iCarly Headscratcher Spin-Offs

 http://www.nickandmore.com/2012/08/02/nickelodeon-picks-up-two-icarly-victorious-spin-offs-created-by-dan-schneider/

Dan Schneider’s new pilots at Nickelodeon – both are spinoffs of iCarly!

Sam and Cat would star Jennette McCurdy (as Sam Puckett) and Ariana Grande (as Cat Valentine from VICTORiOUS) moving in together and starting a babysitting service to fund their adventures.

Gibby, starring Noah Munck as the title character, gets a job at a local recreational center and ends up as a mentor to four offbeat middle-school students.

Gibby sounds like Joey spin-off from Friends. Also, I have plenty of jokes about Sam and Cat.

My tweets:

Pairing Sam and Cat is like pairing Luna Lovegood with Betallrix Lastrange. 

Pairing Sam and Cat was like pairing Bender (Futurama) and Giselle (Enchanted). 

Sam Puckett babysitting? Worse idea ever! I smell a retcon in a spin-off.

 Sam Puckett is selfish, negative, violent and not a good role model for kids. I understand, oh let's pair two people who will have conflict all the time. But what would compel Sam to become a babysitter? I know Sam would probably not be going to college. I think the only way it would work would be if it is for like court appointed or part of some service because of a crime she did or something. Cat is an adorable space-cadet, I am sure Sam would want to punch her. I so see them getting rid of the babysitting plot by episode 3 like Aqua Team Hunger Squad.

iCarly - iStart a Fan War - year gap?

In the new episode "iStart a Fan War" (November 19), they go to the fictional Webicon and they mention that a year ago they were to go to the Webicon, refrencing the episode 'iPsycho,' they say it was a year ago, but 'iPsycho' aired June 4---only five months ago! But I guess they filmed it much earlier than that because Gibby looks much older now. But Nick would have at least aired the episodes further apart.

Jane Lynch as Sam's Mom in iCarly

As much as I love Jane Lynch, I think casting her as Sam's fabled unemployed and rancid mother is not the greatest idea. Jane has played plenty of villains and rude people, most of them posh but now she is playing a white trash mother. I think she may over-do it, even from this picture, it looks like it is going to be real rough between Sam and her mother. We never seen Sam's mom before but we hear plenty about her. This episodes is said to air in the Fall, most likely we won't be seeing her much after this episode because her commitment to Glee. She is a big get. While I am on the subject of iCarly, in an upcoming episode "i Get a Hot Room," I think we NEVER seen Carly's room before!

Update: The episode will premiere Sept 11 2010.

Defending the Nick and Disney Kid Shows

I am a sub teacher now and I have a nephew and he watches he likes Nick and Disney. The kids too like it, and I feel like I know what they are talking about. Many people just regard these following shows as kid shows and have no good writing but here are some of my thoughts.

The Good Ones:

iCarly (Nick)
One of the best shows recently from Nick. When I was a kid, the biggest shows on Nick at that time was The Secret World of Alex Mack, Clarissa Explains It All, etc. This show at first look is obnoxious but in fact, it is pretty clever. It is about a teenage girl that does a webshow from her artistic brother's apartment with two friends. It was real great writing. Some of my friends say that Carly as a character is bland and the thing to watch is his brother Spencer. Negatives: The villain in early episodes was a web-blogger named Nevel who was effeminate and wasn't stated was gay but was clearly a gay villain; also there was these two opposing 'pet-ographers' who were clearly gay. I don't like how it is showing that femininity in males is a bad thing or a thing to oppose or make fun of. As always, the interactions between teachers, principal and students is not 'real' enough.

Sonny With a Chance (Disney)
When I first saw an episode, I thought it was obnoxious and didn't understand the premise. It is about a girl named Sonny joining her favorite sketch show ala "All That," the show is done by the guy who wrote for "All That." They film next to a drama like Drawson's Creek called Mckenzie Falls and the star falls for Sonny. Anyhoo, many regard the show as a variety showcase as it has comedy, drama and singing. But I like the writing, it is witty and original, especially the episode about originality and 'dabbling.' And the sketch "The Real princesses of New Jersey." It is genuinely funny. Negatives: The acting sometimes can be a turn-off and also the fart jokes (yet Gassie is a veiled parody of fart joke sketches) and the duo of Nico and Grady sometimes are annoying.

Wizards of Waverly Place (Disney)
Easily regarded as a Harry Potter-rip-off but the show has its own mythology: A sister and two brothers, have to compete to see who will be the 'family wizard' and keep the powers. The show is applauded to be a mixed-race family, Italians and Mexicans. I thought that since they live in New York, their mother would be Puerto Rican but it is refreshing they didn't go with a cliche. Alex (Selena Gomez) as a character can be a bit much, annoying in her scheming ways. And when Max was younger, he was irritating, his acting has gotten better. The real attraction is Harper, a true friend and creative dress maker. Negatives: Some of the crappy effects. In the episode where both Justin and Alex loose their werewolf boyfriend and vampire girlfriend, the set is pretty lame. And one time they were hunting monsters and the monsters were lamer than anything on Sci-Fi channel. Also in one episode, they made us sympathetic to a wizard that is a lot like Alex but then is found out to be 'evil' so she is turned to ice and is broken into little pieces---which no one bats an eye or cares about to the fact that they killed a human.

The Troop (Nick)
I have reviewed this show before. Teenage monster hunters. It can be a bit redundant but it has its quirks. Not overtly original but it is a nice successor to Are You Afraid of the Dark and The Secret World of Alec Mack. Negatives: The obnoxious sister, some of the boring plots.

Here are the bad shows:
Victorious (Nick)
Utter crap. I am so tired of seeing the face of Victoria Justice. She can barely act and for a show about creative people, it is not awfully creative. The actress playing her sister is a fat face annoying person (maybe its the bad writing for her or her acting). Positives: She's Hispanic?

Good Luck Charlie (Disney)
An awful run-of-the-mill family sitcom, there is nothing special about this trash. It is an utter waste of the actress who played Justin's girlfriend in Wizards. This probably is a vehicle for both her and that guy playing her brother, the girl has promise. The actress playing her mother should never get hired again, it is sad to see her try to be funny or even act. She isn't very appealing, it puts me off. Positives: None.

Big Time Rush (Nick)
Boy Band show. No smart jokes. Not even funny. Over-exaggerated fluff. Positives: Only one of the guys are remotely cute, the others are not my type at all. One is the token Hispanic but is ugly, one is like James Van Der Beek (suppose to be cute but isn't) and one has awful bangs and sunbaked face.

Hannah Montana (Disney)
Can't stand this show. I have tried to give the show a chance on multiple occasions but it is just awful. The worse part is Miley Cyrus, whose acting is horrendous and annoying. Apparently she thinks shouting her lines is affective. I often like to call the show "Jem for retards." Positives: Girls seems to love it.

So-So:
Suite Life on Deck (Disney)
I am on the fence about this show. I do watch it. It is semi-entertaining. But it gets old quick. They wedged in the black actor, who was weened in that Tyler Perry show so he clearly knows the sitcom business but his character seems to have no purpose. And the characters 'visit' other countries (via sets or Disney's Epcot Center), but they are filled with stereotypes and nothing new to give. It would have been refreshing if they actually taught kids real facts on these countries.

23rd Nick Kids Choice Awards 2010

I haven't seen the Kids Choice Awards for years. When the Teens Choice Awards came out, I wasn't a teenager anymore. But now that I am a substitute teacher and having a little nephew, I am getting into watching Nick and Disney again. As you know, there is rivalry between the two channels, but they say there isn't anymore. It was interesting to see who has won and who doesn't. For best show, there was three nominees that were Disney shows (Life on Deck, Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny with a Chance) and iCarly---and iCarly won. And for best male actor, Dylan Spruce of Disney won and all nominees for it were from Disney (his twin brother and the Jonas Brothers). Not seeing the show in a long time, it hasn't changed much since I was a kid (early 90's), I still can't understand what the heck anyone is saying, it is really loud and somewhat dis-organized production wise. I suppose it is because of the involvement of children.

And what happen to Katy Perry? She clearly was acting crazy or was doing drugs. She was acting plastic. She came out to announce with Jonah Hill, whose real birthday is December, said he was born without a birthday. Katy ended up getting slimed! Yes! For ripping-off Lady Gaga. Then proceeded to hug Jonah and cry, saying it taste like barf. Jonah was funny in saying the Winner was Precious, no, it was Miley Cyrus--who didn't want to be hugged by Katy. I am really bummed Hannah is getting a 4th season, I was happy it was finally being canceled. I think the host instead of Kevin James, should have been Freddie and Sam from iCarly, they were really good at performing and keept the audience controlled when showing something about an Ultimate Dance-Off or something. Tina Fey's banter with Steve Carrel was labored (I don't think she wrote it) and she could have written something better. Steve definitely got slimed more than Tina, she probably got into it.

For those kids reading this, The Big Help, that has been revived for the Haiti Earthquake and an award for Michelle Obama, Big Help was a big 8-hour event that started in 1994, it went on for about 7 or 8 years. It took up the whole Nickelodeon channel for a day and it had lots of celebrities. It was great, I would call on a special phone number and hear a Nicktoon character thank for the call. The Big Help was for environmentalism and caring for the community.

iCarly Product Name Replacements

I have admittedly gotten into iCarly now. Because not to have copyright infringement, they replace popular brand names with fake names, but we till kind of know what they are talking about.

Fig Newtons = Fig Nooters
Star Wars = Galaxy Wars
MySpace = SplashFace
Apple Computers = Pear Computers
Beanie Babies = PeeWee Babies
Starbucks = Skybucks
SnoBalls = Fat Cakes
Shamwow! = Shampow!
Google = Zaplook
Disney Channel = Dingo Channel
Magic Eight Ball = Magic Meatball
Nike = Daka
American Idol = America Sings
Build a Bear = Build a Bra

iPhones become Pear Phones, iPods are Pear Pods and almost every computer and laptop on the show has a pear logo, much like the Mac Apple logo. This is one product that continues in this show. Also, Galaxy Wars, as Freddy and Spencer are fans, Freddy has bedsheets.

Product Displacement