Swingtown (1.2)

Thursday, June 12th, 2008 @ 10 PM

CBS

Swingtown, Season 1 - Episode #2 - "Love Will Find a Way"

Susan, Tom, and Trina make a surprise visit to the Chicago Playboy Club, where Bruce is celebrating with co-workers after his monumental day on the trading floor. The two couples continue to explore their newfound friendship. In the old neighborhood, where the Millers used to live, Janet realizes how important her friendship with Susan is when a new couple moves in next door. (CBS.com)

Marmot: I liked Swingtown. It's not the best thing on TV, but for a summer show, it's pretty high quality.

Manatee: I really enjoy the show. I find myself very interested in the characters and where they are headed. I even caught myself smiling and laughing during the show!

Marmot: I am too, but I think the show lost some of the edge from the first episode. There was some heavy stuff in the pilot and it felt a little light in this one.

Manatee: That's true. There were not as many (or any) drugs and sex. But I liked that. I didn't really come into this show thinking here is a show all about sex, some sort of network soft core porn. It's almost like a Desperate Housewives set in the 70s - so you get the bonus of free love.

Marmot: I mean edge not just about sex, but in terms of the storylines. In the first episode, there are touches of a gay crush between the two sons and then the strait-laced couple's kid gets the crap beat out of him by a girl. In this episode, they dragged camping gear through the woods. The rest of the episode focused mainly on the deteriorating friendship between Susan (Molly Parker) and Janet (Mirian Shor), but it was more about jealousy over Susan's new friendship with Trina than a clash of values.

Manatee: Very valid points. I'm not sure I picked up on the adolescent gay crush thing the first time, but I don't doubt that as a possibility. It did seem to lose a little edge this episode. The teacher/daughter potential relationship was also squashed by the emergence of a girlfriend (or was it?). We'll have to see where it goes. Will it continue with some edge or will it lapse into straight soap opera (ie: friend jealousy vs. moral values)?