iCarly: Why Freddie’s Changes Are Good In The Revival

The iCarly revival is officially here and Freddie’s changes are especially good for this new series. Paramount+ dropped the first three episodes of its iCarly revival on June 17, 2021, and audiences were delighted to find so many of the original cast members resume their iconic roles. Though Jennette McCurdy (Sam) quit acting and elected not to return, Nathan Kress (Freddie) and Miranda Cosgrove (Carly) are both back after nearly 10 years away from the show, as is Jerry Trainor (Spencer). Obviously, 10 years is a long time, and the show does a great job of filling audiences in as to what everyone has been up to for all these years.

In many ways, iCarly picks up where the original series left off. Carly has just gotten back from being in Italy with her father and deciding college wasn’t for her, Spencer is a full-time artist making a killing on his crazy sculptures, and Sam, though absent from the show, is off “following her bliss” with a motorcycle gang. These insights into how these characters have been spending their time since audiences last saw them fit well. Freddie, on the other hand, has been through quite a bit, which in a way perfectly aligns with the nerdy inexperienced boy from the original series.

Audiences quickly learn in the revival’s first episode that Freddie has had a rough go of it with two failed marriages that ended in divorce and a tech start-up in which he lost everything. On top of this, Freddie also has an adopted daughter named Millicent (Jaidyn Triplett). Luckily, Freddie and Millicent were able to move in with his lovingly overprotective mother. Needless to say, Freddie isn’t that same nerd he was in the original series, he’s changed. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, these changes are good for the Paramount+ television series revival because it shows the respect with which they are treating these beloved characters.

This revival has aged Freddie perfectly. Not only does it stay true to his original character, but it builds on that character. No one is the same person they were a decade ago and television characters shouldn’t be either, as long as they develop in line with their personality. Freddie was always that inexperienced nerd who struggled to find love, so it makes sense he now has two failed marriages. This history also creates a precedent for the notion that he never got over his feelings for Carly or Sam, which would have the potential for great drama in the revival series.

Moreover, the decision to give Freddie an adopted child like Millicent is inspired. She’s a great addition to the cast because Freddie must parent a child with an attitude similar to Sam’s in the original series; something that will likely result in a continuous headache for Freddie. While Freddie has obviously been forced to grow up a lot in the last ten years, the heart of his character remains the same. He’s still that nerdy character, who lives with his mom. The only real difference is he’s exchanged his outright nerdy jokes for dad jokes.

Freddie is your typical young millennial trying to figure out what it means to be an adult and a parent at the same time. This is just one example of how this revival has positioned itself to be highly relatable to its older original audiences who are all nearing adulthood. Essentially, the changes made to Freddie’s character are a result of growing up, which are the best changes a revival series can make to its characters. This presents a new realm of story possibilities for Freddie and, by placing him at rock-bottom, positions him for success over the course of iCarly.

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