Tom Swift

TV Series Review

In the futuristic world of Tom Swift, everyone who’s driven (or ridden in) anything with an engine the last centuryhas the Swifts to thank. They’re genius, billionaire inventors responsible for some of the world’s most innovative technological advances.

Their latest project is to send current patriarch, Barton Swift, to Saturn and back in the course of a single year, making short-term, long-distance space travel possible.

Unfortunately, it all falls apart at Barton’s six-month check-in. Because instead of announcing his arrival at the sixth planet from the Sun, Barton dies when his ship explodes.

Tom, his son, is convinced it’s somehow his fault. Besides the fact that he and his dad had a fight right before launch, Tom worries his last-minute updates to the vessel might have caused the explosion.

But as he investigates the accident, Tom learns he’s not to blame. Turns out a mysterious satellite fired a device at Barton’s ship as it was leaving Earth’s orbit. It was that device that caused the mishap.

What’s more is that Barton didn’t perish after all. He managed to escape to one of the ship’s research pods. Sending a video message to Tom, he explains that he’s sending a capsule with all the information Tom will need to rescue him.

Too bad that capsule breaks into pieces and scatters across the globe as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. Tom will need to recover each broken bit in order to decipher the message his dad sent. And he’d better do it quickly, and not just for Barton’s sake. Because if Barton’s data falls into the wrong hands, it could mean disaster for the entire planet.

Swift Decline

Tom Swift isn’t going to be a show for most families. For starters, Tom is very loudly and proudly gay. We see him getting steamy with another man. He dresses and acts effeminate at times. And he’s convinced the reason his dad was so disappointed in him was because of those same-sex attractions.

Tom’s personal bodyguard and butler is transgender (and portrayed by a trans actor). Other characters talk about sex too, indicating that viewers will probably see more skin before series’ end. Foul language is present, as is drinking.

Things can get pretty violent too. A secret organization called “The Road Back” is responsible for Barton’s ship explosion. Their goal is to prevent the technological advancement of humanity at all costs. And if that means snapping a few necks and blowing up a few ships, so be it.

Episode Reviews

May 31, 2022 – S1, Ep1: “… And the Liftoff to Saturn”

After thinking his father died and then learning he’s still alive, Tom sets out to find the information that could help him save his dad from space.

Tom kisses another man and clothes are removed. Tom’s dad is upset his son “prances around” without a shirt in tight pants. We see cleavage on women’s outfits. A transgender character gawks at a woman in a revealing dress. Pornography is mentioned. Tom says he invented a camera specifically for explicit photos. A man sends Tom a shirtless picture of himself.

A security guard breaks a man’s neck. People believe a man dies in a spaceship explosion (which was a murder attempt). Tom trashes his dad’s office in anger. People drink (and Tom drinks in excess at his father’s funeral). A reverend presides over a funeral service.

Tom and Barton argue because Barton doesn’t think Tom is mature enough to run the company while Barton is in space. Both grown men are disrespectful to each other. People lie. Characters illegally hack into computer systems. We hear a few uses of “a–,” “balls,” “d–n,” “d–k” and “h—.”

Tom apologizes to his friends and family after letting them down with his own rude and selfish behavior.