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OCTOBER ROAD: REVENGE OF THE CUPCAKE KID (TV)

Summary

One in this drama series about a young novelist who returns to his hometown to teach at a local college after having written a tell-all book about the locals.

Nick and Eddie find that their new window business is struggling, and try to determine how to get customers. Ronnie tells them that the local elementary school is being renovated, which could prove to be a lucrative contract for them. Ikey tries to get a job at Sully’s, but his now-widely-known affair with Alison has ruined his reputation, ensuring that no one will hire him. Big Cat appears, once again offering Ikey a job at his construction company. Janet proposes that she and Hannah take Eddie and Big Cat on a double-date, and Hannah likes this suggestion. Nick and Eddie meet with Carter Bump, the local head of public works, about the elementary school renovations. Carter insists that they have met before and that he was the subject of their “teenage mockery;” he tries to jog their memory, but Nick and Eddie do not recognize him. He produces a box of cupcakes and eats one in front of them, but they do not understand the significance. Carter becomes angry and throws them out of his office, whereupon Nick finally remembers who he is: Carter was nicknamed “the Cupcake Kid” in high school after Nick authored a series of comic books about him, featuring him as a sort of joke superhero battling against other food-based villain characters.

Ronnie, Owen, and Phil remember the comics fondly, and Phil still has a copy signed by Nick, although Nick is embarrassed by his juvenile effort and would prefer if everyone forgot about it. He also feels guilty for ridiculing Carter; Eddie is upset that the comic may end up robbing them of their first major window job. Nick wants to apologize and Owen, who is acquainted with Carter, offers to help him set up another meeting; he also reveals that in his spare time Carter works as “Plumpy,” a party clown. Hannah brings up the double-date suggestion to Big Cat. He agrees despite his uneasiness about being around Eddie. Owen talks to Carter about giving Nick another chance, but Carter refuses; he is unmarried and has no children, and blames Nick for ruining his potential relationships and self-esteem. He recalls being humiliated when his partner in the senior talent show in high school bailed on him due to the “Cupcake Kid” comics, and he claims he has not smiled since that day. However, Carter permits Nick and Eddie to make a bid on the elementary school job as a favor to Owen.

Bob suggests to Ikey that he arrange a “tribunal” with the people he’s wronged in order to plead his case and earn their forgiveness for his relationship with Alison. Janet tries to get Eddie to agree to the double-date, but Eddie resists until she talks him into it. Nick explains his reasoning for writing the comic to Aubrey; he was motivated partially by boredom and partially by the “purpose” with which Carter would wolf down his cupcakes in an almost “heroic” fashion. He also remarks that he forgot about the comic entirely until his recent encounter with Carter, even though it had such a powerful effect on Carter’s life. Big Cat visits Eddie at his office, accompanied by his friend Matt Lauche. Eddie offers to give him advice about obtaining the elementary school contract, but Eddie is in no mood to listen to Eddie and asks him to leave. Matt ridicules Eddie for his failed landscaping business and criticizes his relationship with Janet. Eddie punches Matt and throws him and Big Cat out.

Ikey visits Phil as the first step of his plan to go forward with the “tribunal” idea. Eddie calls off the double-date but tries to placate Janet’s hurt feelings. Eddie believes Big Cat manipulated him into calling off the date. Phil tells Nick, Eddie, and Owen that Ikey is calling for a tribunal, but Owen refuses, believing that he can never forgive Ikey for what he did. Big Cat tells Hannah that he went to visit Eddie as a “peace offering,” and that he was attacked without provocation. Bob tries to convince Owen to attend the tribunal, and Nick leaves a message for Carter to ask him if he wants to talk after he drops off his proposal for the elementary school. Big Cat meets with Carter and stokes his enmity towards Nick in an attempt to get his own bid in place for the elementary school renovations.

Owen reluctantly attends the tribunal, and Ikey arrives to plead his case. He recounts meeting them when they were young children, and talks about their long friendship and how much they have meant to him over the years, helping him form his identity and outlook. He leaves to allow them to deliberate. Hannah and Janet briefly argue about whether it was Eddie’s or Big Cat’s fault that the double-date was called off, and Janet brings up the possibility that Big Cat may have lied to Hannah about his encounter with Eddie. Janet claims that Hannah has a “blind spot” when it comes to men, both with regards to Big Cat’s deceptions and Nick’s departure ten years beforehand. Hannah believes that Janet is too inexperienced with relationships to be calling her out in such a manner, and they part with the matter unresolved. Phil tells Ikey that even though his speech was effective, Owen is not ready to resume his friendship, and Ikey leaves sad and disappointed. Ronnie tells Nick and Eddie that Big Cat scored the elementary school contract, much to their disappointment.

Nick decides try to speak to Carter one more time, and visits him during a child’s birthday party where he is working as “Plumpy.” He attempts to make amends for what he did to Carter in high school and gives him a box with all of the original “Cupcake Kid” comic issues, telling him that he can do whatever he wants with them. Carter remembers them being much more “powerful” in his youth, and upon looking through them calls them “amateurish,” telling Nick that he can keep them. However, he does get Nick to make it up to him by having Eddie and Nick participate in a karaoke version of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” the song Carter hoped to sing in high school at the senior talent show. This convinces Carter to award Nick and Eddie the elementary school contract, much to Big Cat’s frustration. Hannah and Janet run into each other again and refuse to speak to each other. Feeling dejected and at the end of his wits, Ikey finally takes Big Cat up on his job offer. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: January 7, 2008 Monday 10:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:58:07
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:92969
  • GENRE: Drama
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2007-2008
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV – Commercials – Almay cosmetics
    • TV – Commercials – Apple smartphones
    • TV – Commercials – Cottonelle toilet paper
    • TV – Commercials – Disney World theme park
    • TV – Commercials – Ebay online bidding service
    • TV – Commercials – Ford automobiles
    • TV – Commercials – H&R Block tax services
    • TV – Commercials – Hyundai automobiles
    • TV – Commercials – Lean Cuisine prepared meals
    • TV – Commercials – Lincoln automobiles
    • TV – Commercials – L’Oreal cosmetics
    • TV – Commercials – Mastercard credit cards
    • TV – Commercials – Match.com dating website
    • TV – Commercials – Mazda automobiles
    • TV – Commercials – Monster job search website
    • TV – Commercials – Nissan automobiles
    • TV – Commercials – Propel energy drink
    • TV – Commercials – Quaker oatmeal
    • TV – Commercials – Red Bull energy drink
    • TV – Commercials – Red Lobster restaurants
    • TV – Commercials – Revlon cosmetics
    • TV – Commercials – Staples office supply stores
    • TV – Commercials – Turbotax tax services
    • TV – Commercials – Verizon phone service
    • TV – Commercials – Yoplait yogurt
    • TV – Commercials – “Mad Money” motion picture
    • TV – Promos – “Cashmere Mafia”
    • TV – Promos – “Eli Stone”
    • TV – Promos – “Grey’s Anatomy”
    • TV – Promos – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
    • TV – Promos – “Lost”
    • TV – Promos – “Nightline”
    • TV – Promos – “October Road”
    • TV – Promos – “Super Nanny”
    • TV – Promos – “Wifeswap”

CREDITS

  • Gary Fleder … Executive Producer
  • Josh Appelbaum … Executive Producer, Created by
  • Andre Nemec … Executive Producer, Created by
  • Scott Rosenberg … Executive Producer, Created by
  • Mark H. Ovitz … Producer
  • Stacy Rukeyser … Co-Producer
  • Paul Rabwin … Co-Producer
  • Mary Beth Basile … Associate Producer
  • Jeff Pinkner … Consulting Producer
  • Andrew Bernstein … Director
  • Bryan Oh … Writer
  • Josh Kramon … Music by
  • Ian Ball … Theme Music by
  • Bryan Greenberg … Cast, Nick Garrett
  • Laura Prepon … Cast, Hannah Jane Daniels
  • Lindy Booth … Cast, "Pizza Girl"
  • Warren Christie … Cast, Ray "Big Cat" Cataldo
  • Rebecca Field … Cast, Janet
  • Brad William Henke … Cast, Owen Rowan
  • Evan Jones … Cast, Ikey
  • Jay Paulson … Cast, Phil "Physical Phil" Farmer
  • Slade Pearce … Cast, Sam Daniels
  • Geoff Stults … Cast, Eddie Latekka
  • Odette Yustman … Cast, Aubrey Diaz
  • Tom Berenger … Cast, Bob "The Commander" Garrett
  • Jonathan Murphy … Cast, Ronnie Garrett
  • Michael Cornacchia … Cast, Carter Bump
  • James Keane … Cast, Sully
  • Christopher Eric Tschupp … Cast, Matthew Lauche
  • J.R. Nutt … Cast, Granger
  • Katelin Chesna … Cast, Karen
  • Diego Garcia … Cast, Mook #1
  • Sam Stefanski … Cast, Mook #2
  • Keeshan Giles … Cast, Mook #3