Swingtown Episode 12: "Surprise" - discussion

[JustAskJulie]

Roger and Susan plan a surprise party for Janet that sparks shocking revelations between the neighbors.

Are surprise parties ever a good idea?

[Greg & Sheryl]

This is the first we've heard about this upcoming episode. Under most circumstances, surprise parties are a wonderful idea, but after the kiss that Roger and Susan shared at the end of Episode 11, we can't help but wonder if they are motivated by guilt rather than love. It will be interesteing to see how this plays out.

[SW_PA_Couple]

Episode 12 strengthenes my impression that the writers have intimate knowledge of swinging. They have thrown in a few more situations that we all know are endemic to the lifestyle -- a pregnancy for which the woman is left to wonder, "who is the father"? A spouse who gets entirely off the track and cheats. Swingers are people too. People can delight and people can disappoint.

~Michael

[Cafe10s]

What is strange is that all these events are unfolding at the same time. I am expecting a climactic end to the show. This is unfortunate.

[PB&J]

Oh yes, there's some knowledge of swinging there. When Bruce and Susan had sex together after their first night with Tom and Trina- wow! Someone knows just what it's like.

[MtnSwing]

Everything seems so predictable. The show began with a bang (lol) and now seems to be heading to affairs. The lifestyle is a minefield in the best of situations. Take 3 couples (as in the show), add a few singles (as in the show) and you're bound to find a few challenges. Suddenly NO-ONE can be faithful. This is crazy. Two of the three couples are unfaithful and the third becomes 'magically' pregnant.

We LOVED this show and now it's become SO contrived.

I look at our evolution. We went through so many emotional challenges. First, when do we 'fool around' with another couple. When do we actually play/swap? How do we do with the emotional repercussions?

We've struggled and battled through the issues. If ever we ran into a situation as screwed up as this show we would run screaming.

Watch the first episode and think of the WORST thing that could happen to everyone in the show and SHAZAM it happens. Hollywood seems to have taken the best of the Lifestyle and turned it into tabloid television.

Swinging comes with consequences and challenges. Relationships are built and cupid is always lurking. There is always the possibility that things can get out of hand. You trust that there will be a voice of reason in the chaos. The couples we have played with have been strong enough to avoid the flame. We have had close calls. When two of the four got too close, the other two were able to bring things back to sanity.

This show doesn't show the Lifestyle, it shows cheaters and dysfunctional relationships.

It's a simple numbers game. Put any group of people together and mix up the sexual chemistry and you'll get some fireworks, just not a total explosion.

I had high hopes for the show.

And damn - Trina is so sexy.

Luv the show - wish they could see the Lifestyle as it really is.

Mtn.

[2inSanDiego4u]

Originally Posted by SW_PA_Couple

Episode 12 strengthenes my impression that the writers have intimate knowledge of swinging.

The show's creator's parents were swingers. A lot of the material supposedly comes from his childhood memories of them and their friends.

[Pepper & Drew]

Originally Posted by MtnSwing

Everything seems so predictable. The show began with a bang (lol) and now seems to be heading to affairs. The lifestyle is a minefield in the best of situations. Take 3 couples (as in the show), add a few singles (as in the show) and you're bound to find a few challenges. Suddenly NO-ONE can be faithful. This is crazy. Two of the three couples are unfaithful and the third becomes 'magically' pregnant.

We LOVED this show and now it's become SO contrived.

This show doesn't show the Lifestyle, it shows cheaters and dysfunctional relationships.

Luv the show - wish they could see the Lifestyle as it really is.

Mtn.

I don't see it that way at all. In fact, the only couple who has not cheated is the swinger couple. Janet and Roger aren't swingers...in fact, they've never even considered it and yet they're not happy. Susan and Bruce dipped their toes in the water, but I certainly don't consider them swingers. That happens in real life too. A lot of people say that swinging will either bring you closer together or tear you apart. It seems like on this show, the same is true.

And, let's not forget the show is called a DRAMA. If it were real life, they'd call is BORING.

Pepper

[JustAskJulie]

This particular episode wasn't one of my favorite and I can't remember a lot from it other than Janet's announcement that she was pregnant and Susan and Roger throwing a surprise party rather than having to deal with each other on a more intimate level.... and of course, Bruce lying and leaving the party early to "go back to work" when he was really going to meet Melinda. Seemed a lot of setting up for the finale was going on.