TV is the New Reading

‘Swingtown’ a lightweight summer mustache drama

If “That ’70s Show” had been an hourlong drama set in the Chicago suburbs rather than a situation comedy set in Wisconsin, it might have looked exactly like “Swingtown.”

The mustache drama premiered June 5 on CBS, but it might have been more at home on FOX or ABC. The vivacious couple Tom and Trina Decker, played beautifully by Grant Show and Lana Parrilla, invite new neighbors Bruce and Susan Miller (Jack Davenport and Molly Parker) into their home, drug stash, hot tub and bed.

Horrified by this are the Millers’ conservative friends Roger and Janet Thompson, played by Miriam Shor and Josh Hopkins. But they’d be all the more shocked to discover the Millers’ daugher, Laurie, played by Shanna Collins, is falling for her English teacher, and that their neighbor Gail’s daughter Samantha ran away from home days ago but Gail is so strung out she hasn’t realized it.

There are some obvious parallels to “Desperate Housewives,” so it’s a good idea to get them out of the way early. Janet is like the obsessive-compulsive Bree Hodge with no self-esteem. She runs herself ragged making everything perfect, but she’s so far beneath the radar of the men in her life she can barely accept a compliment.

And Tricia is the kind of neighborhood Welcome Wagon aspired to by Edie Britt. The difference is, she and Tom enjoy a completely open marriage, which is troubling to the Millers, who are so new at that whole “sexual liberation” thing.

After such a steamy introduction, the second episode got around to the day-to-day lives of the characters. Tom Decker, a pilot, is promoted to a nonstop route to Tokyo, largely because the rumors of he and Tricia’s parties have all the air hostesses buzzing, and his bosses want to cool the situation off with some more overnights out of town.

In fact, by the second episode, the show is right back at home on CBS, with a couple flashes of skin and otherwise uncomfortable longing and repression. Even a party at the Playboy Club to celebrate Bruce’s big win at the office is as tame as such a thing could be – a few drinks with the boys, a few bunny costumes and Susan showing up with Tom and Trish.

The Bunnies, as it turns out, are less of a threat than new acquaintances Brad and Sylvia Davis, played by Mark Valley and Erin Daniels. Not only do they seem to share the same openness as the Deckers, but Susan is disturbed by how much Sylvia – a former Playboy Bunny who and high-powered lawyer – seems to want to share Bruce.

It’s hard to watch “Swingtown” and not notice how well-drawn the children are in relation to the adults, who seem a little cartoony. I noticed a similar situation in period drama “Mad Men” about ad executives in the early 1960s. The writers were almost certainly children in the time period of this show, and you get a more detailed view of life from their perspective as the writers draw from their own memories.

Apart from that, the costumes and settings are charming and the people are gorgeous and there’s lots of exploration of social mores, but honestly it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of “there” there. “Swingtown” mostly seems like a mismatched collection of jumbled memories and odd storylines. However, fans of music from the ’70s can tune in and hear some of their old favorites, and all the songs are listed together at the end of the episode.

Ultimately it’s not great, but as summer dramas go, it’s distracting enough until something better comes along, and if you miss any of it, you haven’t missed much.

“Swingtown” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

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