Cable channel Bravo has purchased the exclusive rights to air CBS’ summer drama, Swingtown. Does this mean there will be a second season?
Swingtown debuted on Thursday, June 5, 2008 on CBS. The series was executive produced by show creator Mike Kelley and Jericho’s Carol Barbee. Set in the summer of 1976, Swingtown follows three families as they explore new freedoms and shifting moral values in Chicago suburbia. The series stars veterans of cancelled shows like Molly Parker (Six Feet Under), Grant Show (Melrose Place), Lana Parrilla (Spin City), Josh Hopkins (Pepper Dennis), Miriam Shor (Big Day), and Shanna Collins (Wildfire).
CBS’ President of Entertainment, Nina Tassler, gave the drama a greenlight in May 2007 after HBO had passed on the project. It was expected to air during the regular 2007-08 season but CBS decided to delay the series until Summer, typically a time used to burn off less desirable programming. Critical and viewer reception for Swingtown was mixed and the pilot debuted to fewer than 8.6 million viewers and a 2.5/7 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic. The ratings for subsequent episodes dropped from there.
After seven episodes, CBS moved Swingtown to Friday nights and gave Flashpoint its place on Thursdays. In its new timeslot, the viewership plunged to a low of 2.82 million.
Despite the disappointing numbers, Swingtown has attracted media interest and a devoted group of viewers. The series also still must have some supporters at CBS because the network execs opted to air all 13 episodes rather than pull it.
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Though the series’ ratings are too low to warrant a season two renewal on the network, the CBS studio tried to find another home for Swingtown. They focused their efforts on cable channels which aren’t under strict FCC regulations. On cable, the writers could presumably take the show’s risque exploits even further and possibly attract additional media attention. Unfortunately, there’s been no takers.
Bravo recently made a deal for the cable rights to air Swingtown’s first season in the next few months. The cable station has made it clear that they are merely purchasing the pre-existing 13 episodes and have no intention of producing a second season. The deal effectively closes the door on the series’ future. With Bravo having the air rights for the first season, another cable channel would have little reason to produce season two.
On a positive note, the first (and only) season of Swingtown will be released on DVD in December. With any luck, the executive producers will use this opportunity to answer outstanding questions and to tell us what might have happened if the series had continued. Stay tuned! 
This show was never given an opportunity. Why did it fail becuase the networks have saturated the airwaves with cops, crime investigation and lawyers. Give me a break the one show that has real characters that were growing, being an adults tv show. I was totally interested in the real human conversation about life, love and the world. I have seen this changing of dates and times and starting shows at a time that most people are skipping tv watching due to all the repeats. Yeah, you are going to get very low ratings not to mention no real promotion!… Read more »
CBS did not give Swingtown a reasonable length of time. Eveyone knows that their hit shows are re-runs in the summer. If CBS were to have put CSI on to debut in the Summer, it too may have failed in the ratings. Cable has been notorious for promoting their new shows in the Summer. So now the viewer knows that Broadcast airs re-runs and Cable runs their new episodes in the Summer, like the Closer on TNT etc. I do not think that CBS has given Swingtown a chance. I caught every episode on, ON Demand on Cable. It was… Read more »
Bring back Swing Town – there is an audience for it!!! HBO, Bravo – America is ready for a show like this!!!
We are so sad Swingtown will not be back. Please give us another season!
Please bring back Swingtown! I loved the first season. It made my summer great. I really miss it & want to know what happens to everyone. I loved all the actors! They all worked great together.
We LOVED this show, never missed it. Why would they cancel it? PLEASE bring it back
Loved, loved, loved this show. Watched it without fail last summer. Really want to see what happens to all the various families and characters in Season Two. No fair to leave us hanging and then cancel the show!
I was SOOOOO looking forward to watching Swingtown this summer and was VERY disappointed to find out it wasn’t coming back. PLEASE bring it back!!!!!!! I only missed the pilot episode when i heard about it. I never missed another show. I LOVE IT!!!!!
PLEASE bring Swingtown back!!! We watched this show without fail!!!! Why do they always cancel the good ones? That would be an injustice to just leave everyone hanging!!! We are dying to know what happens next!!!!
LOVE THE SHOW!!! PLEASE BRING IT BACK. WE ALL WANT ANOTHER SEASON.
Great show, very entertaing! Brought memories of the 70’s on the North Shore to life in a great nostalgic show,(aside from the swinging). You can’t leave everyone hanging! What happens next????
Please come out with Season 2 we loved it,
I can’t believe they have cancelled this show. I thought it was very entertaining. BRING IT BACK!!!
WE LOOOVVVEEE THiS SHOW!!!!! I hope someone would pickup and continue this show it was great….we’re young viewers and even tho it was back in the 70’s we still watch or dvr it so we wouldn’t miss it:( was just checking for season 2 start date:( so sad of the news
Loved the show sad to hear there won’t be a 2nd season.