"My husband and I talk to a lot of people with families in the military." |
iMeet The First Lady (originally titled iMajor Guest Star[4]) is the 23rd episode of Season 4, and the 93rd episode overall. The then First Lady Michelle Obama makes a guest appearance.
Dan Schneider wrote the episode just for Mrs. Obama and her Joining Forces Initiative. Network president Cyma Zarghami has explained that the episode is in no way a political statement for the show, nor the Joining Forces program; rather, it's a "feel-good initiative."[5]
Plot
Colonel Steven Shay is not able to make it home for his birthday as planned. Because Carly misses her father so much and is sad that she can't see him now, Sam, Freddie, Spencer and Gibby surprise her by hacking into the communication network of the base he's stationed at and have a video chat with him live on iCarly (although his video is static-filled, so he is not seen on-screen). Carly is extremely grateful, but a few days later, Secret Service Agents come to Carly's apartment because the webcast has attracted the attention of "someone very high up in the US government".
Carly, Sam and Freddie are worried that they are going to be imprisoned for hacking into a military network, so Sam comes up with a plan to leave the country, but the Secret Service Agents pick them up from school.
It turns out that Michelle Obama, an iCarly fan herself, has seen the webcast and is impressed by how much Carly cares for her father and how much Sam and Freddie care for Carly. After expressing her pride to them, she originally had to go to a meeting with the governor, but decides to delay it when Carly, Sam and Freddie invite her to make an appearance on iCarly.
Guest Stars
- Michelle Obama (First Lady of the United States at the time of the episode) as herself
- BooG!e as T-Bo
Trivia
- A reference to ILost My Mind is made when Sam and Freddie do something nice for Carly by setting her, Spencer, and her dad up for video chat when in ILost My Mind, Carly did something nice for Sam and Freddie by helping them get into a romantic relationship for the first time.
- "iMeet The First Lady" was the #2 trend on Twitter during its East Coast TV broadcast premiere.
- This episode aired on a Monday at 7:30PM because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.[6] It was the second episode to do so, after iSaved Your Life (though that episode aired at 8:00 PM instead).
- The working title for this episode was "iMajor Guest Star" and production code revealed to be 406 as (noted in the photo with the whiteboard).
- Mrs. Obama is the highest profile person to ever guest star on iCarly.
- This is the first appearance by the U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama on a Nickelodeon show, despite appearing for Nickelodeon's 2011 Worldwide Day of Play, an event which encourages to get out, get active and play instead of being in front of a computer or TV screen. She was also in the 2010 Kids' Choice Awards receiving her blimp for the Big Help Award.
- Michelle Obama also stars in the Jessie (a Disney Channel show) episode “From the White House to Our House”. Like this episode, the aforementioned Jessie episode also debuted on the sixteenth of a month (in May 2014).
- Taran Killam who played "Spaulding" in Moody's Point (The Amanda Show) plays a Secret Serviceman in this episode. He was also formerly a cast member on Saturday Night Live.
- Taran Killam is the second Nickelodeon veteran to join the cast of SNL after Kenan Thompson.
- Taran Killam also plays Trevor in the Dune Buggy episode of Drake & Josh.
- During an interview, BooG!E recalled having not received the schedule for the episode, during the taping of “iQ”. It was then that he realized he wasn’t in it, so he talked his way on.
- Mr. Howard is mentioned in the part before the trio enters the apartment and sees the federal agents.
- In this video, Nathan said during the first days the episode was in production, no one knew, except Dan, which member of the First Family was guest-starring until rehearsal day.
- The First Lady was only there for one day to shoot her scenes and she had to remember massive amounts of dialogue.
- Miranda said the highlight of this episode for her was getting to do Random Dancing with Mrs. Obama.[7]
- This is the second iCarly episode starting with the words "iMeet...", the first being iMeet Fred. (Coincidentally, that episode also aired on a Monday at 7:30 and had the same director along with one of the same writers as this one).
- The episode was announced in July 2011, more than 6 months before its scheduled airdate.
- The first daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama were on-set, alongside their mother Michelle, as her "Random Dance Advisers".[8]
- This episode aired one day before Michelle Obama's birthday.
- This is the first episode, where Dan Schneider, the creator and executive producer of iCarly has appeared on-screen. He made a brief appearance as a Secret Service Agent though many references have been made to him, his wife, and his brand "DanWarp" in previous episodes. It is implied that he's playing himself.
- Spencer leans on the fourth wall after remarking that his life is like a sitcom after talking about his pumpkin-carving experience with the First Lady.
- The Peggy's Nuts & Bolts logo lady is inspired by J. Howard Miller's 1942 "We Can Do It!" poster (featuring "Rosie the Riveter") for Westinghouse Electric.
- This is technically the first appearance of Carly's father, as he appears on the video chat, though it is not a clear image of him and is blurred by static.
- Barack Obama is implicitly mentioned 3 times, as well as his daughters Sasha and Malia.
- When the gang sang "Happy Birthday" to Colonel Shay, they were singing to the tune of US Air Force Anthem.
- Michelle Obama was originally not supposed to be on the iCarly webcast but since she watches the show iCarly with her daughters Malia and Sasha Obama, she asked to do the random dancing segment.
Allusions
To be added
Character Revelations
- Colonel Shay calls Carly "Snug-Bug"
Goofs
- When Freddie asks Colonel Shay whether he can hear them, the onscreen words say Kernel Shay. It is unknown whether the error was intended.
- After the Secret Service agents pick up Carly, Sam and Freddie from school and bring them to the apartment, Spencer introduces Mrs. Obama to them - then Mrs. Obama stands up and shakes Carly's hand, then while she is shaking Sam's hand Carly turns around to face the door - but after a change in camera angle Carly is suddenly facing Mrs. Obama again without turning back around.
- T-Bo should not be able to burst into the apartment with Mrs. Obama inside. In real life, more secret service agents would be posted outside.
- Spencer would ordinarily be tasered for touching Mrs. Obama, when, on the show, he touches her multiple times before he receives a warning.
- In this episode, Sam knew what a pawn shop was. However, in a later episode Spencer tells them all about it.
- At least almost every single time a balloon appears throughout the episode, the stage studio lights are clearly visible in the reflection of the balloons.
Running Gags
To be added
Series Continuity
- This is the second episode to start with iMeet after iMeet Fred.
- A reference to iScream On Halloween is made, when Spencer is telling the First Lady about when he was trapped in a giant pumpkin and some angry trick-or-treaters pushed him down a hill while he was inside the pumpkin.
- This episode marks the third time that Carly, Sam and Freddie share a group hug after iCook and iMake Sam Girlier.
- This is however the first time they shared more than one in an episode.
- The Paintball Blowtube from iSaved Your Life returns.
Special Live Screenings
- Nickelodeon along with the cast members of iCarly hosted screening events at the following locations:[9][10]
- Monday, Jan. 9 — Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Miramar, Calif.
- Wednesday, Jan. 11 — Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Conn.
- Thursday, Jan. 12 — Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Fort Dix, N.J.
- Friday, Jan. 13 — Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, Va.
- Monday, Jan. 9 — Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Miramar, Calif.
Quotes
[After Spencer has finished talking to his dad] |
Carly: [during webcast] Hi. |
Carly: You're both getting hugs! [pulls Sam and Freddie into a group hug] It's happening. You're getting hugs! You're getting hugs! I love you guys! |
Sam: [in a brunette wig, seeing Secret Service] Alright [getting down on her knees and putting her hands above her head] Put the cuffs on loose, would ya? I don't like it when they dig into my wrist. |
Secret Service Agent: There is someone in here who wants to see you. |
Freddie: [upon seeing the first lady] Is that ... Mrs. ...? |
Carly: Please don't put us in federal prison! |
T-Bo: [flirtatiously, upon seeing Michelle] Eeeeeeeeey! Who's your friend? Can she be my friend? |
Sam: So, what are you doing here? |
Michelle: My husband and I talk to a lot of people with family in the military. |
Michelle: Well, I should be getting to my next meeting. [points at Sam, who has asked for a sandwich several times before] And somebody get this girl a sandwich! |
[After Carly invited Michelle to be on iCarly] |
Michelle: [After winning a bag of nuts and bolts] Now I can finally finish that robot! |
Related iCarly.com Blog Posts
- Carly's blog: Spot the Differences: USA Edition!
Reception
- The episode was seen by 4.265 million people during its premiere.[3]
- This episode reached #2 on iTunes chart for children's TV, right behind another iCarly episode iToe Fat Cakes.[11]
Gallery
See photos of iMeet The First Lady here.
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See videos of iMeet The First Lady here.
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See photos of iMeet The First Lady (Press Tour) here.
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See videos of iMeet The First Lady (Press Tour) here.
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External Links
- iNews and Reviews summary
- Jerry's full interview with WPIX about iMeet The First Lady
- My Day With the 'iCarly' Cast at My Local Naval Base Jessica Norton, The Huffington Post
References
- ↑ Airdate
- ↑ Production Code
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Monday Cable Ratings: 'Pawn Stars' Back On Top + 'Pretty Little Liars,' 'Being Human,' 'WWE RAW' & Much More TVbythenumbers.com (Jan. 18, 2011)
- ↑ File:Ibreakup1.jpg
- ↑ Background into Storyline USAToday.com (June 8, 2011)
- ↑ Special Day & Time (revealed in 1st promo)
- ↑ Miranda's highlight of iMeet The First Lady ETonline.com
- ↑ iCarly cast dishes on the Obamas to Seventeen Magazine
- ↑ Special Live Screenings and Time
- ↑ More info on Special Live Screenings
- ↑ iTunes Chart