Swingtown

CBS has a new show called Swingtown. Starring Jack Davenpart and Molly Parker, Swingtown tells the story of Bruce and Susan Miller who move on up out of their first small surburban home to that big surburban home by the lake. Yes, Bruce got a raise and moves his family, leaving behind his wife's best friend, Janet and her husband Roger. It is a clash of cultures and the willingness to experiment that has the Millers getting it on with pilot Tom Decker and his wife Trina as the true nature of the show's name exhibits itself. It's not just about the adults, but also the burgeoning relationship of the children as well. Smart Laurie Miller wants her summer school teacher and young BJ is falling for the enigmatic young girl next door who makes a habit of running away.

That's the storyline in a nutshell, but the show tries to explore the effects on the characters of the excesses and flaws of the 70s. The show takes place in 1976. In 1976, I was only a few months old - far to young to know what was going on in the world. Thanks to CBS' acquisition of last.fm, I get to hear the songs of that period, most of which I am already familiar with, anytime I want to online. Yet despite it's trendy references to Dylan, the show feels as if it has been hamstringed in what it's trying to do.

The show was originally created to be on HBO, but because it was already filled with intimacy ladened shows (Californication, Big Love and a new show in development called Hung), HBO passed and CBS swooped in for the kill. The creator, Mike Kelley, and director, Alan Poul feel the move made the show better. "When we sat down to rewrite the script, it was actually less difficult, less painful and more rewarding than we'd anticipated," says Poul. "We came out with something stronger." Kelley adds: "It just allowed us to be freer to explore the characters without having to make as much happen in the bedroom. It's about the relationships that develop outside of the sexual moments. It's refreshing, frankly." (quote via Newsweek online)

So, with a show so free to show the emotions involved, why does the show feel so stilted. It's taking too long to get to some moments (I feel this way particularly about the relationship between Laurie and her teacher) and it's too top heavy on the honesty part, making me know that at some moment in the show, honesty will not be involved and this whole thing will crumble like the bad idea it is to invite someone other than your spouse in the bed with you.

But in the name of good natured fun, let's take a closer look at the show.

I finished watching Cabin Fever, the fourth episode of the 13 episodes ordered for this series and I'm sorry to say that not enough sex was had. And the sexual tension between Roger and Susan needs to come to a... head. No pun intended, but now that it's out there, I actually like it. Bruce seems so dorky and I suspect a bit insincere, but I like the fact that when asked by his beautiful neighbor Trina how many women he'd been with, his response was 2 (if you haven't watched it, that's his wife and Trina from their foursome of the first episode). In this day and age, how many people can say that? Very damn few. Of course, they didn't have the STD worry we have now, but I digress. Also, the Janet character is so uptight that making her friends with

I read Alan Sepinwall's post and his main complaint is that the psychological consequences are not fully explored because the sexual sequences are not fully shown. I mean, can you imagine, you and your spouse in bed for the first time with another couple? Him touching another woman with her watching? Him watching another man touch his wife? The first time she sees him kiss another woman or another man, feeling someone elses hand on your body...

Is it getting hot in here?

What I'm saying is seeing that and how you react, even if you're into it, reveals a lot about the characters and not being able to show that someone cheapens the show.

And what the hell is going on with little BJ and the neighbor girl? And does BJ's best friend, Rick (the son of neighbors left behind) have a crush on him or something? There is just an awkwardness to how that relationship and interaction is being written/directed. And how in the hell did the name BJ get by everyone who looked at this script about a show dealing primarily with sex?

I just don't know.

Will I keep watching Swingtown? Yes, mainly because I hate most reality shows (unless it involves cooking or superheroes) and there isn't much to hold my attention at the moment. Also, because I'm hoping to see something different. Where we are now is a direct result of what we did then. How will they connect the past with the future? Will they even try? Or will this be more or less a dry hump of a show, trying to get us there, but never really satisfying? Unless they get cancelled, only time will tell.