworkers, a contractor who worked for her, and even her own husband. Younger millennials or gen Z-ers might find it difficult to believe that an incident such as this could have any long-lasting impact on a celebrity’s career. This was an era, however, where beautiful women were expected to be sexual objects with little discussion regarding their consent in the matter. Anderson’s appearances in Playboy magazine are even referenced in the show as reason to believe that the sex tape was considered a matter of public interest.

The tape’s distribution arguably damages the careers and livelihoods of almost everyone involved, not just the title characters. Tommy Lee’s insecurity over his languishing career and his new wife’s burgeoning one may be somewhat of an artistic assumption, but the show pulls no punches in claiming that his bruised ego was the catalyst for her predicament.

The show gives us a way to look back at a time when the internet was brand new and the videotaped consensual sex of a married people was cause for scandal. Though that might feel like a quaint notion in an era of Kardashians and online oversharing, Pam & Tommy shows a darker side of celebrity; people assuming that public figures have a limited right to privacy, something we still grapple with now.