Meet the Small Potatoes (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The band broke up after the failed toy line venture in the 1980s. Ruby persuaded the group to lend their name to a line of children's toys, but the products were poorly manufactured and fans rejected them. The resulting backlash tore the group apart, causing members to drift into ordinary jobs.

Foreshadowing: Earlier tension between Ruby and Nate over commercial decisions hinted at their differing priorities.

• breakup
• toy line
• 1980s
• failure
• Ruby

Ruby was pursuing a diva persona and wanted to expand the band's commercial reach. Throughout the 1970s, she increasingly prioritized image and marketability over artistic integrity, pushing the group toward disco and eventually convincing them that a toy line would broaden their brand.

Foreshadowing: Ruby's growing diva ambitions and conflict with Nate over direction throughout the 1970s set the stage for this risky decision.

• Ruby
• toy line
• 1980s
• commercial
• diva

Ruby and Nate clashed over the band's artistic direction. Ruby favored a polished, commercial image and pushed toward genres like disco, while Nate wanted to maintain social relevance through edgier styles like punk. Their competing visions created persistent tension that intensified through the 1970s and ultimately contributed to the breakup.

Foreshadowing: The documentary highlights their differing priorities from Ruby's emergence as frontwoman with diva ambitions.

• Ruby
• Nate
• conflict
• disco
• punk
• direction

The band reunited because their music experienced an unexpected resurgence in popularity on the internet during the digital era. This renewed attention inspired Chip, Olaf, and Nate to come back together for a comeback tour, with Ruby eventually joining them.

Foreshadowing: The documentary shows the quiet aftermath of the breakup and hints at lingering connections between members.

• reunion
• 2000s
• internet
• comeback
• online popularity

Olaf, described as the heavy potato, struggled with his weight throughout his time in the band. Manager Lester Koop stepped in to help him manage the transformation, both for health reasons and to maintain the band's image. This challenge affected group morale and dynamics.

Foreshadowing: Olaf's physical presence was part of the band's ensemble dynamic from early on.

• Olaf
• weight
• Lester
• health
• band dynamics

In the late 1960s, The Small Potatoes took a transformative trip to India that inspired them to experiment with psychedelic music. This marked a significant shift in their sound and aesthetics, pushing them into mind-bending textures while also creating internal tensions as audiences reacted to the new direction.

Foreshadowing: The documentary frames this as a pivotal creative turning point in their evolution.

• India
• 1960s
• psychedelic
• trip
• musical evolution

After the band broke up in the late 1980s, Ruby rebranded herself as a Britney Spears-style solo pop act in the 1990s. While she maintained fame as a solo artist, the film suggests she struggled with loneliness and the sense of loss that came from fading relevance and severed friendships.

Foreshadowing: Ruby's diva ambitions and focus on her individual image throughout the band's later years pointed toward this solo path.

• Ruby
• solo
• 1990s
• Britney Spears
• fame
• breakup

The toy line failed because the products were poorly manufactured and did not resonate with fans. Ruby had convinced the group to attach their brand to children's toys during the heavily commercialized 1980s, but the low quality triggered a widespread backlash that damaged the band's reputation and contributed to their breakup.

Foreshadowing: The increasing commercial pressure on the band throughout the late 1970s and 1980s built toward this misstep.

• toy line
• failure
• 1980s
• backlash
• manufacturing

The digital era of the 2000s brought a surprising resurgence in the band's popularity through online platforms. This renewed interest from internet audiences inspired Chip, Olaf, and Nate to reunite, ultimately leading to the full comeback tour.

Foreshadowing: The film shows the members drifting into ordinary jobs after the breakup, making the digital rediscovery a turning point.

• internet
• 2000s
• revival
• online
• comeback
• reunion

Ruby made an unexpected return for the opening night of the reunion, singing with the reunited group and signaling an end to old hostilities. Her appearance marked an emotional moment that resolved long-standing tensions and allowed the band to reunite fully.

Foreshadowing: The documentary hints at Ruby's loneliness during her solo career and the shadow cast by dissolved friendships.

• Ruby
• reunion
• opening night
• return
• resolution

Lester Koop served as the band's long-time manager throughout their decades-spanning career. He guided their musical transitions, helped manage internal conflicts, assisted Olaf with his weight issues, and ultimately orchestrated the full comeback tour in the 2000s, providing continuity across the band's many changes.

Foreshadowing: Lester appears as a steady presence from the band's origins in Idaho through their various reinventions.

• Lester Koop
• manager
• band
• guidance
• comeback