User blog comment:WildJackal/Sam beating Freddie a sign that she loves him?/@comment-1859088-20110717191017

As I'm sure Slicknickshady will be by to point out shortly, Dan once, in a nutshell, said that how Sam treats Freddie is a "game" they've played since 6th grade that neither knows how to stop. She didn't start teasing or bullying him because she liked him, because we know she doesn't treat boys she likes that way as Mak pointed out. Her being nice in iOMG could be used as further support of how she chooses to treat crushes, because she supposedly is "in love" when her attitude changes. Sam has been known for her aggressive tendencies, but there is clear evidence that she understands not to treat people that way when she more deeply cares about their opinion of her. When she met Freddie she didn't think she wanted to care what Freddie thought of her, because he was just another nerd that eventually became the boy who wouldn't take a hint from her best friend that she wasn't interested. Then they started the web show together, and instead of being that sad puppy following Carly around (being nice led Carly to tell him they could be friends at least, even though she didn't want him as a boyfriend - Sam was probably still annoyed), Freddie became somebody they were intentionally hanging out with more over time. It's likely, as evidenced by the apology in iKiss, that Sam did come to realize that she maybe could start caring a little bit more about Freddie's thoughts/feelings (Carly influenced it) since they were kinda some version of friends from sharing Carly and iCarly. However, this realization did not make it any easier for her to break the habit (nor would having her break the habit so quickly benefit the show's comedy).

Also, notice that in addition to Freddie just being some nerd, his never-ending interest in Carly gave Sam no reason to even consider getting closer to him (or starting to care what he thinks of her), because who *wants* to fall for someone who hangs on the hope of dating their best friend? iKiss was letting her guard down, letting the pain she caused him matter, and starting on the road to developing at least some version of an honest friendship. iSYL gave her better proof (after talking to Carly) that Carly wasn't going to love Freddie like he wanted her to for real outside of a superficial context, so she decided to push him out of the fantasy before he got hurt. Once Freddie thought he had Carly, but realized he really didn't and probably wasn't going to again, it ended up opening the situation up so Sam could fall for him because it could possibly be perceived that Freddie might have opened his mind more to liking other girls. Whether Sam wanted it that way or expected to like him beyond a point where she could contain it anymore is up for a whole different debate that I prefer not to take sides on. All we know for sure is that she likes (loves) him now, she knows it, he knows it, and that's what builds the next few episodes.

Anyway, my point that probably got lost somewhere is...no, the way Sam treats Freddie...those actions are not meant to show love.