“With ratings not taking off, the show’s future is hitting some turbulence.”

The clever line quickly captured my attention during a news broadcast this morning.  Suffice to say, I’m not all that surprised to now be hearing the current buzz surrounding the possible cancellation of ABC’s first-season prime-time show “Pan Am.”

Many of us appreciate historical period pieces, for the nostalgia factor certainly if anything else.  In this case, an over-glamorized portrayal of air travel its 1960s heyday often captures the fascination of viewers born after, while likely churning a multitude of memories for those who lived through it.  However, the initial question I had at the show’s premiere remains:  Can this catchy program really build and sustain season-long story arcs, or will the show’s structure quickly reach its limits?

In any event, “Pan Am” is not cancelled, yet.  Meanwhile, the power of social media could yet determine its fate, while I know fans who would be sorry to see it go.  If the show does “crash” however, I’m sure the network has a few other threads of nostalgia it could pull to gain our viewership.  Television is nothing if not turbulent!