Worst TV Show of the Week Brought to you by the Parents Television Council WARNING: Graphic Content!!! Do NOT push play if you don't want to see the explicit video!!!

Swingtown on CBS

The cancellation of Swingtown appears to be a fait accompli now that CBS has moved it to the dreaded Friday 10:00 p.m. timeslot, where shows go to die an ignoble death.  The tawdry drama, however, refuses to go down quietly as it has been named Worst TV Show of the Week for the third time this summer.

In this episode, the swinging Deckers have closed their marriage after Trina worries, amidst all of their extra-marital sexual activities, that Tom might be cheating on her.  As their friend Brad – who is writing a book on the swinger lifestyle - explains, “Seems like it comes down to the difference between swinging and cheating.”  

Meanwhile, Bruce fesses up to his own transgressions when he admits to his wife, Susan, that he kissed his female co-worker on two separate occasions.  Susan responds by suggesting they accept Brad’s invitation to visit the Pendulum, a sex club.  She reasons, “I don’t want this – whatever ‘this’ is…sex – to control our marriage.  I want us to control it together.”  The straight-laced Thompsons are also enticed into attending the club when Trina challenges Janet: “I think we all underestimated who the real Janet is.” 

At the sex club, a woman hits on Roger while Brad and his wife, Sylvia, get cozy with Susan and Bruce.  Later, Bruce tries to enter a special section of the club off-limits to unescorted males. Through the curtain he sees an orgy taking place.  A quick shot reveals a mass of bodies intertwined.  Susan finds Bruce and asks if they can take Brad and Sylvia home with them to “see what happens.” 

Janet and Roger emerge from the orgy room with shocked looks on their faces after having been given a tour of the facilities. They abruptly leave the club. Eventually, they make their way to the Deckers’ house, where a swinging after-party is taking place. Once again the woman from the club throws herself at Roger. Upset, but not wanting to appear prudish, Janet lets the flirtation intensify. Tom sees Janet standing alone by the pool and attempts to comfort her.

Tom: “Roger’s just having a good time.  Don’t make this something bigger than it is.”

Janet: “I used to think I knew what he needed.  But if what’s happening in there is what he needs…”

Tom: “Whatever’s going on with him in there could include you.  And it’s better if he does.”

Back at the Millers’ residence, Bruce and Susan are under the impression that their children are sleeping over at friends’ houses. Unbeknownst to them, their 17-year-old daughter Laurie and her summer school teacher, Doug, are making out on the couch. When Bruce and Susan return home with Brad and Sylvia, the concealed Laurie and Doug can hear exactly what’s going on and can smell marijuana smoke. Laurie proclaims, “I have to get out of here or I’m going to scream.”  By the time they decide to make a run for it, Sylvia is disrobing Bruce while Susan and Brad are dancing in the kitchen.  Bruce catches Doug and Laurie crawling out of their hiding space and the night abruptly comes to an end. 

Bruce attempts to scold Laurie for being involved with her older teacher, but when Laurie shoots back with “What about what you two were doing?” Bruce realizes he and Susan have no moral ground to stand on.  Bruce muses, “No wonder our kids are off the rails. The buck stops here. We are taking back control of this family.”

Clearly, this onslaught of adult subject matter is not suitable for teenage viewers despite the PG-14 rating.  By airing content intended for premium cable channels on network television, CBS has subjected families to topics that only adult couples should be discussing.  And like so much of TV today, by suggesting that monogamy is stifling and, therefore, unhealthy, the show fails to promote positive exploration of sexuality within the confines of marriage.

For explicit drug-use, sexual content and dialogue, the August 1^st episode of Swingtown deserves the Worst TV Show of the Week.