Sam & Cat 

A pair of roommates start a baby-sitting service to earn extra cash.

Creator:

Dan Schneider

Stars:

Jennette McCurdy, Ariana Grande, Cameron Ocasio

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jennette McCurdy	...	Sam Puckett / ... 35 episodes, 2013-2014
Ariana Grande	...	Cat Valentine / ... 35 episodes, 2013-2014
Cameron Ocasio	...	Dice / ... 35 episodes, 2013-2014
Maree Cheatham	...	Nona / ... 21 episodes, 2013-2014
Brandon Weaver	...	Tandy Performer / ... 20 episodes, 2013-2014
Zoran Korach	...	Goomer / ... 19 episodes, 2013-2014
Dre Swain	...	Bungle Actor 19 episodes, 2013-2014
R. Michael Egan	...	Bots Patron / ... 16 episodes, 2013-2014

Storyline

Sam Puckett has been touring the West Coast by motorcycle, and stops in Los Angeles. She witnesses Cat Valentine being thrown into the back of a garbage truck, and rescues her. They become friends, and Cat convinces her to become roommates after Cat's grandmother moves to a retirement home. To make money, rather than getting traditional after school jobs, they form an after-school babysitting business that leads them into a series of comical adventures. Also involved in their lives are Dice, their next door neighbor, who is notorious for aiding people for money, Cat's cheerful and supportive grandmother, Nona, who decided to move into "Elderly Acres", which is a home for the aged, and Goomer, a dim-witted professional MMA fighter whom Dice manages.

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Plot Keywords:

character names as series title | babysitting | roommate | grandmother | interracial friendship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

Nickelodeon [United States] Official Site AU

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 June 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sam & Cat

Filming Locations:

Nickelodeon on Sunset - 6230 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nickelodeon Productions, Schneider's Bakery

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

While each episode title on "iCarly" begins with the internet-inspired letter "i", each episode title on "Sam & Cat" begins with a hashtag (#), also inspired by the internet.

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Quotes

Cat Valentine: You trickered me, right?

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Connections

Spun-off from Victorious (2010)

User Reviews

The Great-Grandaughers of Laverne & Shirley

Imagine that when "Laverne and Shirley" moved to Los Angeles they had opened up a babysitting service in their apartment complex and you have "Sam and Cat". This is one of those pre-sold spin off shows, trying to fuse characters from Nichelodeon classics "iCarly" and "Victorious". In this case Sam Puckett from "iCarly" (Jennette McCurdy) and Cat Valentine from "Victorious" (Ariana Grande).

"Laverne and Shirley" was able to develop some entertaining supporting characters, something "Sam and Cat" is still working on. The two little British girls have considerable potential but no one else in the supporting cast has registered a pulse.

It seems like a great idea because Sam and Cat (like their 1950's Milwaukee counterparts) are a study in contrasts. Sam (Laverne) is extreme and abrasive in a loud and physical way. Cat (Shirley) is gentle and cerebral (well Cat is more a gentle and innocent airhead than a cerebral one). This character dichotomy is appealing to viewers, who respond positively to the way the two girls complement and complete each other.

"Sam and Cat" had a chance to go one better on the dynamic because Ariana Grande has the best face on television or at least this side of Kelly Berglund. Which cries out for a production technique of wide shots of Sam's physical comedy in juxtaposition with close-ups of Cat. This technique would not only play to McCarty's strengths but would cement a huge bond between the audience and Cat. Grande is a naturally gifted actress who should be able to subtly sell her character's intense vulnerability in these tight shots. Thus the production technique would consistently echo the character contrasts that are the basis of the show.

Unfortunately this is a cheap and unimaginative production, filmed almost entirely in wide master shots. I can't think of a more extreme example in that regard since the old black & white Republic serials. This is the cheapest possible production method and the easiest and fastest way to crank out a lot of sterile running time. Just watch an episode and note the almost total absence of close-ups, it is glaring because virtually every line Grande delivers and every reaction she has to McCarty's antics would work better with the camera tighter on her. But this show is just beginning so I am hopeful the producers will recognize what is being lost by this cut-rate production method and will replace the current production company with one that has a clue.