Swingtown (TV Series) Take It to the Limit (2008) User Reviews

Take It to the Limit was an intriguing season finale to "Swingtown"

[tavm · 10/10 · 16 September 2008]

At the last episode's end, Susan realized Bruce lied about leaving his briefcase at his workplace where he was "going to" when she saw its place at home. So when he returns home and "explains" why he wasn't home past midnight, Susan gives him the keys to the car and doesn't return his kiss. At the Thompsons', Roger reveals Janet his accepting the landscaping job offer in Cincinnati and tells her to start moving. Janet doesn't seem too thrilled and is even less so when her male co-worker reveals that the editor wants to meet her about becoming the permanent author of "Dear Trudy". Afterwards, Janet tells him she turned it down. As Laurie mulls with Doug at his apartment about what elective courses to take for her senior year (she doesn't have to worry about college required ones since her summer school classes took care of that), a female friend of Doug's tells him of the Guatemala earthquake that a Peace Corps friend of his is at. Doug has suddenly turned somber. At the Deckers', Trina wakes to the smell of lobsters as Tom had crates of them delivered marking the annual Labor Day event. The smell is too much so some winds at the Millers' where Doug is frustrated looking for reports on Guatemala on television and finding just game shows as Laurie gets held up calling a newspaper. Bro B.J. is also there looking at the lobsters and wanting to free them. Before that, he was at Samantha's with Ricky and Lisa waiting for Sam's and Lisa's moms. As we see the car that carries Sam's mother Gail and her sister Maggie, Gail sees her daughter's packed bags and yells at her sister as she leaves her in a huff. Maggie follows and explains how she doesn't want Sam to end up like they did and how good rehab was to her. During this fight, Sam and B.J. sit on the roof and hold hands. Later, Susan arrives at the bar seeking Bruce and finds Melinda as she confronts her about Bruce. Melinda reveals they didn't sleep together and that she and Bruce have a connection that Susan has lost lately. As Susan leaves, she finds Roger waiting looking for Janet. He tells Susan he's indeed accepted and wonders how Janet will handle the moving. Susan tells him she'll manage. Actually, Janet has by this time seen a new paper headline saying "Dear Janet" from her male co-worker Henry who tells her she "unturned" her new job down. Janet, thrilled at this, invites him for a drink. He says he has a date. With that female receptionist in accounting Janet asks. Henry replies with someone named Mike. Oh, Janet says, a little flustered but still happy for Henry. She later goes to Trina's, Trina points to the current September calendar and tells her it's 1976, not 1953, and that father doesn't always know best. So with that, Janet tells Roger that she doesn't want to move though her husband tells her that she may be the heart but he's still the head and their moving, case closed! As the beach party begins, Tom reveals a fishbowl of keys meaning anyone who picks will go home with those keys' owner. Bruce declines his since he and Susan are there just for the seafood. That gives Trina a little worry as she and Susan talk before she reveals her pregnancy and that she's going to terminate it without Tom knowing. Susan wonders with the Deckers open honesty why Trina is so secretive this time. As Roger and Janet briefly arrive, the male Thompson is congratulated by Bruce and Tom while Susan and her long-time best friend embrace missing growing old together. Before party's end, Bruce, as he watches keys taken one by one, holds Susan's hand but that hand abruptly pulls back resulting in a big confrontation outside of the crowd. Susan is upset over the lying while Bruce argues it was her idea when they committed to an open relationship. The wife then goes to the key bowl and randomly takes the owner of that key with her. When Laurie then goes to the house with mother alone there, Susan tells her daughter to come back soon after saying goodbye to Doug (neither parent knows their daughter plans to go Guatemala with him). Laurie plans this with Doug even though we find that Doug's Peace Corp friend is fine and Doug just wants to help the victims. And Laurie is stubborn about going so Doug agrees saying he loves her. But when Laurie arrives, Doug is gone and his female friend tells her if she wants some consolation, she's on the second floor. Laurie then is handed a letter telling her to look under his pillow where his key is at so she'll always be allowed in his apartment. She cries in his bed. On the C.B.'s B.J. and Ricky use as they talk to Samantha as she keeps moving, the frequencies become so muffled that static replaces her voice. Bruce meets Melinda at the bar and they kiss passionately. Susan, still home alone, gets a phone call. Silence before she asks, "Roger?" Roger answers and tells her he couldn't get on the plane and will she come to this airport hotel. A knock on the door is answered and as The Eagles' "Take It to the Limit" plays, we leave Susan and Roger eyeing each other as the scene fades...Wow, so much on this season finale of "Swingtown". And that cast: Grant Show, Lana Parilla (the Deckers), Jack Davenport, Molly Parker (the Millers), and Mirimam Shor and Josh Hopkins (the Thompsons). I also liked the kids though the one who played Laurie was partly irritating. Also enjoyed Liz Phair's theme song. Knowing creator Mike Kelley has a two-year contract with CBS, I like to think he'll finish this series but who knows? So despite the uncertainly of the series' fate, I'll just say until next time...