ICarly - Wikipedia

 

Development

edit

iCarly is the fourth series created by Dan Schneider for Nickelodeon. After working with her on Drake & Josh, Schneider began pitching a new TV series starring Miranda Cosgrove; the original idea of the show was that she plays a normal girl who, in a twist of fate, gets cast to star in her favorite TV show, Starstruck. However, during a casual meeting in his den with his wife and his friend Steve, Schneider decided that it would be much better if Carly had her own show – a web show she could run herself and do whatever she wanted to do. In November 2006, Schneider then scrapped his Starstruck script and began developing a new pilot called iCarly during December. The pilot was filmed in January 2007.[3] The series was filmed at the Nickelodeon on Sunset (now Earl Carroll Theatre).[4] The exterior shots of the Shays' apartment building, Bushwell Plaza, are digitally altered images of the Eastern Columbia Building in Los Angeles.[5]

During production of Zoey 101, Schneider came up with the idea of the show and its name with his friend and producer of The Big Bang Theory, Steven Molaro. He was trying to think of a good title for the new series about kids who start their own web show. The pilot script followed a lead girl named "Sam" but the URL for iSam was already taken. Schneider tried other girls' names and bought the URL for iJosie, but eventually changed it to iCarly and enjoyed the name for the lead character. The names of the lead girls were then changed from Sam and Kira to Carly and Sam.[6]

Last seasons

edit

In late January 2011, while doing press for her North American Dancing Crazy concert tour, Miranda Cosgrove began telling news sources that she was looking forward to returning to Hollywood to begin filming a fifth season of iCarly.[7][8][9] On January 27, 2011, Cosgrove told Cleveland Live News "We're getting ready to start the next season, right after the tour. I would be willing to do the show as long as people like it and as long as it works."[7] On January 28, 2011, Reuters news agency also reported that Cosgrove was preparing to begin filming a fifth season of iCarly,[8] and on February 3, 2011, Cosgrove told The Middletown Press, when speaking of the show and her co-stars Jennette McCurdy and Nathan Kress, "I've known them since I was little. I can't wait to get back. I'm really comfortable doing iCarly. It's like my home away from home."[9] Cosgrove concluded her Dancing Crazy concert tour on February 24, 2011, and Jennette McCurdy finished her Generation Love mall tour on April 14, 2011.[10] The entire cast did not even get together until the 2011 Kids' Choice Awards. Cosgrove confirmed that filming would resume shortly.[11] At the 2011 Kids' Choice Awards, Jerry Trainor stated that filming would resume in May.[12]

On April 14, 2011, Nickelodeon officially announced the fifth and final production season renewal of iCarly to begin in 2012 with the episodes airing later that year.[13] These episodes would air as the show's sixth season due to the second season production of 45 episodes being split into two broadcast seasons.[14][15] The third production season originally consisted of 26 episodes as ordered in early 2010; however, half that number was shot from May to September 2010 that aired as the show's fourth season. Dan Schneider then shot the next half in May to July 2011 which became a whole new season production that aired as the show's fifth season later that year. However, due to Miranda's leave for a tour on July 15, 2011, only eleven episodes were produced and the last two were held over and produced during filming of the show's final season.

The final season began on March 24, 2012, with a total of fifteen episodes produced and the final production ending in June of that same year.[16] However, there was a four-month hiatus after six episodes of the season aired from March to June. "iShock America" was promoted as the start of the "final season" of iCarly,[17][18] effectively splitting the season into two parts. The series ended on November 23, 2012, with the episode "iGoodbye".[19]

Revival

edit Main article: iCarly (2021 TV series)

On December 9, 2020, it was announced that Paramount+ had ordered a revival of the series, with Cosgrove, Kress, and Trainor returning and Schneider not being involved with the production of the series. Jay Kogen and Ali Schouten signed on to develop the series.[2][20] McCurdy suggested during her podcast that she will not reprise her role on the series, as she has left the acting profession and felt embarrassed by her past career.[21] On February 25, 2021, it was reported that Kogen left the project due to "creative differences" with Cosgrove.[22] On March 18, 2021, the show entered production, with Laci Mosley playing Carly's new best friend and roommate Harper, and Jaidyn Triplett playing Freddie's stepdaughter Millicent. The series premiered on June 17, 2021.[23][24]

According to DiscussingFilm, the series revival takes place 10 years after the original Nickelodeon show, following Carly's journey through her twenties alongside returning characters played by Jerry Trainor and Nathan Kress. Jennette McCurdy's Sam does not return with the show reportedly set to introduce a new best friend character in her place. The best friend/roommate is "part of the LGBTQ+ community as a pansexual character who dreams of becoming a fashion stylist after her wealthy family lost all of their money."[25] The series also introduces Freddie's social media-obsessed stepdaughter who sees Carly as "washed up" and as competition to her own growing influencer status.[25]

On October 4, 2023, the series was canceled after three seasons.[26]

Work environment allegations

edit

In her 2022 memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, McCurdy described iCarly as an unsafe work environment, alleging that someone she referred to only as "The Creator" had subjected the cast and crew to frequent emotional abuse, pressured her into underage drinking, massaged her nonconsensually, and was eventually barred from interacting directly with the cast in response to complaints about his behavior.[27] Shortly after McCurdy's allegations were made, Buzzfeed News and Vox both identified Schneider as "The Creator".[28][29] McCurdy has claimed that after working with Nickelodeon, she turned down "hush money" from the network, which had been allegedly offered to her on the condition that she remain silent about her experiences with Schneider.[27][30] She expressed outrage at the offer, writing in her memoir, "This is a network with shows made for children. Shouldn't they have some sort of moral compass? Shouldn't they at least try to report to some sort of ethical standard?"[30][31] Both Schneider and Nickelodeon have turned down requests for comment.[27][28]