Parents' Guide to

October Road

By Sierra Filucci, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Prodigal son drama walks quirky, uneven path.

TV ABC Drama 2007
October Road Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

kyouryuu5000
kyouryuu5000 Adult
July 18, 2009
age 17+

Intended for older audiences

As with other television shows, there are at least some commendable values depicted within the shows, but not all the content in a television program such as October Road is commendable, especially in Season 2 with episode 5 entitled Once Around the Block where a scene depicts Nick Garrett or Nicholson "Nick" Garrett (portrayed by Bryan Greenberg) engaging in sexual intercourse in bed with Aubrey Diaz (portrayed by Odette Yustman). All television programs, movies, video games, novels, audiobooks, and other media repeat a similar style following some kind of folklore such as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith being akin to the story of Oedipus Rex. Another repeated trend in media such as movies and television shows such as Toy Story 2is the psychological concept of egocentrism by which a character maintains confidence by "believing in themselves."

This title has:

Too much sex
Great messages
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When 18-year-old Nick Garrett (Bryan Greenberg) goes to Europe, he promises his friends that he'll be back by summer's end. But 10 years later he's a successful novelist living in New York City, and he's never been back to his hometown -- nor has he spoken to those he left behind. OCTOBER ROAD chronicles Nick's return home and his attempt to mend the rifts caused by his disappearance, as well as the bad feelings he caused when he wrote disparagingly about his small town and its residents. His hometown crew includes some interesting characters, like a hermit who hasn't left his house since 9/11 and a quirky jokester who's having an affair with a married woman, as well as Garrett's left-behind girlfriend (That '70s Show's Laura Prepon).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Although October Road has some witty banter that's well written and sometimes charming, much of it also seems contrived. The town itself is a bit fairytale-ish, too; it lacks the authenticity of another quirky prodigal-son drama, the movie Garden State. That said, October Road does have some appeal, especially in its smart literary references and nostalgia for the hard-rockin' 1990s.

Teens might enjoy some of the quirky characters, but much of the drama is so adult-oriented -- especially geared toward people in their late 20s and early 30s -- that younger viewers might not care very much. That's good, because with plenty of drinking, some fistfights, and some mildly sexual scenes, October Road is best suited for adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how accurately TV reflects reality, in this case and in general. Are dramas based on this kind of premise believable? How about the dialogue? Do you know people who talk like the characters on this show? Do any TV shows use truly realistic dialogue? Which ones? Families can also talk about hometowns. Do parents still live in the same area where they were raised? Why? Will younger viewers stay put after school, or move somewhere else? Why? What's it like to return to a place that you've been away from for a long time?

TV Details

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