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May 26, 2012

Swingtown has nothing to fear in Fear Itself

by Bob Sassone, posted Jun 6th 2008 2:41PM

SwingtownTwo new summer shows debuted at 10pm last night, one on CBS and one on NBC (ABC had the first game of the Celtics/Lakers battle). And it turns out that more viewers wanted to see people swing than see people scream.

The first episode of the CBS series Swingtown, which depicts various neighbors in the 70s drinking, smoking, exchanging partners, and wearing bad clothes, beat the first episode of the new NBC series Fear Itself, a horror anthology series. Swingtown grabbed 8.6 million viewers while Fear Itself managed to get 5.2 million viewers. For the night, ABC won with the NBA game.

I'm rather embarrassed to say that I completely forgot that either of them was on. My night consisted of watching the Red Sox/Rays game (lots of fights and weirdness) and then reading a book until Letterman came on at 11:35. What did everyone think of either or both of these shows?

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LC

I caught the last half hour of Swingtown and thought it was horrible. The acting was B-list. I also hate when producers make a show set in the past and feel they have to shoehorn music into just about every scene.

I get it, it takes place in the 70's. I can tell by the clothes and by the cars, you don't have to hammer me over the head by making me think I left my Sirius radio set to Totally 70's.

June 08 2008 at 9:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chester

I lived it, not with a wife but the whole sexual revolution continuing from the 60's.
If the females were still virgins at 18 we kicked them out of town....!!!
So watching the show was a blast from the past.

June 07 2008 at 5:15 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sheila

I didn't really like it(swingtown)don't really want my kids to think this is good to be unfaithful to your husband or wife.or to take drugs. we have preached for so long to say no to drugs and sex at our children and grandchildren that this just seems wrong to me.
Not to mention i really don't want to go back to the 70's it was a very hurtful time to some people that had a parent of the free love generation. the pain of all the problems have still lingered on and i am 54 now i was 16/17/18 and so on at that time.
So no i didn't like it personally

June 07 2008 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Crystal

I enjoyed Swingtown. I was really into the look of everything, since 1976 is the year my husband & I were both born. I will watch again. It was interesting seeing Grant Show in this role too. I always thought he was handsome on Melrose Place. I do agree this show could do more, if on a cable channel even FX. I'm afraid it may get too racy for CBS & have to be canceled. I'm curious to see how it does. It does have a great soundtrack & they did awesome on details from the era.

June 06 2008 at 4:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alicia

At least when an Anthlogy is cancelled, I don't get upset.

June 06 2008 at 3:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt

I watched both. Fear Itself was a pretty lame storyline. I'll probably watch next week for lack of any other shows on TV, but if it's equally as lame probably won't put forth the effort any further.

Swingtown belongs on HBO or Showtime. I'm not pervy, but there's a lot this show could benefit from with being able to see the sex scenes. A lot of this episode was about the new neighbors experimenting for their first time. Being able to see their first sex scene with the neighbors would have made the show MUCH more interesting. This show just can't really push any buttons on CBS....it was good though, great cast.

June 06 2008 at 3:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John Howard

I thought the Lakers looked flat. I think they'll bounce back in game 2.

June 06 2008 at 3:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Will

I thought Fear Itself was pretty good. I think I'll keep watching it.

June 06 2008 at 3:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
RT

Swingtown has a lot of potential. The first episode was very well done, and it was nice that they even got the little things right, like the pull-top can of Tab and the ever popular "Kiss the Cook" apron. Great tension between the old neighbors and the new neighbors... and how the main couple is trying to leave their old lives and friends behind. First decent nighttime soap in a long time... and what a killer soundtrack!

June 06 2008 at 3:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mike m

I really enjoyed Swingtown. I watched it a few months back when it was leaked onto the interweb, but the first episode was really good. I was definitely looking forward to seeing the next episode.

The only problem is Jack Davenport, as much as I love him in everything else he does(and he was flippin fantastic in Coupling) does not have a very convincing American Accent.

June 06 2008 at 2:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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