Pam: Girl on the Loose - TV-14

Inane docuseries is far too titillating for kids.

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TV Rating: TV-14
Network: E!
Cast: Pamela Anderson
Genre: Reality TV

Parents need to know

Parents need to know (if they don't already) that Pam Anderson is a former Playboy centerfold who built her career on a curvy body and her professed love of sex. As a result, this "documentary" series about her life frequently comes as close as possible to showing her in the nude without actually baring sensitive body parts -- although in several shots, she's so scantily covered that she might as well be completely bare. In terms of language, the news doesn't get much better: When bad words do pop up, they tend to be sexually charged. There's also some drinking.

Families can talk about whether the show's documentary-style format really makes it different from other reality TV series. Why do you think Anderson and her producers wanted to make it clear that this "is not a reality show"? Why do you think Anderson is so adamant about keeping her own kids away from the cameras and out of the public eye? Are you surprised that she made that decision? Does watching Anderson in action make you feel any differently about her? Why or why not?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

Anderson's devotion to charitable causes like PETA -- and her insistence on keeping her kids off camera -- is admirable, but she seems more interested in promoting her, um, assets. As a role model for teen girls and young women, she falls short in several areas.

Consumerism:

As the subject of her own show, Anderson is essentially selling herself.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Adults occasionally consume alcohol. Anderson jokes that the lemonade from her kids' lemonade stand "needs a little vodka."

Violence

Sex

Anderson conducts interviews while soaking in a bubble bath, coyly raising her bare leg to shave or caress it. She's also shown posing naked at photo shoots -- and while technically no sensitive body parts are shown, it doesn't take much imagination to fill in the blanks. In addition, viewers will see flashes of cleavage (created by both breasts and buttocks), covers of Playboy magazines, and photographs of Anderson in which her nipples are clearly visible.

Language

For the most part, it's pretty mild ("crap," "damn," "bitch," etc.). But sometimes language veers into bolder territory ("c--k ring," anyone?).

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Kari Croop

Former Baywatch beauty Pamela Anderson begs you to see her in a different light -- but ultimately shows you more of what you've already seen -- in this E! Channel reality series that shuns the "reality show" label, preferring to call itself a "documentary series." The show captures Anderson at work and at play, interacting with friends, family, and employees. The footage is edited together as a sort of moving scrapbook, complete with Anderson's hand-written comments (like "hot sexy bitch") scrawled across the screen in hot pink script.

Is it any good?

With PAM: GIRL ON THE LOOSE, Anderson seems to want to prove that she's a normal person, just like everyone else. She vacuums! She colors her own hair! She has yard sales! (Although Anderson's sprawling estate sale, where some customers spend upwards of $4,000, is hardly typical.) Still, the series plays like an amateur film and paints an overall portrait of a woman who's desperate to start afresh, yet can't seem to move on from the image she's worked so hard to reinforce: that of a busty, blonde bimbo who loves sex ... almost as much as she loves animal rights. It's a puzzling combination, indeed. Almost as puzzling as the decision to put this show on the air.