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May 8, 2008 2:36

Coming Attraction: Swingtown

Posted by James Poniewozik | Comments (3) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

"Swing" don't mean dancing! / Cliff Lipson/CBS

Yesterday I posted about having finally gotten a screener of CBS's summer drama Swingtown, which I'd been anticipating since CBS screened a trailer a year ago at upfronts. I've watched it, and I have to report that I'm disappointed.

Disappointed because it's good. Very good. Which means that I have to prepare to be depressed that CBS apparently lost confidence in the show almost as soon as it signed it up (like Viva Laughlin, except that show deserved the no-confidence vote) and consigned it to the traditional kill-off space of the summer schedule. (One hopeful factor: the paucity of new shows after the writers' strike means it's possible that a scripted summer show should actually get renewed. Just possible.)

I'll give the show more of a review-review when it comes out, but here are a few impressions:

In yesterday's thread, beerbaron wondered if this is "one of those shows that should have been on cable." And yeah, it probably is. I have no idea why the hell this show was made for a broadcast network. That said, it does an impressive job dealing with the limitations. I don't just mean those of sexual content, though it manages mostly to handle those believably (there are a few distracting moments where the show bumps up against the limits of what it can show on broadcast, but not too many). What was more impressive is that the show is subtle in a way that you wouldn't expect a show like this on network TV to be: it's about much more than sex, and except for a few overly on-the-nose period details, it doesn't let the premise overwhelm the characters. And Molly Parker of Deadwood is excellent again here, but this time around has a scene on quaaludes rather than laudanum.

Oh, and that Liz Phair-curated soundtrack? The '70s hits she chooses for the pilot are mostly of the predictable K-Tel Sounds of the '70s variety (Saturday in the Park, Come and Get Your Love), but they're well-placed. My guess is her influence will matter more in the following episodes, when presumably she'll have to score the show without a massive pilot budget for musical rights.

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Reader Comments (3)

shara says:

@James - random question. Mr. Shara Says and I have spent the last 2 days in a Robin Hood marathon. We hadn't heard of it before it was put on iTunes, but have found it to be totally delightful adventure show. I do love a scruffy hero and a good adventure (although I have historically tended to be easy to please). I think its been airing on BBC America. Has anybody seen it? I hadn't heard anything about it before, and don't know anyone else who has been watching it, so I was wondering what others thought about it.

Posted by shara says | May 9, 2008 9:40 AM

James Poniewozik:

@Shara: I got nothing for you. I watched the first couple installments of the first series way back when, couldn't get involved and dropped it. Anyone else?

Posted by James Poniewozik | May 9, 2008 9:43 AM

Anit D'Arcy:

I'm so glad to hear a good review. I watched the screener quite some time ago- and rather enjoyed it. I found it both highly amusing- and slightly addictive. It will be great to see something original for a change on Network Television. Swingtown plays with the limits, in more than one way... but does it well! Molly Parker was well cast, I think. But I'm most definitely happy to see Jack Davenport in a main role. He's such an unstated actor, though a brilliant one. I hope Americans will be able to get a good taste of him- as well as take the time to get to know the show beyond the preconceptions floating around.

Posted by Anit D'Arcy | May 10, 2008 12:13 AM

About Tuned In

James Poniewozik writes TIME magazine's Tuned In column, about pop culture and society. Tuned In, the blog version, is about the stuff we used to call "TV," whether it's in your living room, on your computer or--once the networks figure out the technology and line up the advertisers--in your dreams themselves.