Having watched the pilot last night, I think it was a fairly accurate depiction of how some lived in the pre AIDS-war on drugs-political correctness era. Bruce and Susan Miller are a reasonably happy married couple with 2 teenage kids. Moving to a more affluent neighborhood, that are quickly greeted by Tom and Trina Decker who live across the street and invite the Millers to a party the next night (July 4th 1976) Arriving at the party with their former neighbors, Robert and Janet Thomson in tow, they come to realize that Tom and Trina are dedicated to the swinging lifestyle. Having walked into a room where an orgy was going on, Janet (who really needs to lighten up)gets in a huff about it and insists on leaving. Conversally Bruce and Susan are curious and elect to stay. Parents take note: Although there is nothing graphic here, it is network TV after all, this is not for kids. Aside from the sex, drug use is rampant. It might be good discussion material for an older teen but IMO not younger than 16 at least. Good score of vintage music. Didn't notice any out of time props(Like Mad Men). Costumes appropriate to the time. Some rough edges in storyline execution, but worth checking out. Just as not everyone was into swinging, this show's not everyones' cup of tea I'm sure, but I enjoyed it.
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bigfooteee996 June 2008
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First off, what I loved about watching the first few minutes of SWINGTOWN, was the mental picture I got of religious right-wingers everywhere clutching their collective chests and reaching for their heart pills. The brainchild of Mike Kelley and executive producers Robert Del Valle and Alan Poul (two of the finest minds behind SIX FEET UNDER), this is a series meant to evoke the mid-'70's and to reflect the sea-change in the Sexual Revolution during that time, on the cusp of the birth of the Disco era. And it does so with a vengeance!!!
Kind of THE ICE STORM without the precipitation, we meet two couples: Tom and Trina Decker (former MELROSE PLACE resident stud Grant Show and THE NINE'S Lana Parrilla) and the Miilers, Bruce (Jack Davenport of the PIRATES OF THE Caribbean series and THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY) and Susan (Molly Parker - a long-time favorite of mine from many, many TV shows and film roles, most recently as Tim Olyphant's main squeeze in DEADWOOD.)
It's July, 1976. The Millers are "movin' on up" - not to the east side, mind you, but a few blocks away, to a bigger, better house and presumably a slightly more upscale lifestyle, thanks to good fortune smiling on Bruce's career and financial situation. This new turn of events has Susan a little bewildered, to say nothing of the loss felt by their former BFF's/next-door neighbors Roger and Janet Thompson (DAMMIT, JANET! - sorry, I just had to throw that in there), played by Josh Hopkins and Miriam Shor. Although the Millers will be literally just down the street, it might as well be half a world away for the Thompsons. Alas, the two families have NO idea.
Because as it turns out, Tom and Trina Decker are swingers. And not the 'just-on-the-weekends' kind, either. They are very active participants in the lifestyle, and being an airline pilot, Tom sees to it that he and his lovely wife (a former stewardess herself, not coincidentally enough), are never fresh out of new "guests" to stay over and party with. In fact, it's just as one of their latest 'friends' is on her way out the door, that Trina spies with her little eye the the attractive Millers, moving in to the house across the street. Let the games begin!
CBS has a summer hit on their hands, I think. It's controversial and nostalgic all at the same time. The cast is excellent, with everyone looking terrific in polyester pants, (especially Grant and Lana), and no expense or effort has been spared in getting the details just right. But even more important - and evocative - is the soundtrack, which is chock-a-block with original Seventies chestnuts, and not tired sound-alikes. Just in the first episode alone, we are treated to the likes of David Bowie, Norman Greenbaum, The Captain and Tennille, Gary Wright and The Commodores. I can't wait to see what future episodes have in store.
Of course, if the whole plot was just about swinging, that could get old really fast. But interesting subplots abound in the adventures (and misadventures) of the Millers' and Thompsons' kids, reflecting on how the 'sex-quake' of the Seventies affect and inform their lives as well.
Based solely on this premiere, I have certainly been convinced to stick around. I hope that creator Mike Kelley and the writers will be as adventurous as Bruce and Susan have become by the "climax" (pun most definitely intended)... -
execpc15 June 2008I watched this with my wife and we really loved the fresh and exciting feel of the show. I enjoyed the many characters with the specific characterized needs each has. Certainly from a male perspective it has a formula that made me want more (and more). I enjoyed the party scenes and all the 70's references. The kids bring a very interesting twist in storyline. The adventure aspect for the new neighbors has me wondering what is lingering around the corner for them. And the across the street neighbors made me wish I lived on their block. It's made the PVR list with high priority. Going to tell my "friends" about this show. Keep up the good work!
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I am hoping this one makes it. This show is pure entertainment, a nighttime soap. It deals with adult relationships and the issues of the 70s, which were a time of change. It has a cast which works and is believable, and it is also fun to see the decorating style and fashions I remember from my childhood.
It is a shame, but not a surprise, it is being challenged by conservatives, but their views do not reflect the whole story. Keep it at 10pm on Thursdays, and put the kids to bed. If it becomes too much for CBS to handle, I hope FOX or a cable channel will pick it up.
I'm ready for another drama to get into that is intelligent and well produced. Swingtown seems to have both so far. I am glad my friend pointed it out for me. Pass the word! Thank you. -
lauramae24 June 2008I was there and this is the way a lot of people lived, from the details in the props and costumes to the ambivalence toward the women's movement and open marriage.
In the Seventies, rehab was where repeat offender felons went. We were playing it by ear. I gasped when the new neighbor popped a Quaalude; it was possible to O.D. on two, if mixed with alcohol. Easyrider magazine ran a special editorial, warning its readers NOT to use this counterfeited prescription drug.
Swingtime shows both sides; the remorseful housewife who returns to church, family in tow, after her fling with the neighbors, the young girl disgusted with her mother's addiction and promiscuity, the kitschy hor-d'oerves and party games at the house-warming--can't wait to see if they get the best friend from the old neighborhood to give a Tupperware party! If you don't 'grok', you weren't there! Go back to your Xbox or Wi. The rest of us have a new guilty pleasure.
Thanks, CBS! -
1L1921 June 2008I won't tell you that the acting is stellar or that the plot lines are deep but that hasn't affected my enjoyment of this show. Personally I haven't watched an offering from a major network in the last five years that I considered worth my time and attention.
Swingtown has broken that streak in that it is simply fun to watch the collision of different personalities and moralities which happened during this time in our history. Plus, the music is great and the look/feel really allows my suspension of disbelief to take hold and transport me back to the 70s.
Don't knock it till you try it :)! -
Right from the start, CBS wants you to know it's intent on accomplishing two things zapping you directly back into 1976 and convincing you that Jessica Fletcher doesn't live there. And boy, do they do it well. Before the show itself even starts, we see the actual CBS logo from that year a neon glowing eye, accompanied by the musical slogan, "Turn us on, we'll turn you on." Then wham we see what appears to be a scene of oral sex.
And even though "Swingtown" is a drama, the show's creator's take every opportunity to treat viewers to all the camp that symbolized the 1970s, and they do it with pinpoint precision: an airplane cabin decorated in garish orange and gold, populated by passengers wearing leisure suits and smoking cigarettes on board; a woman with a modified Dorothy Hamill hairdo opening a pull-top can of Tab; an episode of "The $10,000 Pyramid" featuring Tony Randall feeding clues to a contestant for the puzzle, "Things that are Spread;" men sporting bushy porn star mustaches and wearing Angels Flight pants or cut-off blue jeans shorts. Then there's the music nearly every scene has signature 70s pop tunes playing in the background The Captain and Tennille, Chicago, Seals and Crofts, Johnny Nash. If you were alive during this awkward decade, you won't be able to stop smiling, sometimes uncomfortably.
As for the show itself, well, it's deeply flawed, but it's got potential, mainly because of the terrific performances by the principle actors. Grant Show and Lana Parrilla play Tom and Trina Decker, an airline pilot and his former stewardess wife living in an upscale Chicago suburb. Their singular mission appears to be recruiting anyone and everyone to join them for group sex sessions. Jack Davenport and Molly Parker are the new, naive neighbors who immediately become the prey of the Deckers' lust hunt.
The Deckers invite the Parkers to their 4th of July party, where Jack and Molly discover Quaaludes, pot, cocaine, and orgies. Jack and Molly seem to get comfortable with it all a little too quickly, and by the end of the episode, they're sharing a bed with the Deckers. And as if all this weren't enough, there are other subplots involving involve teenage angst, a whacked-out and drug-addled neighbor, and possible allusions to budding homosexuality.
It's hard to know how long the show's writers can sustain the gimmick of 70s nostalgia while building a drama that revolves around key parties and wife swapping, but there's no doubt that it's going to be fun watching them try. I can't wait for the episode featuring the Pet Rock! -
If I could understand the illiteracy of the user comment '70's drama with no excitement', I'd take my rebuttal, but seeing as how it's hard to even understand, I'll leave that one alone. This show is great. If you ever watched Boogie Nights, Dazed and Confused, and felt the pure excitement and giddiness that comes with hearing Captain and Tenille, this show is for you. And, when I say 'feel' pure excitement, I mean it. The sexual tension is off the charts for cable, and it keeps you wanting more...and more. Two thumbs up. The cast is spectacular. Tom is SO HOT, and Janet - well, as a woman you realize how NOT to behave. Keep 'em coming.
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lvlycarmen15 August 2008I can state unequivocally that swinging did take place in the Midwest, contrary to what the people from Chicago are saying. My husband and I weren't swingers but we were approached by swingers and one of the hot spots for swinging was the Lake of the Ozarks. I find this show a refreshing change to the norm which is always going to cause controversy. I'm sure the network is receiving some public pressure to remove the show but as long as they stay out of the religious area, the show might stand a chance to survive for a while. And as an added bonus, they have managed to find some cute clothes from an era which seemed to be dominated by hideous fashion.
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ruravin17 June 2008We have caught the first two episodes of this show and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters are entertaining and we were drawn to several of them immediately. One of the other posters seems to be offended as they state this is not a fair portrayal of what went on in this neighbourhood in the 70's???????? This type of behaviour goes on in every neighbourhood around the world and who cares what consenting adults do anyways....
I will keep watching the show and hope that it is renewed for future seasons. -
lunaticprophet13 September 2008I think the series is pretty good... a guilty pleasure. I'm not going to categorize it as 'great' TV, but it's entertaining. I love the music, the era, and Chicago is my hometown. I don't know what direction the series can/will take, but I'm willing to tag along for the ride... it looks like fun.
I was a kid growing up in the 70s (from Kindergarten to H.S.) but it is probably the decade that had the most influence on me... that core decade that leads from innocence to a shattering of childhood beliefs to a glimpse of the possibilities of adulthood.
The music, the dress, the look of 'Swingtown' brings that decade back to mind... the culture of America.. the "Spirit of '76" and the post-Nixon, pre-Reagan, 'Archie Bunker' era.
Having lived through the 70s and having fully conscious memories of it and a real connection to it may make 'Swingtown' a bit easier to digest. The nostalgia helps it all go down. The 'swinging' only adds a minor plot device and works more to bring the cultural era to life than as titillation.
IF the writers can keep it interesting, it could become a nice diversion, a nostalgia antidote. But they will be walking a fine-line and I don't really think they'll be able to keep 'Swingtown' from devolving (more) into a simplistic soap opera...
...but I'm hoping for more.
btw.. It just occurred to me that the young boy/son in 'Swingtown' is about the same age I was in '76. -
pcarlssons29 July 2008Swingtown is a brave, entertaining, and fresh series. It is good to see something that takes its audience seriously and that is not filled with violence. The cast makes a wonderful job of bringing the good script to life and in the hands of the professional production design from the 70s this series is a good example of American drama when it's really great. I really like the dialog and the way everyone looks and acts. The sexual revolution is something that American TV very seldom dares to explore. In this series it does it with much charm and entertainment value but at the same time it have a good story to tell. I also like thats it tells the story of two generations at the same time. The production values and the acting are all tom notch. Coming from Europe I don't know why there are so much fuzz over this series in America. The story is not at all controversial - it's just a very good TV-drama with a twist. See it!
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yossarian1006 June 2008I'm back to update my original review, which appears below.
I've been watching the show for a month now and it's appeal to me has increased with each new episode. The characters are beginning to acquire some depth as they struggle with personal and social changes and there's a focus on feminist issues, too. I still think this show would be better situated with HBO or SHOWTIME, but, as long as it continues to tell an interesting story, I'm going to stick with it.
About half way through the first episode, it occurred to me this is going to be just another 10PM soap opera. Nothing more, nothing less, and nothing special. Even though this show isn't supposed to be for kids, there's a smattering of kids in the cast and more than just a hint of kid story lines to come, I suppose, to interest those kids in the audience who aren't suppose to be watching a 70's retro show about swinging and recreational drug use but are. It's not that I think this show is too racy, it isn't, it's just not very interesting. I'm thinking CALIFORNICATION, without the nudity and without the language, would still be a very watchable, well written, and entertaining show which also deals with promiscuity. MAD MEN, a hard hitting and accurate show about attitudes in the fifties, also dealing with promiscuity, is a show I watched every week. Wouldn't miss it. The difference is CALIFORNICATION and MAD MEN have something to say and they say it with a certain eloquence. They're also small audience shows from cable channels. Networks are big audience shows, which means you dumb a show down to reach that larger, less discriminating couch potato. Sorry, I'm passing on this one. -
gulfcoastdiver1 November 2015I watched about three shows, The acting was not much to speak about. The acting was not even close to real life. Certain scenes were just stupid, I can honestly say I have never seen so much white trash in one show in my life. Investors show have kept the money and went on vacation. I hope that is what the do before trying this again.In one scene the husband went to a party his wife was invited to behind his back. And one man told her husband Jerry she could stay. I real life that would have got somebody knocked out and a wife divorced. Then they give her drugs? Really? And her husband puts up with her?? In real in real life their is no way that would have happened. One wife is pregnant and has no idea who the father is. lol Yep white trash.
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iLoveTacoma22 June 2008I love the show "Swingtown"! being born in 1962 I remember much of the 70's. I grew up in a strict Catholic household, I was not exposed to much in the outside world so this show is a joy to see! I enjoy seeing all the 1970's decor, the grocery store scene, clothes and the cars. What fun it is to see many items which I remember seeing in homes where I babysat that are similar on this show; the same glassware, furniture and decor.
I am hoping the BEST this show lasts a long time! Besides I LOVE Molly Parker and hope to meet her someday! I loved her in "The Wicker man". I look forward to each episode! Thank you -
austinmanix6 June 2008I'm crossing my fingers for this one. It was fun and let's face it, something we've never seen on TV before. It's almost a throw back to the nighttime soaps of the 80's like Knots Landing and it shows us the side of people that we all knew existed and that up until now, network TV wouldn't air. It's unapologetic and I actually cared about a couple of the characters. It's great to see Josh Hopkins (Ally McBeal, Cold Case, Brothers and Sisters) and Grant Show (Melrose Place, Six Feet Under, Dirt) back on TV. Joined with Miriam Shor (Headwig and the Angry Inch), Molly Parker (Deadwood), Lana Parrilla (Spin City, 24, Lost) and Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean), the show has a well rounded and entertaining cast. Congrats to Mike and Alan, great show and I hope it makes it.
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jriceifmg23 September 2020Came late to the party and will say I'm capsulating the series... these characters were fantastic, well thought out and fleshed by the actors and i was personally upset by the cancelation. This was a wonderful series, had sooo much potential and loved 99%of the actors. This season, if it catches your fancy, will draw you in and leave you wanting more.
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Swampje19856 February 2013I'll be honest about it: since Once Upon A Time I've developed a crush the size of Texas for one Lana Parrilla. That, combined with the information that this show would be about a married swingers couple in the 70's were my only incentives to start watching this show.
What really surprised me though is that this show could have had great shock value: after all, a swinging couple in the 70's just screams sex and orgies and lots of it. Instead, it's barely beyond PG-13 in my opinion. The swinging couple could've been trying to bed the other couples every chance they got. Instead, they are observant and are at times seemingly the glue for holding the marriages of their friends together.
I'm actually happy that this show was not as one dimensional as I expected it to be. Aside from the expected and almost obligated foursome of the old and new neighbors, I found myself able to look further than the lovely Trina (very difficult as she spends a lot of time in or around the pool...or in bed ;)) and found this to be a decent drama show. It's about different kinds of love and the ups and downs of relationships, no matter what form they may take.
Of course I'm an 90's kid, so I haven't lived the 70's. But combine this intriguing drama with great period music, cars, clothes and even period words and it actually makes me want to experience those years. Well, maybe for a fortnight or so. After all, the 70's don't have that sexy Trina strutting her stuff... :) -
ihatespammail5 August 2008I've been watching this show from the start being from Chicago and the writer being a friend of friends and as much as I liked it in the beginning, I am looooovvving it now. It was provocative and unique out of the gate, but now the characters are developing, relationships are growing and the writing has really taken off. The most recent episode "Swingus Interruptus" was hysterical and right on. I even love the sweet story lines of the two youngest kids as they are about the age I would have been then. The clothing, cars, music, decor and even the facial hair will bring you back, but the story lines and character development will have you feeling invested in the show. Give this one a chance and keep it from getting cancelled. They can't all be crime or reality shows!!!
As for NANCY26 who commented that this show is not a realistic portrayal of Chicago's north shore in the 70s...this world did exist even there. You just weren't a part of it. In fact, in a sociology class at Notre Dame they discuss Chicago's north shore in depth while covering the phenomenon of swinging during this era. One never knows what goes on behind a neighbor's curtain especially when the kids are in bed by 9pm! -
m-4782621 May 2023I know, it's set in the 70s, it's about « sexual revolution » and the theme song is funkier. But the characters have similar personalities, and it's obvious why it got the green light, back when both DH and Mad Men were ruling TV. And I can say it's a mix of both. Only too short-lived to get into it completely. I enjoyed the whole series, and was rooting for several « swings ». But I'm not gonna lie, I sort of switched off near the end, because I knew the ending would leave me hanging. And it did. Which is also very frustrating, because there were so many possibilities for a potential second season. Why it didn't get one, is a mystery. But on the other hand, CBS was maybe not the best network for this show. And the pilot episode was not catchy enough. I barely remember anything from it. What I remember though, was how I loved episodes I used to catch on TV. And I'm glad I finally got the see the whole thing. However I'm regretting those first airings, because the « cheaper » soundtrack, is a disgrace. I love the whole cast. Apart from the teenage daughter, who was a sad cliché. Not the actress, just her character. The rest of the protagonists were played by actors I love. And I even prefer some in this, than the shows that later got them famous... You even have a small role played by Britt Robertson, back when she was a promising young talent (what happened to her, anyway?). Thirteen episodes is too short, for a show called Swingtown...
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emerson-916 August 2008With nothing else to watch, I gave the first episode a chance. Initially, I felt like,, "yeah,, then..?..",,,,
But, in the same way as shortcuts, people's stories and life's connects and then, then the "drama" begins. For me,, this is a really good and fun show to watch. They don't take anything to far just to make impression, instead it's a great balance that's moves between different people and different couples. There's no black/white role-casting, no heroes or villains,, just an ever changing look at life and values and what effect different actions have.
For me personally, it's a REALLY great show, it shows most of all the importance of every type of communication...
And,, this is something I really wasn't excepting after the 1st half of the initial episode. -
fx_gent7 September 2008As someone who grew up in the 1970s, I found the concept of Swingtown to be interesting. That said, I found the show to be extremely enjoyable and if someone, most likely not CBS, chooses to bring this back for another season, I would watch it. Once I got past the first episode or two, watching the development of the characters was fascinating and how they reflected the changing norms of the time, especially about sex and women's rights. I did catch a couple of errors in watching the series, as a few people have noted on here and I agree one hundred percent that if the show does come back, someone should get their facts straight. Overall, it was the best new show on television this summer and worth watching.
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bubbapit6 June 2008I watched this with an open mind, but it was crap. I lived in the Chicago suburbs in that era. To imagine a faithful couple together about 20 yrs., moves to new neighborhood and swing with new neighbors their first night, come on! There was nothing that different in the 70's than there is today, except HIV. And even today people are disregarding that danger. I believe the show is in poor taste and uses a bygone era as an excuse to condone swinging in todays times. I guarantee I will not watch it again. The promotion of open drug use also is bad. I was raised in the 60's, sorry, never did any kinda dope, even at the height of LSD. Why can't they make something worth our time. I know if I were an advertiser, I'd save a lot of money.
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babi-1124 May 2009I did not live in the 70's and I really do not care if things were like this or not. This is a TV series (fiction!), and a VERY GOOD one . The series goes far beyond sex and drugs. It talks about relationships, connections, choices and the consequences of these choices. The dialogs are intelligent and fun. The series is well directed. The actors are great and the music is fantastic. The series does use the 70's and its contrasts as a background, but it does not attempt to describe the life of every individual living in Chicago at time. Do not take it personally just enjoy it as any other TV series.
It is definitely worth breaking the prejudices and giving it a try. I am sure you are going to love it!
I wish there was a second season . -
lickcat326 October 2008I just had to write about Swingtown. Yes it was like this in the 1970's in the Boston area. Not everyone but more than you think!! I love this show and hope it comes back on. But TV doesn't always have the best shows. Guess we will all have to wait to see what happens. Plus to those that say this never happened. 1- You just did not see it., 2-You did not want to see it and did not believe it. 3- You were too uptight and were not invited!! In sum ways wish we were back in those times, it was hard but easy than it is now a days, plus a lot more fun... An idea for for all TV/movie people out there is Why don't you make a movie out of this with the same cast and crew you have now so if you do not bring the show back at least you might be "nice" and finish the story for all of us that have been watching the show!!