iCarly (2007–2012)

Carly hosts her own home-grown web show, iCarly, Carly and sidekick Sam's regular Web casts ultimately feature everything from comedy sketches and talent contests to interviews, recipes, and problem-solving.

Creator:

Dan Schneider

Stars:

Miranda Cosgrove, Jennette McCurdy, Nathan Kress

Nominated for 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 10 wins & 51 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Miranda Cosgrove	...	Carly Shay (96 episodes, 2007-2012)
Jennette McCurdy	...	Sam Puckett (96 episodes, 2007-2012)
Nathan Kress	...	Freddie Benson (96 episodes, 2007-2012)
Jerry Trainor	...	Spencer Shay (96 episodes, 2007-2012)
Noah Munck	...	Gibby (62 episodes, 2007-2012)

Storyline

Carly hosts her own home-grown web show, iCarly. She lives with her twenty-something brother/guardian Spencer and produces her Web casts from a makeshift third-floor loft studio. Grappling with adolescence, she never aimed to gain fame as a rising star/underground celebrity to kids. As events unfold in the pilot, it all happens by accident when a teacher puts her in charge of the school talent show. She and her sassy best bud Sam turn the audition process into a show, which Carly's tech savvy smitten friend Freddie tapes - including their hilarious banter and great chemistry - and posts on the Web without telling the girls. The on-line audience clamors for more, and a pop phenomenon blooms, with Carly and sidekick Sam's regular Web casts ultimately featuring everything from comedy sketches and talent contests to interviews, recipes, and problem-solving.

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Plot Keywords:

guardian | apartment | one word title | best friend | artist | 

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Taglines:

Leave it all to me.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Nickelodeon [us] Viacom International Inc

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Untitled Dan Schneider Project

Filming Locations:

Eastern Columbia Building - 849 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nickelodeon Network, Schneider's Bakery

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Spencer's friend "Socko" has been mentioned numerous times throughout the shows run, and it became a gag in the writing room to mention Socko's friends and family members along with their professions. Socko makes Socks, his brother Tyler sells ties. Rob is a thief. Taylor is a tailor. Otto is a car salesman. Hattie is a hat maker, cousin Isaac is an optometrist (eyes), etc.

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Goofs

In some episodes the iCarly-crew is broadcasting the web show live from places without any internet connection, where it would be impossible to broadcast a web show with the equipment, that is showed in the series, like a supply cabinet in school or an old castle. They need an broadband internet connection for video and audio. And a wireless connection would not take that much signals and send it in real-time.

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Quotes

[Repeated line]
Freddie: In 5, 4, 3, 2...
[signals Carly and Sam to start iCarly]

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Connections

Featured in Zoey 101: Anger Management (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Leave It All to Me"
(Theme from iCarly)
Music composed by Michael Corcoran
Performed by Miranda Cosgrove and featuring Drake Bell

User Reviews

Horrible show with bad messages

This show is awful on so many levels it's hard to begin. I almost never see a show, particularly children's show, that I think is so painfully bad and damaging that I think it should be ripped off the air.

iCarly is about a teenaged girl named Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) who lives with her dopey big brother Spencer (Jerry Trainor) in a lavishly furnished loft. Carly and her friends Sam (Jennette McCurdy) and Freddie (Nathan Kress) have an online show that has made them into celebrities. The three of them have a comedy webcast and often create trends, feature real world celebrities, and even invent holidays.

I hate this show. I honestly don't think I have ever thought a show for children had messages as bad as this. After saying that, I must add I am not one to complain about children being exposed sex and violence or about how "morally bankrupt" shows are. (Family Guy and South Park are two of my favorites!). But this show is mean, judgmental, shallow, marginalizing, stupid, and plain NOT funny. The lead Carly is a stereotypical popular girl obsessed with herself, fame, and boys. These qualities are supposed to be endearing or likable, but they come across as obnoxious and shallow. Spencer is so inept at everything. I find his character confusing, because he seems to replace the role of an inept, stupid parent often included in other popular "tween" shows on Disney or Nick. But I have never seen Spencer act as a parent or do anything guardian-like, even though he is technically Carly's guardian. Either way, his stupidity is hyperbolized to an eye-rolling degree and he often shouts his lines. Sam is by far the worst character. She is a bully, engages in cruel pranks, and says horrible things to others. What's worse is that her very noticeable meanness is depicted as hilarious. Her lack of caring or remorse is also depicted as funny and cool. Basically, this show is condoning and almost encouraging bullying and mean behavior. Almost every single episode I have seen involves at least one instance of the stars making fun of, excluding or hurting someone because of their looks, weight, intelligence, popularity or more. This show definitely makes it clear that anyone "different" can and should be verbally (and sometimes physically) torn apart and kept as far away from the "cool" kids as possible. Freddie is actually the only character I find somewhat likable, as he is rather harmless. This probably has to do with the fact he is usually the butt of Sam and Carly's jokes and ends up humiliated or hurt.

Then of course, there are some sexual innuendos, jokes, or the fact sometimes Sam and Carly are in scantily clad clothes. Now I hate the sexualization of children as much as the next person, but I believe many sexual innuendos fly over kids' heads. What I find more damaging to kids is not necessarily the exposure to sex, but the damage to their self-image that shows like this imply. There is one episode where a 14 year old Freddie is humiliated and teased because he's never been kissed. Now what message does that send to kids? That you need to make sure you get kissed around age 11-13 because EVERYONE ELSE is! That does a hell of a lot more damage than a young girl in a bikini—something kids normally see at the beach anyway. The kids on iCarly really live more like college kids rather than kids in middle/high school. It's common for kids on TV to act older than they are, but they usually still go to school and go home to parents. There is little to no mention of parents in this show, and Carly has absolutely no adult guidance in her life. Even when Freddie's mom has appeared she is depicted as overbearing, embarrassing, and treats him like a toddler. I have never seen a show that was so devoid of adults, and this further enforces the young viewer's idea (that most kids have) that they could live perfectly fine without parents because they know everything! Social implications aside, this show sucks. It's not funny, the jokes are stupid even by kid standards, and they overuse the laugh track so much it sometimes cuts into the actors' lines. ICarly has no redeeming qualities, and you're much better off having your kids watch some of the dozens of other dumb (but less damaging) shows out there.