With Lily James and Sebastian Stan in the roles of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, Star+ surprises with the premiere of a series that recreates one of the most controversial moments of the show in the 90s: the leaking and commercialization of the couple’s intimate video. We saw it and these are our comments.

“ Pam & Tommy ” is a series that fits perfectly into the ‘true crime’ genre. As in “The People vs. OJ Simpson” or “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”, in this story we return to the scene of a crime. Only in this there is no bloodbath, nor is there a punishment for the perpetrator. All the dead are carried by the protagonist of a video, Pamela Anderson , whose intimate recording of her honeymoon with rocker Tommy Lee, stolen and released in 1995, made her the victim and, at the same time, the main accused of a conversation that for years did not go beyond the trivial, but that hopes to be seen with different eyes now that the case returns to the agenda through a fiction.

Pamela Anderson’s ‘sex tape’ was a milestone in the pop culture of the 90s. Illegally, it became one of the first virals of the incipient ‘world wide web’ and for many years it was seen almost as a legend of which its origin or veracity was unknown. In 2014, the magazine “Rolling Stone” contacted Rand Gauthier, the accused of stealing the video of the house in which the star of “Baywatch” and the drummer of Mötley Crue lived, and that is how the beginning of the myth. This interview by journalist Amanda Chicago Lewis is precisely the basis for the eight-episode story produced by comedian Seth Rogen, who also takes on the role of Gauthier in the story.

It all starts with this electrician who arrives at the newlywed musician’s Malibu mansion to do some remodeling work. When the rock star’s tantrums end with Gauthier and his colleagues fired without the promised pay, a plan of revenge will begin that will end with the discovery, absolutely fortuitous, of the famous tape.

The first three episodes of “Pam & Tommy” are directed by Craig Gillespie, a filmmaker who gained recognition for the film of another stoned woman in the 1990s : Tonya Harding. These chapters are very good at creating the atmosphere that makes this series so effective: there is a very delicate sense of humor in the absurd nature of the situations in which the characters get involved, who also enjoy a wealth of emotions that allow for the remarkable performances for which this production will be noted.

The debut of the series

Although in Satar Intro of El Comercio we already had access to the entire season of “Pam & Tommy”, which will premiere episodes every Wednesday, in this review we focus on the three chapters already available, which very well outline the path that follows for this season. fiction that is, without a doubt, one of the first surprises of this season of premieres.

In “Drilling and Pounding”, which opens the story, we are placed at the moment when resentment is kindled that will lead to more than one consequence. We see the dynamic between Pamela and Tommy as a couple, while discovering the motivations of Rand – who is in fact a main character in the entire story – to come up with “Operation Karma”, a fictitious name for Gauthier’s sabotage that fits perfectly. because it encompasses a greater purpose in the development of the story: the figure of balance and justice in the lives of the three involved.

“I Love You, Tommy”, chapter 2, presents a first trip to the past (and there will be many time jumps in the development of the entire series), to understand the relationship between Anderson and Lee, which begins at a wild party and ends, a few days later, in an impromptu wedding in Cancun. The chapter aptly closes with “ Getting To Know You ”, from the “The King and I” soundtrack, not only as a metaphor for the situation of a couple who really don’t know anything about each other, but also as a first brushstroke of the sensitive side of Pamela Anderson’s character that is developed in the series and that was lost in the hypersexualization of her time on “Baywatch”.

Finally, in “Jane Fonda, the last of the three episodes that were released on Star+ on the opening day, more elements are presented to understand Anderson’s character, but the chapter stands out for its humorous vision of changes in society. We feel as lost as Pamela and Tommy in the birthing digital world, when we see them trying to ‘Google’ themselves -well, back then, searching Altavista- and so disheartened for poor Tommy Lee and 80s glam rockers when Nirvana starts playing, Alanis Morissette and Sleater-Kinney.

An outstanding cast

Despite initial doubts about the choice of Sebastian Stan (“Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) and Lily James (“Cinderella”) for the roles of Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson, the transformation of the actors in their characters is outstanding. . Just by seeing their performances, this series has already justified its purpose in its premiere week. The supporting performances are also very good. Seth Rogen as Rand Gauthier is an excellent guide to the plot and Erica (Taylor Schilling), Gauthier’s ex-wife, will serve as an interesting counterpoint in the end of the season when it comes to balancing between what is consensual and what is not.

“Pam & Tommy” has several narratives within one: there is the origin of the stolen ‘sex tape’, but also that of a couple that breaks up (albeit with notable omissions to the allegations of domestic violence against Lee) and the evolution of a society with technology: the heyday of the porn industry with the arrival of the web, the editorial change in the media with the need for digital coverage and, above all, the discussion of privacy and the evident gender imbalances when he attacks her. Very current reflections despite the years.

More information:

“Pam & Tommy” premiered its first three episodes on February 2, 2022, on Star+. The remaining 5 chapters will be released every Wednesday on said streaming platform.

 

Categorized in:

Entertainment