>Back in the summer of 1976, we were mostly looking forward to finally getting rid of our braces and putting the horrors of eighth grade far behind us, but even as we lurked around the edges of trouble, we always suspected we were missing out on something.
Tonight we get further confirmation of exactly that, as a new CBS series, Swingtown, pulls back the curtains on the shenanigans of one fictional suburban couple of the decade, the Deckers, and the friends and acquaintances that come into the swath of their open marriage.
Created by writer Mike Kelley and inspired by his upbringing in the suburban enclaves of 1970s Chicago, the series was originally designed with a berth on HBO or Showtime in mind, but found an unlikely home at CBS instead. While the show did require some retooling for a network broadcast appearance and likely FCC scrutiny, according to an article in the Baltimore Sun, Swingtown has acquired a helpful advocate in CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler – who, it turns out, is related to George and Nena O’Neill, authors of the definitive 1970s classic on the topic, Open Marriage. In addition to programing the show with a presumably strong CSI lead-in, the network has also been putting some heavy promotions into the series. “If we had abandoned or buried Swingtown, I would never have been able to live with myself,” Tassler continues in the article. “This is a labor of love.”
The love, as they say, kicks off tonight and continues Wednesdays at 10pm throughout the summer.
Meet you in the basement with a couple of Schlitz Malt Liquors?
