TV's "Pan Am" Is Not Panning Out

It is with some sadness that we must note that "Pan Am," the new ABC-TV series, is now on an unofficial critics' death watch. Its ratings have plunged as its audience has dwindled over the last several weeks since its rather awkward debut last month. For those of us who well recall Pan American World Airways' regal presence at San Francisco International Airport during its glory days at the start of the jet age , the television series has been a distinct disappointment. Too bad. Pan Am's gaudy story _ it was the world's premier international carrier for decades _ is woven into the fabric of the nation's air transportation history. The TV effort has been a jumbled and confusing mess thus far. It hasn't come close to doing justice to the former worldwide airline's legacy. Unfortunately, unless things changed mighty soon, we will be better off without it. Nonetheless, love those uniforms.