Swingtown Explores Open Marriage 1970's Style
CBS Series: Alternative Marital Relationships During Disco Era
Swingtown is a prime time series about marriage, adultery and swinging in a suburb of Chicago in the mid 1970's The series airs on CBS on Friday nights. As the network program is reaching the end of its inaugural season, there is no word whether the series about sex in the suburbs will air for a second season.
Swingtown's storyline revolves around the relationships between neighbors in an affluent neighborhood in the Chicago area. The new couple in town are introduced into swinging and the open marriage lifestyle.
The subject of the series is sex, swinging and open marriage among a group of married couples. A love relationship is beginning between a man and his wife's best friend, which brings deceit, lies and secretive adultery into the story line.
Open marriage is a term that usually refers to a marriage in which the partners agree to accept extramarital sexual relationships without being considered infidelity. In open marriage, or swinging communities, couple's extramarital affairs are conducted openly as recreational friendlships without jeolousy or rivalry.
The difference between swinging in an open marriage and adultery may be splitting hairs. In open marriage couples switch partners with open consent between all parties. Adultery is a secretive act, which includes lying and deceit. Presumably, in open marriage, the primary love relationship remains a partnership, with the sex act with others being treated like a bodily function. Adultery is a betrayal of the heart.
Action in Swingtown is on the slow side, with much of the storyline taking place in heart searching discussions between characters. Some have accused the story of becoming a soap opera like drama. Swingtown has a devoted base of fans who consider is a realistic portrayal life among swingers.
The soundtrack from the 1970's recalls the ambiance three decades ago. Costuming and hairstyles are realistic for a portrayal of the 1970's. The men look a little shaggy, with bangs over their foreheads. Women wear swingy outfits appropriate for the disco era.
Whether Swingtown will be back to swing another season is yet to be seen.
Cast of Swingtown
- Molly Parker as Susan Miller. Parker's television credits include "Deadwood" and "Twitch City."
- Jack Davenport as Bruce Miller. Davenport's television credits include BBC's "Coupling," "The Real Jane Austen" and "The Wyvrn Mystery."
- Grant Show as Tom Decker. She's television credits include Melrose Place," "Point Pleasant" and "Ryans Hope."
- Lana Parrilla as Trina Decker. Parrilla has appeared on "Spin City," "Boomtown," "Lost," "24," and "Six Feet Under."
- John Hopkins as Roger Thompson. Hopkins has had regular roles on "Ally McBeal" and "Pepper Dennis" He has had recurring roles on "Cold Case" and Without a Trace."
- Miriam Shor as Janet Thompson. Shor's television credits include "Big Day," "Inside Schwartz" and "Then Came You."
- Shanna Collins as Laurie Miller
- Aaron Howles as B.J. Miller
Information about the Swingtown cast is from the CBS Swingtown website.
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