If you had lived through the 1990s, and were exposed to “Western” media (they didn’t call it “content” back then), the names Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson were ones that you could not have escaped. The former was the biggest, baddest, most insane rockstar drummer of his era, while the latter was a woman that all prepubescent boys – and quite a few grown men – had a crush on. They truly were the Kim and Kanye of their generation; perhaps a fair bit wilder and crazier. Because the thing that really made them famous (or infamous rather), was a little unassuming sex tape which would go on to shock not only Hollywood, but thanks to the birth of the Internet, the entire world.
This ladies and gentlemen, is where we pick up the story of Hulu’s latest series, Pam & Tommy, which you may have already guessed, essentially follows the story of how a small-town carpenter, Rand Gauthier (Seth Rogan), inadvertently stumbled upon the greatest piece of raw sexual footage, and how he inadvertently gave rise to a phenomenon.
That said, at its core, Pam & Tommy is so, so much more than just that.
The World’s Most Infamous Sex Tape
While Pam & Tommy does tell the slightly unorthodox history of how their sex tape managed to make its way to thousands of people across the world, it also showcases its main subjects in a manner that we haven’t seen before. We all know Pam and Tommy for the celebrities that they are, but what the series expands on, is who they were as people. What creator Craig Gillespie has brought to the forefront is their humanity. (Something that often gets lost in the tabloid blitz.) This is the story of their fight for what’s right. It shows us how insecure and fragile both Pam and Tommy were as humans which, ironically, was what brought the two star-crossed lovers together in the first place. Basically, a slightly more absurd modern-day Romeo & Juliet.
While Seth Rogan and Nick Offerman deliver great performances as Rand Gauthier and adult film pioneer Michael Morrison, they are slightly overshadowed by the incredible Sebastian Stan and Lily James. James, with the help of various prosthetics, is practically unrecognizable in the role. So much so that you can’t help but believe that they’ve managed to somehow bring back a younger Pamela Anderson onto our screens. But it is in the quiet moments in which we see James’ real talent as she showcases someone who is desperate, not only to be loved, but to be taken seriously as an actress in a world dominated by those who see her purely as a sex object.
And then there’s Sebastian Stan’s insane ability to embody the over the top, party boy nature of Tommy Lee. This is a role that will change your view of Stan himself. That said, while he has come extremely close to getting those rockstar vibes across, he just falls short of exuding the sleaze and insanity of the man himself. (This could just be my own bias at play because, let’s face it, he will always be Bucky in my books.)
Sex, Lies, and Videotape
There is a much bigger theme at the heart of the series, and that of course is the subject of privacy. As big of an issue it is today, what Pam and Tommy’s sex tape really kickstarted was the issue of what was considered ethical at the time. You have to remember, this tape was distributed without any consent of its main stars. And not only that, thanks to the Internet, the tape made its way all around the world.
There is a message here. With an Internet thousands of times faster than what it was in the 90s, with everyone being able to watch anything they want at any time they want, with all of us having a professional movie studio in the palm of our hands, this is a story that is as relevant today as it was almost 30 years ago.
Pam & Tommy is a story unlike any other. One where truth is often stranger than fiction. Trust me when I tell you that it’ll send you down a Google rabbit hole trying to work out if all of it really was as unbelievable as what you’re seeing on your television. (Spoilers: It was!)
Pam & Tommy is definitely your next crazy adventure. Watch it. Embrace the insanity. Witness the birth of the Internet sex tape.
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