Thoughts on 2x06 aka iBuild a Team
Gonna jump right in and say that the episode did not disappoint. The pacing was done right and the plot was both entertaining and essential to so many aspects of the show. I know Josh Peck is only set to appear twice this season but I’m hoping he becomes a recurring character who’ll show up about 3-4 times a season.
First, let’s talk about the main plot. I think it was good of the show to address the business of the characters’ lives. With Freddie’s start-up taking off, we really should ask if he still has enough time to help Carly with the web show. It has slight parallels to the original when they were trying to get help from others and the dynamic just doesn't seem to be working out. To add, even though Sam was not explicitly mentioned in the episode, I like to think that the importance of her presence in the iCarly team was hinted at. The team was always mainly the trio, so with them down to two, it really is more difficult for Carly and Freddie to brainstorm and have balance amongst workload.
Second, the subplot. Though really entertaining, unlike 2x05, I did not particularly enjoy this ep's subplot. While I did like to see it be a bit focused on Harper, it was simply all over the place. I think Harper deserves her own main plot soon enough because of how interesting her life is (from a trust fund baby to a barista to stylist). The mention of Dutch gave me a thought that she might eventually come back, which is exciting to see. However, Millicent being reduced this season is overly disappointing. I wish to see her have more agency like she did in season one eps—the one with Gwen, the Sunshine Girls subplot, and her helping Spencer convince Freddie in the finale.
Third, the callbacks to the original show. From the very first scene we saw The Sack! Again, Sam wasn't explicitly mentioned in the episode, but minor details such as these somewhat serve as manifestations of her presence and how the characters are remembering/thinking about her. I have to give it to Nathan Kress for fighting to keep the claustrophobia callback. Details like these were woven so neatly in the show in a way where old fans like me would have a fun time with recalls but new fans won't necessarily have a hard time understanding. Also, I liked that Mandy mention. I wonder if we'll ever see her again?
Finally—and I know y'all are waiting for this—let's talk about the progress of romantic Creddie. I love how things are being taken slowly. It seems as if Carly doesn't really have intense jealousy yet, which is okay with me as I want a build-up. On another note, it was good to get to see Freddie's side of their situation. So far, we have more hints on what Carly feels so it is interesting that despite the maturity and solid platonic relationship Freddie has with Carly, he still feels minor jealousy with specific aspects such as iCarly.
Now I'm not saying that Freddie necessarily feels jealous in a romantic sense, but iCarly is a familiar safety net for Freddie. Career-wise, he'll always have it whether Kevin fails or not. Love life-wise, and I am gonna steal this insight from someone on YouTube whom I forgot, the show was technically built by Freddie. He built it not only because he saw talent in the two girls who eventually became his best friends, but also because of his intense crush for Carly. That crush he had eventually turned into genuine love (both platonic and romantic), so his attachment to the show has a lot of factors and layers. We can see this hint through the tarot bit which, although was slight entertainment factor, showed a lot about Freddie. I still don't know how their romance will play out, but one thing's for sure, we have already established groundwork for the intense drama.
To end I just want to say that I'm really excited for what's to come with the show. Adding to that, my sincerest apologies for this late post. The elections in my country were in play and the presumptive results took a toll on me. Side-note, if you've read up over what's happening in the Philippines, please do. The whole world must know how the situation is right now.