Those who complain that there's not enough scripted programming during the summer months may want to tune in to CBS beginning in May.  The network will be debuting two new shows over the summer, with the first being the long anticipated 1970s drama Swingtown.  The series, from Jericho executive producer Carol Barbee, will kick off on Thursday, May 29 at 10pm.  The other drama, which is set to air sometime in July, is called Flashpoint.  The series stars Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars) and revolves around the risk-filled lives of a group of cops who are part of an emergency task force.  CBS is hoping that these scripted shows will be able to break out in the midst of the reality plagued summer season.

Swingtown, which has been compared to the Ang Lee film The Ice Storm, has been in development for quite some time.  The series stars Jack Davenport, Molly Parker (Deadwood), and Grant Show (Dirt, Melrose Place). According to CBS, Swingtown "peeks into the shag-carpeted suburban homes of the culturally transformative '70s to find couples reveling in the sexual and social revolution that introduced women's liberation and challenged conventional wisdom."  When a married couple moves their family to a Chicago suburb, they suddenly find themselves faced with strange choices, cultural changes, and shifting attitudes.  In other words, there's a little bit of sex in it.

Flashpoint revolves around the Strategic Response Unit, which is a hand picked team of elite police officers who rescue hostages, take down gangs, defuse bombs, and climb the sides of buildings to talk down suicidal teens.  They even have fancy weaponry like sniper rifles, flash-bang grenades, and Tasers.  Aside from Colantoni, the series also stars Hugh Dillon and One Grauer.  It was originally created for Canadian television before being picked up by CBS.

Though I'm a big fan of Enrico Colantoni, Flashpoint sounds like just another run-of-the-mill cop drama.  However, CBS has had good luck with similar shows like The Unit and NCIS, so Flashpoint might prove to be a solid hit.  Swingtown sounds riskier, which is also why it sounds a lot more interesting.  It promises to provide a peek into a world that we haven't really seen on television.  I can't see it being a big hit, but I'm excited at the notion of being transported to the 1970s each week.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of WeatherGirlMovie.com)