SWINGTOWN Premiere: Let Freedom Swing

Did anyone else feel like they needed to take a shower after watching last night’s premiere of SWINGTOWN?  While I was intrigued by the sexy and provocative new drama from CBS I can’t say I felt necessary good about watching it.  There was a bit of grit and grime that made me happy that I don’t remember the four year that I was alive in the 70’s.

SWINGTOWN brings us back to the 70’s, a complex decade that was the bridge between the free spirited, openess of the 60’s and the more conservative 1980’s.  It was a time when the lines of social and moral ethics were often blurred – which clearly led to a hell of a good time.

The Miller Family – husband Bruce, wife Susan, their teenaged daughter Laurie and then pre-teen son B.J. have just moved to a new neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago. A bigger house by the lake, they are the envy of all their friends.  Especially their former next door neighbors, The Thompsons. But after just one night in their new home the Millers realize that although they may be just a few blocks away from their old house, they may soon be a lot further away than that from their old lives. And they have their new neighbors, The Deckers, to thank, or perhaps blame, for that.

Tom and Trina Decker clearly enjoy the life they lead.  Tom, a porn ‘stache wielding pilot, certainly has a way with the women. And he has his way with many women. But his wife Trina doesn’t seem to mind as she enjoys Tom’s conquests almost as much as he does.  The two have an open marriage and make no apologies for their swinging lifestyle.  So when they spy new neighbors, Susan and Bruce Miller, moving in next door, the Deckers hide in the low grass while waiting to pounce.   But will their new, seemingly wholesome neighbors be open to trying something new or will they need a little convincing?

A 4th of July party hosted by the Decker’s give the Miller’s their first glimpse into their new lives, if they want their new lives to include rampant drug abuse and orgies.  And it seems that a new life is exactly what the Miller’s want…or at least think they want.  The Decker’s barely introduce themselves to the Miller’s when they split the couple apart and individually start extolling the virtues on an open marriage.  Trina tells Susan that having an open marriage made her marriage with Tom that much stronger…and of course there’s all the incredible sex with people that aren’t her husband.  There’s a twinkle in the eye of the seemingly straight laced Susan, and once we see her pop that Quaalude we know she’s opening herself to the possibilities of it all.

Trina and Susan joins their husbands Tom and Bruce back at the party and it’s not long before the four take off to a more private location to really get to know each other.

Yes, this is all in the first episode, and yes…this is all on CBS.

Call me a prude, but I was a bit turned off with the predatory nature of the Decker’s.  I didn’t take issue with their lifestyle as much as I did that it seemed that their sexual nature defined who they were.  The didn’t even know the first names of their new neighbors and they were already conspiring how to drag them into their swinging ways. I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but it came across as seedy and dirty.

The writers have a story to tell, but I don’t think I would have been disappointed to see a little more subtly and maybe even hesitation leading up Bruce and Susan’s decision to have an open marriage.  It seemed a little forced and rushed to me, and it took me out of the story just a bit.

Although the focus will clearly be on the older generation, I was interested in the smaller stories being constructed by the younger generation.  Laurie Miller, the seemingly intellectual yet free spirited teen who fancies her uber hot high school teacher, lives a contradictory life that will undoubtedly lead her on an interesting path.  And then there’s B.J., the quiet Miller son who’s only friend is former neighbor, Rick Thompson, that is until he meets a mysterious stranger who had been living in his room when his house was empty. While watching I was interested to see who captured B.J. attention more…the cute blonde or his best friend.

And there’s a lot more to Rick and Janet Thompson, the former neighbors of the Miller’s, than what we saw last night.  Janet is prissy and judgemental but something deeper is fueling her deep jealousy of Susan Miller.  Is it the money? Her new life?  Or perhaps Janet can see what the rest of us are seeing…her husband’s obvious lust for Susan.

While I can’t say that I was hooked after this first episode, I will say that I’m intrigued enough to watch it again to see how these stories play out.  Despite its overt fascination with sex, I think SWINGTOWN will come to be more about the social climate of that time and how the different generations followed learn about themselves through their sexual encounters.

Did you watch?  What did YOU think of the first episode of SWINGTOWN?