October in February - "October Road"

It's been a while since I've written about TV. Hell, I guess it's been a while since anyone's written any NEW TV. Lucky for me, since I am such a TV nut, a few shows had episodes in the hopper so I'm still getting to watch a few nights of TV a week.

One of the gems I'm currently into is "October Road." Amy and I got into it last year, and it's one that we talk about when we get on the phone. I need to do some research - I can't remember why it's called "October Road" - it takes place in a small Massachusetts town called Knight's Ridge.

It's your basic prodigal son story. After high school, one of the popular boys ran off to New York and published a novel in which he alienated much of the town's population. He left behind his girl, who had a baby shortly after (like, nine or 10 months) after he left town. The series opened with him coming back to town 10 years later, and general angst ensued as he tried to hook back up with the old girl, thinking the kid was his. Sounds kind of sappy and run-of-the-mill, but as it's gone on, we've gotten to know the town's other characters, and they're all people I'd like in my tribe. They're our age, and remind me of people I would be friends with. They play air guitar, hang out in the local watering hole, etc.

The characters and good writing are helped along with a great soundtrack. Music was one of the things that originally pulled me into Grey's back in the day, and it's doing the same thing with this show. "October Road" has featured Ryan Adams and other singer-songwriters, and tonight they played a great old Mighty Mighty Bosstones song. It makes me nostalgic - maybe that's why I like it so much. Plus, I have a big, fat crush on the guy who plays Eddie Letekka (he's on the left in the photo above).

From tonight's show:

"I wish I was cool in high school."
"Oh, I'm sure you were cool."
"No, I was all indie rock and nose rings, Sylvia Plath poems."
"So you were college cool in high school."
"Yeah, and college cool in high school isn't cool."

An exchange between Pizza Girl (yes, that's her name on the show) and Hannah (Donna from "That 70s Show" but with blond hair).

Ain't it the truth. I see those "college cool" kids every day, and in general, they are not among the generally-thought-of-as-cool population of the school.

Of course, the "writer for the yearbook" featured on tonight's show was kind of dorky and overly enthusiastic. They always are, in books and movies. Just like Patty Simcox in "Grease." I don't know about other schools, I was NOT that girl. And in my four years of teaching yearbook, not one editor I have worked with has been that girl. (And yes, I say girl, because it's all girls on my staff right now, except for one boy.)

•••

It's time for bed. Hopefully Adam's got the space heater going and the bed all warmed up. Our little apartment isn't exactly energy efficient, so when it's cold outside, it's cold in bed. Good old Bryan Busby says it's going to be 10 degrees tonight.

Yay.