Swing By "Swingtown," If You Dare
-
- June
- 10
If you dare? JUST KIDDING!
CBS is hyping this show as if viewers will be shocked—SHOCKED—by its content. But here’s the real skinny: The original Dr. Scholl’s sandals, Tab with the removable flip-top tabs, trimline phones, eight-track tapes….
OK, we “get” it. 
It’s the 1970s—the summer of ‘76 in a middle-class Chicago suburb, to be exact. The first episode of this limited-run drama from CBS seems to revolve around the looks and sounds of that decade just as much as the main characters: sexually open marrieds Tom and Trina Decker (Grant Show and Lana Parrilla, below) and their new, across-the-street neighbors, the more reserved (though frisky with each other) Bruce and Susan Miller (Jack Davenport and Molly Parker).
The tone of the show is set in the first scene, when the camera angle makes it appear as if commercial pilot Tom is receiving oral sex. A few seconds later, we see that one of the stewardesses (as they were called back then) was simply trying to remove a stain from his shirt. (The was caused by a another stew; she must have felt VERY guilty the stain, as she later ended up in bed with Tom AND his wife.) Sorry, but this is not my idea of thoughtful enterainment. It’s just a pathetic attempt to reel in viewers during the show’s opening scene.
Later, the Millers’ eyes are opened when they attend the Deckers’ Fourth of July backyard bash and are introduced to Qaaludes and group sex. Spare me. These days, that sort of stuff is tame compared to the additions to American society since then, such as AIDS, crack, terrorism and rampant teen pregnancies. Meanwhile, the Millers’ best pals from the old ‘hood, Roger and Janet Thompson, are horrified by the goings-on at the Deckers’ bash, and flee in disgust. The storylines involving the Miller kids, Laurie and BJ, coming of age are more engaging than the adults’ escapades.
Let’s get one thing straight: We weren’t dorky back then; that was simply the aura of the era. And some day, maybe in 2018, we’ll all chortle at the clothes, décor and music we all enjoy today. The 1970s was my favorite decade in every way, shape and form. So stop razzing it, people! Most folks who lived the ’70s are probably embarrassed to admit how much they loved it. I’m not!
If characters smoking cigs on TV (a big no-no these days), and the music, clothes, and beanbag chairs are all this show has to offer, then those novelties will wear out quickly and send viewers elsewhere. If, however, if you’re looking for mindless summer-TV fare—an electronic version of a trashy beach book—then this is it. As for me, I’d love to the ’70s, but not via “Swingtown.” (Photo by Andrew Macpherson, CBS.)
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 at 11:04 am by Jenny Higgons.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Share and Enjoy: del.icio.us Digg Reddit Google StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! | 
Print
| 
Email
