‘Pam & Tommy’ – ‘Pamela In Wonderland’ – Review
The events of Disney+’s hit dramatic true-life story Pam & Tommy takes a roundabout turn as we delve back into Pamela Anderson’s past and the road that took her to where she’s currently at. Filled with an equal measure of dreams and heartbreak, Episode Six, ‘Pamela in Wonderland’ is the most dramatic episode of the series to date and an extremely raw performance from star Lily James is sure to leave its mark on audiences.
Taking a trip back in time we see how Pamela Anderson (Lily James) went from small-town Canadian girl to the glittering lights of Hollywood. This rags to riches backstory is juxtaposed with a humiliating and devastating legal deposition where Pamela attempts to divulge the truth of the infamous tape and for the first time, we see the raw emotional strain that this whole disturbing escapade is having on her.
Stepping back in time and rolling the clock back to 1989, we meet a young and care-free Pamela Anderson who is living the small-town life in Vancouver, Canada and who by chance at a football game has the spotlight literally shined upon her and is approached by Labett’s Beer to be a spokesmodel. Seeking a moment for re-invention Pamela jumps into the world of modelling first as The Blue Zone girl before being approached by Playboy. Excited by the possibility of a dynamic future, she jumps out into the unknown and into the starlight of Hollywood and a far greater world around her and we see her go from small-town girl to movie star in a mere moment. And she couldn’t be happier about it.
‘Pamela In Wonderland’ is an important episode for the Pam & Tommy series as it emphasises where she came from and who she is and is not. Pamela Anderson was never a gold digger or prostitute, she was not a floozy who wanted status or mere attention, she was a woman who took a risk and it paid off. She’s also the total opposite of the stock character Hollywood bitch, but is instead a kind, warm, and loving person who is nice to everyone around her and only sees the good in people. While she may have developed a wild side, she’s still the sweet, small-town girl next door that every boy would fall in love with and she’s ready to take on the world now that she has the opportunity to. This episode also showcases the cherished relationship that Pamela shares with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and showcases how the magazine magnate helped to shape and guide her in her early career.
Juxtaposed with these flashbacks of her younger years is a bitter, humiliating and painful legal deposition that Pamela finds herself in due to the Penthouse lawsuit. Completely uncomfortable to watch, actress Lily James brings out significant raw emotion as she grapples with many painful and undignified questions and comments from a sleazy lawyer who will do whatever is necessary to paint her as a whore and a liar. James’ performance amplifies the stomach-churning humiliation that Pamela has to endure as she is berated and battered for her life’s choices and her performance makes these moments in the episode very hard to stomach. These scenes are disturbing in their presentation and coupled with the sensitivity of James’ performance drive home the message that as a modern woman Pamela has little choice over the freedom of her decisions and must contend with the scornful eye of an infatuated, yet judgemental society.
What we are seeing here in ‘Pamela in Wonderland’ are the ramifications of a very personal and private moment shared between two people who love one another shared openly with the whole world to see and the fallback on Pamela herself for an activity that should have been hers and hers alone. Duel themes of voyeurism and judgement take a central place in ‘Pamela in Wonderland’ and it’s this beautiful creature, of both appearance and soul, who has to deal with it. This episode is an emotionally taxing watch, due most in part to Lily James’ dramatically heavy performance that she delivers. Through her, we feel the pain that Pamela must have had to endure during such proceedings and it results in a moment of mass empathy on behalf of the audience.
Things got emotional and heavy in ‘Pamela in Wonderland’ and it’s clear that the unwanted attention of this tape is not yet over for Pamela and Tommy. Things are about to take a heavy turn in Pam & Tommy and Pamela is no longer willing to be the victim.
Pam & Tommy streams every Wednesday on Disney+
Image: Walt Disney Pictures
