Amanda Mason is a bi character in Pan Am, portrayed by actress Ashley Greene. Although introduced later in the series, Amanda quickly becomes an important part of Ted and Laura’s storyline. Initially introduced as Ted’s childhood friend, Amanda’s arrival appears to offer Ted the opportunity to build the conventional future he has long wanted. As their relationship rekindles and develops. Amanda begins to question whether that future truly reflects how she feels, and who she really is.
She first appears in Episode 9, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, when she reconnects with Ted Vanderway, a childhood friend whom she has known for years. Their reunion quickly rekindles old feelings, and the two begin spending time together as Ted imagines a life beyond the constant travel and uncertainty that comes with working for Pan Am.
Over the next several episodes, Amanda and Ted’s relationship moves quickly. By Episode 10, “New Frontiers”, and Episode 11, “Secrets and Lies”, the two have committed to building a future together, and Ted proposes to Amanda. Their engagement falls in line with the traditional expectations of the early 1960s, with marriage and family as the next step for the couple. For Ted, Amanda represents stability after months of uncertainty, and Amanda seems ecstatic to spend her life with Ted.
That uncertainty begins to crack during Episode 13, “Romance Languages”. While attending a party for a member of the Republican Party (and Maggie’s current paramour), Amanda and Maggie have an intimate conversation, where Amanda leans in and kisses Maggie. The moment surprises them both. Amanda begs Maggie not to tell Ted, but after leaving the party and back at work, Maggie lets it slip that Amanda kissed her. At first, Ted thinks that Maggie is teasing, but when she does not back down, Ted looks mortified. Maggie mentions to forget it, that it was a joke, but it is too late. Ted now has that uncertainty and is resolved to talk to Amanda as soon as possible.
In the final episode, Ted confronts Amanda. Instead of denying it, she admits that she has been questioning her feelings, and tells him that she definitely feels more comfortable with women than with men, but that she does indeed love Ted and wants to marry him. Seeing Ted distraught, she reveals that she is not opposed to having an open marriage, as she also knows that he still has lingering feelings for Laura. Ted calls off the engagement, but it is later revealed that Amanda is pregnant, adding another complication to the resolution.
Because Pan Am ended after one season, Amanda’s story remains unfinished. Her relationship with Ted, her growing feelings for Maggie, and her pregnancy are all left unresolved following the series’ cancellation. Although brief, Amanda’s storyline introduces bi representation into the series by acknowledging her attraction to both a man and a woman without presenting either relationship as less genuine than the other.