Watching on Fancast: Swingtown (recap)

By Sara A. Bibel
Fancast.com

If you’re looking for some hot threeway action that will make it through your office’s firewall, check out this episode of Swingtown.

The theme tonight is finding your authentic self. In an airport bar, Tom and Trina jokingly pick out people they’d do. One of them turns out to be Trina’s hot high school boyfriend, Luke. The man’s gorgeous but (or perhaps because) he doesn’t look very 70s. Trina and Luke plan to have dinner while Tom’s gone.

Susan still hasn’t decided on wallpaper for the living room. Bruce suggests she attend a lunch of the Children’s Hospital Ladies Auxilliary so she can befriend his boss’s wife, Rita. She reluctantly agrees and invites Janet to join her. Janet is thrilled. At a luncheon at the country club Janet helps save Rita’s white suit with her amazing stain fighting skills. She’s rewarded with a ticket to the benefit, this episode’s Party of The Week. Janet wants to join the country club. Roger says they can’t afford it. She advises him to ask for a raise.

[Catch up on previous Swingtown episodes.]

Susan sends BJ to sleepover camp. Let’s hope he and Rick don’t come back any time soon.

At school, Mr. Stevens tells his students to prepare for their final oral exam on authenticity using examples from their own life. I love how on TV school assignments are always about people’s personal lives. I took an Existentialism In Literature course one summer when I was in high school, (maybe I hate Laurie because she reminds me of my adolescent self) and it was nothing like this.

Melinda, a female trading floor employee, thanks Bruce for his help. The guys start a betting pool on who she will sleep with first.

Trina and Luke share a joint as they look at high school photos. Tom calls to say he has to make an unexpected stop in San Francisco. I think Luke and Trina sleep together. It’s hard to tell because of the ambiguous way the scene is shot. He definitely spends the night. When Tom returns, Trina tells him Luke stayed over because he was drinking.

Laurie makes her oral presentation. She refuses to make it personal. Idiot. There’s more to your life than your crush on your teacher. Talk about moving to a new neighborhood or breaking up with Logan. Laurie drops by the classroom for another late night visit. She explains that she couldn’t discuss her authentic self because all she thinks about is him. He tells her he isn’t her teacher anymore and they kiss.

Roger asks for a raise. His boss claims he can’t afford to keep someone so skilled and fires him. Roger gets off the train to find a glamorous Janet waiting to take him to the benefit. Roger can’t bring himself to tell her he was let go.

At the benefit, Rita invites Susan and Rita to join the auxiliary. Susan doesn’t want to do it. Bruce is upset that she won’t help him with his career. Susan talks to Melinda in the bathroom. She reveals she flirts strategically to get ahead at work. Bruce is upset that Susan prefers Melinda’s company to Rita’s. Susan thinks Bruce is a chauvinist who doesn’t respect her. He thinks she’s unsupportive.

Luke kisses Trina as Tom watches, seemingly jealous. She tells Luke about her open marriage. Bruce tells Melinda about the bet. She reveals she agreed to say she slept with Moreno in exchange for half the money.

Janet bids $100 in 1976 money on a gift certificate to the country club restaurant. Roger tells Susan he got fired, but didn’t want to ruin the evening for Janet. He’s happy to leave a job he hated. Susan buys the gift certificate than gives it to Roger. Susan, realizing how good she has it, decides to join the auxiliary after all.

There’s some surprisingly hot threeway action with Luke, Trina and Tom making out. Tom bails. He admits to Trina that it’s tough to watch her with Luke. Does she wish she stayed with him? She assures him she’s got the husband she wants. The threesome’s back on!

The closing montage: Laurie and Mr. Stevens boringly make out. Janet puts her winning bid in her scrapbook. There’s more of the threesome, with everyone naked in bed, kissing. Damn. I can’t believe this is on CBS. Maybe Focus on the Family will boycott and the ratings will improve. Susan finally picks out her wallpaper. She’s found her authentic self.