Hey, Hollywooders! What’s Good in the ‘Wood? Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for is here: the iCarly reboot has dropped on Paramount+!
When the news of a reboot dropped, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Because I grew up with iCarly as a child, I have a deep connection to the series. There’s something special about seeing your favorite characters age with you amidst the environment of a sitcom you always loved.
What is the new iCarly about?
The original iCarly followed three friends, Carly (Miranda Cosgrove), Sam (Jennette McCurdy), and Freddie (Nathan Kress), as they built a successful web show for young kids.
In the reboot, set ten years after the original, Carly attempts to restart her famous web show in her 20s. With help from her friend Freddie, older brother Spencer (Jerry Trainor), roommate Harper (Laci Mosley), and Freddie’s stepdaughter Millicent (Jaidyn Triplett), Carly must figure out how to be a successful influencer in the time of social media. According to Entertainment Weekly, production for the revival began on March 22, 2021.
You can watch the trailer below:
After watching the first three episodes on the Paramount+ streaming service, here are five spoiler-free thoughts I have about the new iCarly reboot.
#1: The reboot fills me with so much needed nostalgia
The one thing about nostalgia is that all your memories float back all at once. That’s exactly how I felt watching the revival. The minute the show began and I saw Spencer’s old loft, I time-traveled back to my eight-year-old self.
The jokes are timeless, and all of the chaotic shenanigans feel heartwarming. Some moments were so familiar, like random things catching on fire, Freddie’s neurotic mother Mrs. Benson (Mary Scheer), and of course, baby puppet Spencer. Just like the old show, there’s laughter following every joke and mishap. It’s like the series never left television. They even reintroduced the original theme song!
#2: I like how the characters have grown up with me
While the reboot feels just like the original, the series isn’t trying to attract a child audience. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Miranda Cosgrove explained how the new show has more adult themes. “We really tried to make this show, along with the showrunner Ali, as much for the fans of the original as possible, because it’s not really a kid show anymore,” she said. “It’s mainly made for the people who watched when they were little, they’re now more in their 20s.”
As a 22-year-old myself, I appreciate how the show addresses mature elements like divorce, sex, and romance while throwing in a couple of expletives in the process. Carly, Freddie, and Spencer have grown up, and they deserve to have plot lines that reflect their adulthood.
#3: I really miss Sam and Gibby
The one thing missing from the reboot so far is Carly’s right-hand woman Sam (Jennette McCurdy) and their lovable, goofy friend Gibby (Noah Munck). Unfortunately, Jennette doesn’t plan on returning to the show. On her podcast, Empty Inside, she spoke about why she wouldn’t reprise her role as Sam on the revival.
“I quit a few years ago because I initially didn’t want to do it. My mom put me in it when I was 6 and by sort of age, I guess, 10 or 11, I was the main financial support for my family. My family didn’t have a lot of money, and this was the way out, which I actually think was helpful in driving me to some degree of success.”
Although we miss Sam’s sarcasm and her tomboyish nature, we respect Jennette McCurdy’s choice and wish her all the best!
Now, we don’t know whether Noah Munck’s character, Gibby, will make a return, but we’re holding out hope. So until we have confirmation, we’ll reminisce on his shirtless dancing.
#4 The new characters are EVERYTHING, though
In the first episode, we’re introduced to two new main characters, Harper and Millicent. Laci Mosley plays Harper, Carly’s roommate and best friend who is pansexual and dreams of becoming a stylist. She continues to push Carly out of her comfort zone with her confidence and fun-loving attitude. Laci delivers terrific one-liners, and her fashion sense is to die for.
Jaidyn Trippett plays Millicent, Freddie’s stepdaughter from his previous divorce. As a member of Generation Z, she’s widely obsessed with social media, which fuels her to compete with Carly’s web presence. Jaidyn perfectly balances Millicent’s sneakiness and ambition with her secret desire to help Carly’s web show.
Both of these characters add much-needed new energy to the reboot.
#5 This could be one of the best reboots right now
With all the new reboots out there, it’s hard to decide which series to return to. However, after my experience watching the iCarly revival, the show is worth seeing. It’s able to mix nostalgia from the past with current popular culture. For people who grew up with the show, it is definitely the reboot of your dreams.
How are iCarly fans responding to the reboot?
When the show dropped, fans took to social media about their excitement for the new series.
Me watching Me watching
ICarly when ICarly at 21:
I was 12: #iCarly pic.twitter.com/eBYozmCtNW— ⚡️ (@arceuselite) June 17, 2021
It’s like our childhood never left.
#ICarly was everything I wanted and more! The chemistry with the entire cast, a good reason as to why Sam isn’t on, the jokes that I actually cackled at several times, Carly calling someone a bitch, Miranda giving a performance of a lifetime, THE BUDGET. I have nothing bad to say pic.twitter.com/M58MlD3LaN
— Jolt⚡ (@JAIchemist) June 17, 2021
All positive thoughts.
“So how was the new #iCarly?”
Me: pic.twitter.com/fVR69kyeVq
— CJE (@cjrebirth) June 17, 2021
Our thoughts exactly.
SO WAKE UP THE MEMBERS OF MY NATION #iCarly pic.twitter.com/7qMkHwePSP
— Andrés (@eddywolves) June 17, 2021
The theme song still gets us in our feels.
This show is actually making me laugh out loud. Spencer with his taser and Freddie with his mustache. LOLOLOL #iCarly pic.twitter.com/uAC8J6ZhkI
— Rachel Reviews Everything (@RR_EVERYTHING) June 17, 2021
Never a dull moment with iCarly.
Now that’s how you do a revival #iCarly pic.twitter.com/snG97MrDaa
— K (@ayeitzke) June 17, 2021
We can’t wait for more episodes!
Have you watched the iCarly reboot yet? Let us know what you thought of the show so far in the comments!
More Entertainment News Like This: ‘iCarly’: the Best Sitcom Since ‘Arrested Development’?
Hollywood.com is a place where entertainment news actually entertains you. We’re sharing the good in Hollywood, spotlighting the feel-good stories that matter about any and every kind of celeb. Be a part of the good in Hollywood in your very own neighborhood with our movie ticketing app (coming soon!) that gives you a whole new way to buy movie tickets. Compare movie showtimes, movie theaters, and seats near you in seconds. Follow us on Instagram for more feel-good celeb stories.
