Even the broadcast networks have realized anything worth watching is on cable. Mad Men, Project Runway (for now), Gossip Girl, even The freakin' Hills. Which is why CBS, home to the oldest viewers watching television, thought it might do something dramatic: Order up a series that belongs on cable, but would be broadcast on the tiffany network. That series is Swingtown, set in the 1970s world of white couples swinging in the suburbs, and from what we've seen so far, it's quite brilliant.

Naturally, advertisers hate it.

It isn't so much that Swingtown focuses on sex, but that it features sex outside the confines of marriage. This is scary!

Sure, generally speaking, on Swingtown we're talking about willing married adults sharing partners, but the idea remains taboo (as does the free wheeling coke snorting) — at least enough for big brand marketers who don't like having viewers write in with complaints. Reports AdAge:

After advertising one of its Norelco products in an early episode, the company received five consumer complaints. "They were very reasonable and just pointed out what they considered to be questionable elements of the show," said Terry Fassburg, VP-communications for Philips North America. Philips is not scheduled to run additional commercials during the program.

Meanwhile, advertisers are clamoring to attach themselves to similar buzzworthy shows that just happen to be on cable. Mad Men, on AMC, is naturally advertiser friendly given its plotline (1960s Madison Avenue), and scored BMW as an exclusive second season premiere sponsor, after working Jack Daniels into the show in the first season.

That advertisers aren't as willing to be as daring on broadcast networks is a shame, because it leaves CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC unable to pick up more daring series, which can attract younger viewers, and are instead forced to air lowest common denominator fare. Just look at NBC's Celebrity Circus.

Congratulations, America. You did this to yourselves.