The Thing About Pam Review: She’s a Loving Daughter (Season 1 Episode 4)
The tables are finally turning on The Thing About Pam Season 1 Episode 4, “She’s a Loving Daughter,” and Pam isn’t ready for what’s next.
As Russ asks for a new trial, we learn about how Pam grew up and where her severed relationship with her daughter began.
I Object to Your Small Town
What’s terrific about “She’s a Loving Daughter” is that Pam seems to shrink into the background of this episode. The role reversal of Askey losing control over the courtroom and Schwartz gaining control is such a pleasure to watch.
Askey realizes that this case is not as open-and-shut as she first thought, as Schwartz forces police officers to admit that they lied under oath multiple times.
Given that there’s a whole new case with a new judge and no jury, Askey has lost her bonus.
Schwartz breaks that mold for a show with plenty of people who only care about themselves, and the scene where he cries from relief shows it.
Web of Lies
Pam is taken down several notches between making up a false sexual relationship with Betsy and not being asked to testify.
Things are slowly but surely spinning out of control, and with the way she’s treated the girls, law enforcement, and even her husband, it’s not crazy to think she’ll be on her own soon.
By the end, even Mariah is aware that Pam most likely killed her mother, so there are several people acknowledging something Pam has yet to see — she has been caught.
And how sad is that? Being that young and unable to do anything about your mom being dead?
Pam is no longer in control, and every single day that passes, Pam becomes more and more sticky from being trapped in her web of lies.
Mommy Dearest
It is revealed during this installment that she was emotionally abused as a child. Unfortunately, these childhood thoughts only serve to help her abuse her daughter, looking at it like it’s typical because that’s how she grew up.
But Pam wasn’t just abused as a child by her mother. For her, it was much longer.
I’m very relieved to see that Pam’s mother’s death, which has since been declared “undetermined,” is being brought up.
Though I’m not jumping to see Pam’s mother’s background, given the abuse she inflicts, it is an excellent addition to a show that focuses too much on Pam despite the title.
All in all, “She’s a Loving Daughter” is the best episode of The Thing About Pam so far, giving focus where it’s due and paying attention to the people who deserve it.
Stray Thoughts:
- Sorry, that tiny stack of cash is all that’s left of Betsy’s $150,000 life insurance money? How do you even go through that much money that quickly?
- The silent seconds where Askey is deliberating whether or not to call Pam up to testify is one of the best moments of the entire show.
- Once again, as I say every episode, fat suits are horrible and deplorable and should be banned from television. Thanks!
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What did you think of this episode of The Thing About Pam? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Thing About Pam airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
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Laura Wanberg
Laura is a homebody who loves everything about TV. Some of her favorite shows include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Parks and Recreation, and The Morning Show. With her ever-growing list of new shows to watch and books to read, her favorite thing to do is to cuddle up with her cat and get lost in someone else's world.