Pam & Tommy: Latest episode packs less sex and more drama

The newest episode of Pam & Tommy delves deeper into the ramifications of the spouses' stolen sex tape.

Lily James (r) plays Pamela Anderson and Sebastian Stan (l) portrays Tommy Lee in the Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy.
Lily James (r) plays Pamela Anderson and Sebastian Stan (l) portrays Tommy Lee in the Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy.  © IMAGO/Picturelux

Just when you thought things couldn't get worse for the eccentric couple, they do.

Initially, the pair's private sex tape was just an underground secret among those who secretly watched porn in the '90s.

Viewers saw all of that change in Wednesday's slower-paced episode, titled Uncle Jim and Aunt Susie In Duluth.

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The fifth chapter of the Hulu miniseries shows Tommy, played by Sebastian Stan, and Pam, portrayed by Lily James, as their marriage begins to become strained over the stolen tape and Pam's rising fame.

The Mötley Crüe drummer enters a state of depression and attracts negative publicity over his intoxicated behavior. Things come to an intense head when Tommy clashes with fellow rockers of Third Eye Blind and beats up two strangers in a club who poke fun at the tape and his career.

Pam also feels the heat as she deals with her husband's drunken antics and her further humiliation over the scandal.

Making matter worse, the tape lands in the hands of Penthouse's Bob Guccione and a reporter at the LA Times. Even the ultimate Playboy Hugh Hefner gets involved.

The latest episode focuses less on the couple's raunchy sex life and more on the fallout of Pam and Tommy's unintentional scandal. Yet, it also interestingly depicts the time before the existence of social media, when A-listers' problems weren't plastered all over the web within minutes.

Does anyone remember the pre-social media era?

The latest episode of Pam & Tommy focuses on the couple's marriage beginning to strain as their sex tape becomes public knowledge.
The latest episode of Pam & Tommy focuses on the couple's marriage beginning to strain as their sex tape becomes public knowledge.  © IMAGO/Picturelux

Remember beepers? What about dial-up-internet?

These retro items may seem ancient to today's generation. But back in the '90s, it wasn't as easy to get in touch with friends and family.

And it wasn't much different even when it came to the Hollywood elites – especially with tabloids and news outlets.

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If one didn't catch what was going on during the morning or evening news broadcasts on TV, print papers and magazines were the only other way to get the inside scoop.

Of course, that isn't the case these days with the internet. Today, as soon as an A-lister sneezes, the world is alerted by online press and thousands of users' shares – thanks to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Therefore, as Pam & Tommy proves, the couple should perhaps thank their lucky stars that their risqué tape came out when it did. While the scandal was clearly a tragedy and greatly affected the pair, it took some time in the not-as-tech-savy '90s before the leaked video actually became news.

Yet, even though the two had some time before s**t really hit the fan, the damage was done eventually. As the episode progresses, we see Tommy's brash decision to sue Guccione for obtaining the tape, unintentionally worsening their situation. And it looks like Pam may soon be left to deal with things on her own.

Unfortunately, it seems like the spouses' troubles are still only beginning.

New episodes of Pam & Tommy air every Wednesday, only on Hulu.

Cover photo: IMAGO/Picturelux

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