Things don't look good for our favorite wife-swapping, bad clothes-wearing, Tab-drinking characters: CBS is moving Swingtown to Friday nights at 10pm.
Why, you ask? Well, the ratings have been going downhill, and I think this is the first indication that the show won't see a second season (Friday nights are where network shows go to die). But CBS seems to think more of Flashpoint, the action/cop show that currently airs on Friday nights (in short, it gets better ratings than Swingtown). Flashpoint is going to replace Swingtown in the Thursday at 10pm slot.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I haven't seen Flashpoint. As for Swingtown, although I have a lot of problems with it, I do know that it has had me tuning in every Thursday night (well, OK, on DVR - I have to watch Burn Notice live!). I want to see what happens to these characters.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-22-2008 @ 8:00PM
nattyff said...
yes, this in not a a great series, but at the end you care about that characters and whant to know what happens next... :)
Flashpoint it's a waaaaay better show, you should try it (coop show, but character driven), plus it got the pink power ranger and KEITH MARS!!! :)
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7-22-2008 @ 8:02PM
mike m said...
This kinda sucks. I dvr it too...kinda. if torrents count...but I really enjoy Swingtown...its one of very few character driven dramatic shows on television...and now, it won't be back...makes investing time in it seem silly as the producers probably didn't bother to have a nice little ending to a 6-12 episode show run.
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7-22-2008 @ 9:05PM
lucyfan62 said...
This actually frees up that Thursday at 10 log jam on my DVR! Unfortunately, it sucks for the show. I think ratings have gone down because it really hasn't been quite as steamy as everyone expected it would be...except for the religious groups who are pressuring the sponsors to pull advertising from such an "immoral" show! I saw more graphic images - violent images - on the first five minutes of NCIS at 8:00 than I have during the entire run of Swingtown (at 10:00) so far! These so-called "media watchdogs" are totally screwed up in the head to be protesting Swingtown! I really hate those people because they do not speak for me!
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7-22-2008 @ 9:50PM
buzmeg said...
Swingtown should have been presented on a cable channel.
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7-22-2008 @ 9:58PM
0megapart!cle said...
Why??! Cable is getting enough really good dramas, that it doesn't need the crap that is Swingtown.
The point is, this isn't the worse move in the world. Flashpoint is a really good show, much, much better than Swingtown, and it deserves the non-Friday slot much more.
I really can't believe you are watching Swingtown every week and not Flashpoint. Flashpoint is such a good show! This show is better than most of the crap that gets introduced in the fall! You really should watch it, Bob.
7-22-2008 @ 10:49PM
Scott H said...
"Friday nights is where shows go to die"
Isn't CBS where shows go to die? Or where viewers go to die?
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7-23-2008 @ 10:16AM
The Pepto Pimp said...
Maybe so, but maybe you also missed the the fact that CBS is the highest rated network week after week, year after year.
7-22-2008 @ 11:17PM
mike m said...
OmegaParticle just made no sense. For one, swingtown is a really good show. So is Flashpoint, I give you that, but Swingtown is fantastic. It's def more of a Cable, FX type of show. Clearly, however, it isn't getting the ratings. Flashpoint won't do better than Burn Notice anyway, so this is just for the sake of getting more people to watch it. Also, Swingtown has no advertisers, not because it isnt good but because of the "topic" of the show. lol so best to push it off to fridays so they have SOMETHING on...even if it gets low ratings, it still wins the night among nets on thursdays...this will only help.
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7-22-2008 @ 11:21PM
Jeff N. said...
Swingtown is an interesting show. I think it's actually pretty good. They have brought up some interesting topics and women's rights seem to be at for front of the show. But as someone said it belongs on another Network. AMC would of been a good channel to have it on. Or Showtime and spice it up a little. But I don't think a regular mainstream Network knows what to do with this show.
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7-23-2008 @ 12:31AM
HD Guy said...
I love Swingtown - and it won't be back because a large number of Americans have stopped watching any well written, high concept show. 20 years ago network TV was dominated by great sitcoms and a variety of dramas. Now the only thing network’s bother to put on are craptastic "reality" shows that require little money, production values or quality. It’s sad the best shows struggle and crap begets more crap.
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7-23-2008 @ 6:55AM
Ivan said...
Swingtown has its shortfalls but it's downright embarrassing that it's less popular than a generic piece of c like Flashpoint.
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7-23-2008 @ 10:49AM
Kim said...
Athough I was intrigued by the idea of Swingtown, I never started watching the series as I cannot remember the last summer debut drama that has been renewed for a second season. Looks like I made the right call. Now I don't have to be disappointed that yet another new show that I have become invested in has been cancelled. I learned my lesson last summer with Traveler. I'm only planning to pick up one new show this fall (Fringe) for the same reason.
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7-23-2008 @ 4:40PM
Karen said...
I'm liking Swingtown more than I expected to. I think it got short-changed by its promotional campaign: yes, there are two characters with an open marriage, and the first episode had a key party vibe, but it's not really about sex. It's about how the people who didn't necessarily turn on/tune in/drop out in the '60s went through a similarly earth-shattering period of consciousness-raising in the '70s, and the toll it took on the people around them. I think it's actually pretty fascinating and I would like to see it last.
I agree that it would have done better on a cable channel, because they're happier with a smaller slice of the viewing pie. I hope some cable channel decides to pick it up if CBS cancels it--which is looking pretty likely.
I also hope they re-cast the loathesome Laurie, or send her off to college or something; she is simply a dreadful character and an even worse actress.
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7-23-2008 @ 11:50PM
BatZilla98 said...
I love Swingtown and I'm going to be sad to see it go. Flashpoint is just another cop drama in which TV has plenty of. Let alone CBS.
http://saveswingtown.blogspot.com/
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7-23-2008 @ 11:51PM
BatZilla98 said...
TV Squad isn't helping any by not reviewing the show.
http://saveswingtown.blogspot.com/
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7-24-2008 @ 12:01AM
Bob Sassone said...
BatZilla: We've reviewed every episode of Swingtown.
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7-24-2008 @ 6:03PM
BatZilla98 said...
I don't see the show under any of the categories.
7-26-2008 @ 7:11AM
Karen said...
Yes, but it's not listed under the "Dramas" on the left sidebar. You have to search for "Swingtown," and then resort the results by date to get the most recent entry, which is probably more than most people are willing to do.
Not me, clearly, but I digress.
7-24-2008 @ 11:40PM
Scott said...
Swingtown is the best, most entertaining thing on TV right now. It would be a real shame if it disappeared. :(
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7-26-2008 @ 11:56AM
Patti said...
I adore this show! I think it works better for me on Friday nites, I can sit and enjoy it. I think any talk of cancellation is inevitable with the move, but hopefully it will pick up in viewership being after Numbers. I usually never watch that show, but being on before Swingtown last nite, the ending of the Numbers episode was really good. And I know that show has a strong following, so maybe Swingtown will actually make it on Friday's.
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