Pan-Am TV

Next month, BBC2 is going to do the best thing it has ever done for me. Bring the TV series, Pan Am to into my life.

Have they bugged my brain or something?

I am going to be watching this ABC drama with excitement (the past in the sky- hoorah!) jealousy (the past in the sky - hoorah, but where's my part?) and geekery (the past in the sky -hoorah! But what was printed on that napkin? What's the font? Can I write my blog in it? How did Edward Larabee Barnes come up with such an enduring logo? Why is 'transcontinental' such an enticing word? Where are my peanuts?)

It's ridiculous serendipity that it exists. Not only does it star one of my heroes - the dark and hilarious indie comic-legend Christina Ricci (The Adams Family, Buffalo 66 and the Ice Storm - all insanely good films) it's makers are as obsessed with oldfangled airline splendour as I am. Am I wrong in wanting one of those blue antiquated uniforms to wear day to day? Oh gawd, this is already getting out of hand...

'Drinks anyone? Sir, stop chewing your life-jacket and blocking the emergency exit with your ego...'

And if you think it's 'chick lit' TV, please don't. Well, I suppose your guess is as good as mine currently. Some critics have noted that it has 'too many' (hm?!) beautiful cast members, which equals a sort of banal, good-looking soup where you can't tell one person from another. For what it's worth, I'm sure they'll chuck in a few croutons. At the very least, there'll be some amazing old school design to gawp at.

I really hope it's got more depth than just beautiful people wearing crisp uniforms in decreased air pressure. There's hope. For starters, there is a spy hook. And for main, the director is The West Wing's Thomas Schlamme and the writer is ER scribe Jack Orman.

See? Politics + accidents & stitches = classy sixties aviation drama. Equations are rarely wrong, my friend.

Well, not initially. Eh, Einstein...