Beloved sitcom iCarly, which originally aired on Nickelodeon between 2007-2012, is returning for a revival at Paramount+. Although some cast members have already been confirmed, we think there are other familiar faces who should make a comeback.
Original series star Miranda Cosgrove will reprise the title role of Carly Shay, who was last seen emigrating to Italy with her father. The Despicable Me actress will also produce the iCarly revival, which is being developed by Jay Kogen and Ali Schouten.
Similarly, series regulars Jerry Trainor and Nathan Kress will once again play Spencer and Freddie respectively. Much like Cosgrove, Trainor is also serving as a producer. Additionally, Jay Kogen has confirmed on Twitter that recurring guest star Mary Scheer will reprise her role as Marissa Benson, Freddie’s overbearing mother.
Jennette McCurdy (Sam Puckett) and Noah Munck (Gibhy Gibson) will not be returning, as both have already declined offers to do so.
The iCarly revival will reportedly be close in tone to Friends or How I Met Your Mother. Both are long-running ‘coming of age’ sitcoms, significantly more mature than the cartoonish/slapstick humour from the original show. Whether this will affect which characters ultimately return is unknown. However, here are some we would like to see in the new series.
Nevel Papperman (Reed Alexander)
Played by Reed Alexander, the character of Nevel Papperman debuted as an 11-year-old in “iNevel”, the show’s sixth ever episode. The owner of Nevelocity, a respected website, Carly’s refusal of his advances leads to Nevel becoming a recurring antagonist throughout the series.
Alexander reprised the role in seven additional episodes between 2007-2012 and guest-starred in the short-lived spinoff Sam and Cat, starring Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande.
In the years since iCarly ended, Reed Alexander has swapped acting to become a journalist, now reporting on Wall Street. Despite leaving the profession, Alexander still references his Nevel Papperman days in his social media bios. Furthermore, considering how involved in technology his character was, Nevel’s insight would be an interesting one to have in the show.
T-Bo (Boog!e)
The eccentric owner of The Groovy Smoothie, Terrence Jeter “T-Bo” Bo was played by Boog!e. Due to the main characters’ tendency to hang out at his establishment, T-Bo became a major recurring character in the series – even more so when he moved in with the Benson family at Bushwell Plaza.
With his odd personality and unusual habit of putting food items on a stick, T-Bo definitely became a fan favourite during his time on the show. His role was also expanded from simply being the Groovy Smoothie owner to interacting with Carly, Sam, Freddie and Spencer on a social basis. He was arguably one of Spencer’s few friends near his own age.
Has the Groovy Smoothie grown since the original iCarly ended? This will surely be answered at some point in the iCarly revival.
Principal Franklin (Tim Russ)
Despite having a comparatively small role overall, Principal Ted Franklin was the first iCarly character to appear onscreen, as Carly had been sent to his office. Portrayed by Star Trek: Voyager alum Tim Russ (also known as Tuvok), the head of Ridgeway Junior High School was kind, empathetic and supportive.
Not only did Principal Franklin enjoy and approve of iCarly, he also appeared in multiple broadcasts of the show alongside his three students who starred. His views on this matter often clashed with his stricter colleagues, Mr. Howard (David St. James) and Miss Briggs (Mindy Sterling).
In this new revival, the characters are no longer school age. This means that should he appear, Principal Franklin doesn’t have the same scope as the original series. On the other hand, Tim Russ has guest starred on multiple series in the past few years and what’s to stop him revisiting old ground?
Mandy Valdez (Aria Wallace)
Before Nora Dershlit, there was Mandy Valdez.
The original iCarly “super fan”, as played by Aria Summer Wallace, appeared in two episodes – “iAm Your Biggest Fan” and “iWant My Website Back” – which aired in the first and second season respectively.
Unlike her spiritual successor Nora, Mandy does not hold Carly and her friends hostage, but still manages to cause distress. In her second appearance, Mandy is unwittingly tricked into giving Nevel Papperman (see above) access to the iCarly website, effectively holding it ransom.
It is important to note Mandy is an antagonist (causing obstacles for the main characters), not necessarily a villain or ‘bad person’. Should she appear in the revival, it could be a cameo to see how she has matured from being an irritating child, as well as an Easter Egg to older fans of the original show.
Socko
“Socko” is Spencer Shay’s best friend who, despite being frequently referenced, did not make a physical appearance throughout the entire iCarly run on Nickelodeon. As his name implies, Socko is responsible for producing and selling creative socks through his company – his extended family, who were seen on screen similarly have names that reflect their professions – Rob the Thief, Taylor the Tailor and so on.
In essence, fans spent five years getting to know this character without ever seeing his face. Only Spencer’s dialogue provided insight into Socko and what he was up to, but unfortunately these best friends did not share the screen together.
Even if it is just a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ appearance, it seems long overdue to meet Socko in the flesh.
