Though October Road debuted to strong ratings, ABC plans to cut the freshman drama’s season short and only air two-thirds of the episodes. Why?
The new October Road drama on ABC (no relation to the 2002 James Taylor album) tells the story of a young and famous NYC writer named Nick Garrett (played by Bryan Greenberg). Nick authored an extremely popular book which was essentially a “tell all” novel based on his home of Knights Ridge, Massachusetts. He subsequently gets a bad case of writer’s block and decides its time to return to his hometown after ten years away. As you might guess, his reception isn’t exactly a warm one. In addition to Greenberg, the series features Laura Prepon (That ’70’s Show), Tom Berenger, Warren Christie, Brad William Henke, Evan Jones, Jay Paulson, Slade Pearce, Geoff Stults (7th Heaven) and Odette Yustman.
Following a new episode of Grey’s Anatomy, October Road debuted on March 15, 2007 to great numbers. Despite mixed reviews, Road attracted 13.93 million viewers and came in at #9 for the week. The second episode lost 16% of its previous audience and about a half of lead-in Grey’s Anatomy’s viewers. Still, Road performed much better than Six Degrees or Men in Trees had in the same timeslot. You would think that ABC would be anxious to air the rest of the season’s episodes. You would be incorrect.
Like more and more new shows, October Road’s initial season is a short one, consisting of only six episodes. Rather than run all six of them to keep viewers hooked, ABC plans to air only four of them this season. If the show gets picked up for another year, the remaining two episodes will be broadcast at that time. ABC did the same thing to Grey’s Anatomy its first year.
You can view this stockpiling as either pretty good assurance that Road will return for season two or, that ABC execs don’t have faith in the series. The final decision will have a lot to do with how well episodes three and four perform. If Road’s audience continues to erode, it probably won’t be back. We’ll likely know by mid-May what ABC decides to do. Stay tuned! 
I miss October Road, but when I saw the previews for ‘Happy Town” and saw two of my favorite charaters from October Road on it, I was happy…. I felt it would be the same type of show, I know it has murder and mystery, but I’ll watch it anyway…Just wish like the rest of you guys…that they would have given October Road another chance..
Bring it back please just at least have a ending!
ABC only giving the show four episodes and then such a long waiting period for the rest of the episodes, made it harder for viewers to know information about when it would be on again. I think more viewers would have tuned into the second season if they were better informed. ABC viewing rates for October Road was the stations own fault. October Road was truly a different type of TV show.
This show needs to be brought back. It was not over yet. It was a really good show, and I miss watching it.
Yes, for crying out loud bring this show back – It was a show that you didnt have to worry about your kids being in the room or not. I enjoyed the craziness of each characters life syle and not to mention how can you leave us hanging like this. BRING IT BACK…….
Ok, my 2 cents worth for all it will do to have ABC bring this show back. YES, bring it back. It was light and easy and good to see “middle America” with problems, too..we got to KNOW the characters, their foibles, problems, love, hate..it was emotional without being sappy, draining and cliche’ lines. Why is it people would rather watched staged shows where you know EXACTLY what will happen before it does (IE: reality shows) then a simple, sometimes close to home program? And, how does Super Nanny fix her charges problems in 1 week?? I find that VERY… Read more »
BRING BACK OCTOBER ROAD!!!! THAT WAS THE BEST SHOW ON TV! PLEASE BRING IT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think October road should come back on the air. It was a good show that im sure alot of people liked this show. Please put it back on the air!!!
Come on Guys… Stop cancelling GOOD shows!!! My whole family liked it a lot!! Please Re-Consider!!!
Please bring back October Road!!!! I loved it!!!!!
I am sad that they cancelled October Road. ABC really needs to bring it back. I loved this show!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BRING BACK OCTOBER ROAD. IT’S AN AWESOME SHOW!!! I WAS HOOKED AND WANT MORE. PLEASE BRING BACK THE SHOW!!!
I can’t live without my October Road. Please bring it back soon, not cancel, we need answers to all the mysteries…………..BRING IT BACK SOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it comming back or not.. Its a great show I miss it Hoping theyll will bring it back
I want to know who the kids father is already ! ! It’s killing me ! Is it Eddy or Nick !? Do they get married, or do her and Ray breakup and her and Nick in some way get together in the end?! Because they belong together, you can just see it in the way they look at eachother and everything ! Rays a jerk. Does Eddy forgive Janet or does he leave her for his ex girlfriend Rory again ?! I want to know ! ): I just watched every show in the past two days and I’m… Read more »