Washington Post Style TV columnist Tom Shales blames the FCC because tonight's premiere of CBS's "Swingtown" doesn't show enough skin to suit him.
"Swingtown," a drama set in the free-loving, drug-hazed summer of 1976, lacks the "kind of intimacy and even eroticism that is common on HBO," Shales complains.
In his June 5 review he writes:
It's conceivable that ‘Swingtown' will prompt complaints to the FCC about its relatively explicit sexual depictions. But there's no nudity, and that seems to be the thing that gets those FCC commissioners' panties in a bunch. Perhaps soon, the bureaucratic busybodies will steal away into the night and television will be relieved of what has been an ineffective and hypocritical anti-smut crusade.
Apparently it never occurred to Shales that the reason there's no nudity on this show is because the FCC's "anti-smut campaign" has in fact, been effective in keeping at least that largely off the broadcast networks.
But even without the nudity for which Shales desperately longs there's still plenty of bad behavior portrayed in "Swingtown." In his review he notes the use of cocaine and pot, teenage boys looking at pornography, a "liberated young woman" beating up somebody's little brother, a teenaged girl swimming in only her underwear and one wife suggesting to her husband and another couple "Why don't the four of us go somewhere a little quieter?"
Despite his disappointment that the show is not racier, Shales calls "Swingtown" a "bold, retro step for CBS" in terms of running a scripted drama instead of the "reality" series offered by other networks. He goes so far as to say "a return to fantasy seems strangely refreshing."
But whose fantasy? His own of seeing nudity on CBS or one in which Americans can turn on a television set without enduring yet another assault on traditional values?
More about the media's acclaim for this show can be found at the Culture and Media Institute's web site or by clicking here.
—Colleen Raezler is a research assistant at the Culture and Media Institute
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Comments Policy
Perhaps soon, the
June 5, 2008 - 15:57 ET by motherbeltPerhaps soon, the bureaucratic busybodies will steal away into the
night and television will be relieved of what has been an ineffective
and hypocritical anti-smut crusade.
Hey, Tom, here's an idea....why don't you start a PRO-smut crusade?
If that's what he wants ...
June 5, 2008 - 16:01 ET by Meanderinghe can get it somewhere else besides from a main station in America. What does he want America to be France? People won't watch this show because its filth and I hope it gets pulled after 1 episode, but the "buzz" might keep it on longer than I wish so I guess the best thing is to stop talking about it.
I watched it last night for the last time
June 6, 2008 - 07:40 ET by ChiefE9As a Senior I am not a prude but it doesn't fit in my future viewing plans.
Based on the ads I've seen
June 5, 2008 - 16:06 ET by mattmBased on the ads I've seen for this show, it should be called "Schwing-Town."
To digress a little - can anyone in Hollywood create show that is actually good?
Mixing the thoughts of Tom
June 5, 2008 - 16:48 ET by Chris NormanMixing the thoughts of Tom Shales, swinging, and nudity ranks a 10+ on the yechhhhhh!!!! scale....
$#%^%! double post
June 5, 2008 - 16:51 ET by Chris Norman$#%^%! double post
You want something racier?
June 5, 2008 - 16:49 ET by clarkfkGo rent a porn film you perv.
Keep the smut off of TV. Desensitizing our nation by continuously pushing the envelope with racier and racier stuff is only leading our kids to engage in sexual situations at younger ages. It leads to outbreaks of STDs in our youth, and it is becoming more and more common to have early-teen pregnancies.
Are people like Shales not satisfied enough that we no longer consider marriage and commitment and abstinence to be virtuous values? Will they only be happy when full blown sex is on primetime?
To those who say "if you don't like it, don't watch it" - ignoring a problem won't fix it. Parents are not teaching their children to make good decisions anymore. Children will watch, they will find a way. People who try to avoid pornography by not renting or buying such media will watch. It will only lead to unsatisfying temptation and the further degradation of our country. I say, if I don't like it, I boycott it. People like Shales need to be boycotted.
Sorry about the rant, but this is a very hot issue with me.
The Swingtown from 1976,
June 5, 2008 - 16:51 ET by Biff McCainThe Swingtown from 1976, parts that I so clearly remember, was rated X.
I won't even try rating the parts I forgot.
You had to be there.
Shales is the living
June 5, 2008 - 17:03 ET by zhombreShales is the living embodiment of the supercilious, effete critic. He's a bit player in an old Woody Allen comedy made flesh. Any writer who uses phrases like "bold, retro step" should be forced to copy passages of Swift by hand in ink until his hand cramps and his dim, pompous brain has an epiphany realizes what a joke he is.
This is the kind of thing
June 5, 2008 - 19:09 ET by balboaThis is the kind of thing that I don't get. NOWHERE does Shales complain that "Swingtown" "lacks the 'kind of intimacy and even eroticism that is common on HBO.'" Nowhere. He states this. Doesn't complain about it.
And NOWHERE does Shales say he's "ticked" about the lack of nudity. He says that there will be complaints about the show despite the lack of nudity. And that hopefully TV won't have to worry about the FCC patrolling for smut.
I just think these kinds of posts on here are inaccurate and misleading.
I couldn't agree more.
June 5, 2008 - 19:58 ET by mostlymoderateBalboa is right: Shales didn't actually say he longed for nudity.
What's So Bad About Nudity?
June 5, 2008 - 23:00 ET by The7SticksApparently, the show airs at 10:00PM at night, which is supposed to be out of bounds for the FCC to enforce their rules on a network broadcast. I believe that's when most children or teens would be in bed or doing their homework, not being parked in front of a TV set. Let the grown-ups have their kinky sexcapades because conventional wisdom tells us that media sex and violence does NOT lead to copycat sexcapades or mass-killings. That's based off of every study or report I've ever read from credible sources (not some whacked-out pressure group.)
Now if you excuse me, I have some Playboys to catch up on.
"They may both be neurotic, or possibly psychotic,
They're the fellas at the Freakin' FCC!"
Peter Griffin, from "Family Guy"
The show comes on at 9
June 5, 2008 - 23:50 ET by Gary P JacksonThe show comes on at 9 central time. Not exactly the bewitching hour.
CBS manages to bring into
June 5, 2008 - 23:00 ET by jdhawkCBS manages to bring into the living rooms of everyday Americans, themes that in an earlier era were only found in cheap theaters on the other side of the tracks.
CBS = Crap Broadcasting System