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"I know who I am."
Pam Puckett to her daughter.

iSam's Mom is the second episode of Season Four of iCarly and the 72nd episode overall.

Plot

Sam moves into Carly's apartment after having another argument with her mother, and her peculiar habits make her a terrible house guest. She quickly wears on Spencer and Carly’s patience after leaving a half-eaten tamale on Carly's bed, leaving her underwear on the stairs, and deleting Celebrities Underwater from Spencer's DVR.

Desperate to have her move out, Carly tricks Sam and Pam into a meeting at a therapist’s office to reconcile their differences. The therapist puts both of them in a Therapy Box, a small confined space where they must talk through their issues before they can be let out. Carly later returns to the office only to find that the two have been arguing for several hours. Fed up, the therapist tells Carly to go inside the box with them and work it out, to no avail. Carly eventually becomes fed up as well and gets claustrophobic in the Therapy Box, resulting in a panic attack from the events of iSpace Out, which encourages Sam and Pam to admit that they love each other and reconcile to get out of the Therapy Box.

Subplot

Isams-mom-a

Freddie and his spy recording glasses

While testing his new spy glasses, Freddie accidentally records Shadow Hammer robbing The Groovy Smoothie. When the news interview T-Bo because this robbery was the first time the criminal was caught on video since he always disables any security cameras before robbing a place, T-Bo reveals Freddie recorded the robbery, and both T-Bo and Patrice reveal Freddie's name and address, while he attempts to cover himself so he doesn't get attacked by the Shadow Hammer. Mrs. Benson moves herself and Freddie into Carly and Spencer's apartment and hires an overenthusiastic bodyguard named Gunsmoke. When Gunsmoke keeps attacking Spencer for coming too close to Freddie, Spencer kicks them out and switches their apartment number with apartment 8-H down the hall, even though he thinks the Shadow Hammer will not show up. However, to Freddie's shock, the Shadow Hammer does show up searching for apartment 8-D, but to Freddie's luck, does not question the fact that apartment 8-H is right across from apartment 8-C. However, the Shadow Hammer never shows up again, so it can be assumed that he was arrested not long afterward.

Guest Stars

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Trivia

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  • Jane Lynch's daughter, Hayden, is a huge iCarly fan, and Lynch wanted to take her daughter to a live taping of the show. However, since iCarly did not do live audience tapings, the producers offered Lynch a role as Sam's mom, Pam Puckett. She agreed since she was a huge fan of the show.[2]
  • Patrice, another resident of Bushwell Plaza, gives away Freddie's apartment number on the live news broadcast from the Groovy Smoothie.
  • Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) is the sixth Glee star to appear on a Dan Schneider show and the fourth to appear on iCarly.
    • The first was Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray) as Lexi on Drake & Josh.
    • the second was Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike Chang) as Yuki on iGo To Japan and Roy on Zoey 101.
    • the third was Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams) as Dooley Thibodeaux on Zoey 101.
    • the fourth was Dot-Marie Jones (Coach Shannon Beiste) on iChristmas.
    • the fifth was Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans) on iSpeed Date.
  • The building the therapist is in is called "Pschneider". This is an obvious reference to Dan Schneider, the creator of the series. Schneider often references his name in buildings featured on his shows.
  • The other door in the therapy box leads to a bathroom set that was built for a scene that was removed from the script. It was intended to be used by Pam.
  • The newscast announcer is voiced by Dan Schneider, creator, executive producer, and writer of the show.
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  • This was the first episode to use the Season 4 opening credits. Only a few shots from the season 1, 2, and 3 openings remain: the one from iMeet Fred that had Spencer with his ostrich Marvin, the scene from iPilot that depicted the hat party with Carly throwing her blue cowboy hat into the air, Sam in iBeat the Heat, Spencer rubbing ointment on himself in iFight Shelby Marx, Carly and Sam in their dresses on iCarly Awards with Gibby throwing confetti, and Melanie and Freddie kissing in iTwins. Of these, iMeet Fred and iPilot were the only shots reused from the previous opening credits.
    • A slightly altered design for the web browser and a slightly different wallpaper appears in the first shot, as the "iCarly" URL is typed in. The bookmarks have been simplified to a selection of four websites: "Quisp", "Zaplook Search", "DanWarp" and "TheSlap".
    • In the far-away shots, apart from the main clip focused on, the season 3 clips remain unaltered. In the shot of Spencer and Carly on the main video screen before the "iCarly" logo appears, the remainder of the video clips are the season 4 clips. However, the moment the "iCarly" logo appears (this time it slides in from the right of the entire screen as opposed to from the bottom of the main screen, with a star accompanying the effects), the clips then jarringly cut to the season 3 clips, alongside a shot of Sam spanking Freddie in iSell Penny-Tees, which is seen partly and briefly on the right side before it disappears off-screen as the camera pans forward. This is followed by an unused shot of Carly and Freddie peeking from behind the curtains at WebiCon from iStart a Fanwar, which cuts itself in from the ending shot of the gang dancing from the season 3 sequence for only a brief moment. The clip of Sam eating Carly's pickles from iGet Pranky remains for half a second as it pans out from its shot to a far-away shot before spinning out to the clip of Sam eating an orange from iGo Nuclear.
    • An editing goof concerning the last clip of Carly and Sam before zooming out to Carly's hat clip in the previous episode iGot a Hot Room has been fixed; in the previous episode, it jarringly cut showing a frame or two of Carly and Sam from iWas a Pageant Girl from the season 3 sequence before fading into the shot of Sam in her mother's car from iMust Have Locker 239. From this episode onwards, it fades smoothly into the car shot.
  • Carly, Sam, and Freddie all live together in the same apartment for a brief time, albeit not at once. Sam stays for one night, and Carly takes her to the psychologist with her mother. On the same day, Freddie and his mother move into the Shay's apartment, but it seems they leave before the day ends.
  • The girl who talks about Freddie on the news and where he resides in Bushwell Plaza is portrayed by the same girl who played Maria in the Drake and Josh episode Battle of Panthatar, which is also the episode Dan Schneider considered casting Nathan Kress as a love interest for Megan Parker (played by Miranda Cosgrove), but that he wrote out in preparation for iCarly (see Creddie).
  • When Pam says, "Those pants fit you real good," Dan Schneider asked Jane Lynch to look at the back of the therapist's pants, instead of the front because the show is targeted mostly to kids 9-15.
  • The iCarly segment had most of it cut due to time constraints. In a deleted scene seen on iCarly.com, the webcast continues, with Gibby sneaking up behind Carly and Sam as "Dr. Lobster."
  • This is the third time in a Dan Schneider show that the fake television show Celebrities Underwater was mentioned, first used in Drake and Josh, and first mentioned on iCarly in iBelieve in Bigfoot.
  • During the 'therapy box' scene, Pam stuffs the lipstick she was putting on into her bra.
  • This is the fourth time someone mentions a real TV show, and second time someone mentions Full House. The first time was in iCarly Saves TV, when Ethan (Zeebo) mentions Full House for the first time. The third was in iReunite With Missy, when Sam mentioned The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The third time was in iPsycho when Gibby mentioned Diff'rent Strokes.[3][4]
  • This is the first occasion where Sam is seen wearing high heels for no apparent reason, and the fourth occasion overall. She previously wore high heels in iMake Sam Girlier, iCarly Awards, and iWas A Pageant Girl. Sam then starts wearing platform heels in iDate Sam & Freddie, iCan't Take It, and iLove You, to make up the height difference between herself and Freddie.
  • In the end credit scene, Spencer and Guppy are sitting together in front of the camera, and Guppy is eating spaghetti.
  • The episode was originally going to be titled iAm Sam's Mom, but the title was changed at almost the last minute.
  • Although Spencer switched the Benson's apartment sign with apartment 8-H, after this episode the Apartment 8-D sign is back near the Benson's door.
  • The subplot involving Freddie, the Shadow Hammer, and his bodyguard, Gunsmoke, is similar to the SpongeBob episode, SpongeBob Meets the Strangler, another TV episode where the protagonist turns a vicious criminal into police custody, but the criminal escapes and intends to pursue the protagonist for revenge. As a result, a bodyguard has to be hired. The key difference is that while SpongeBob's bodyguard is really the Tattletale Strangler in disguise, Freddie's bodyguard, Gunsmoke, is genuine, though he takes his job too seriously.

Allusions

  • The sitcom Full House was mentioned twice in the episode:
    • The first time is when Gunsmoke, Carly, and Spencer are watching an intensely violent movie (that only Gunsmoke can tolerate) called The Killing War, and Spencer asks if he can change channels. Gunsmoke allows this, and demands that he change it to Full House.
    • The second time is when Gunsmoke is watching TV by himself, and a girl on TV says, "You got it, dude!" which was Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's character's catchphrase. The girl who said the line sounded nothing like Michelle at any point in the series, but sounded extremely close to Miranda Cosgrove's. Gunsmoke seems to find the scene hilarious, although his facial expression does not change, meaning he was probably being sarcastic.

Character Revelations

  • Pam apparently likes Melanie better, perhaps because she is better behaved and more responsible, although she admits that deep down, she truly loves Sam.
  • Sam had a bunny named Fluffles when she was seven until Pam sold him to foreigners.
  • Pam once dated a rich doctor named Stephen, but he stopped calling Pam after Sam told him she got hit by a bus.

Goofs

  • When Carly and Sam are still talking, Freddie records them as the webshow starts. When it cuts to the front of Carly, it shows that the iCarly camera is on her, but Freddie is standing behind her and there was no other camera set up at that angle.
  • When Sam first comes into Carly's room, her clock changes from 3:57 to 3:58, but seconds later we see it change to 3:59.
  • When Carly is yelling at Spencer for just bringing a Dustbuster (or suck duster as Carly called it) for protecting her, her hair keeps changing from messy to brushed.
  • When the Channel 8 news crew interviews T-Bo and Freddie after the robbery, we see the interview broadcast live through the news camera. They somehow manage to alternate seamlessly between two different camera angles, even though they only have one camera;
  • When Pam first enters the apartment, she pushes the front door open so hard that it hits the wall then bounces back towards her and stops near her right elbow, but after Sam says "Why would I want worn out parts?" the front door is suddenly wide open.
  • When Gunsmoke is about to push Carly onto the couch to attack Spencer, you can see that Carly starts to fall before Gunsmoke pushes her if you watch it in slow motion.
  • When Carly expresses disgust at "The Killing War" and Gunsmoke suggests they put on "Full House", Spencer simply presses a button on the remote, and a program that is presumably "Full House" comes on. In reality, Spencer would have to scroll through the program guide to determine whether or not "Full House" was actually on at that time and if so, what channel it was on before selecting it, although it could have been on previously and pressed a button to return to channels they already watched.
  • In iPsycho, Carly is trapped in Nora's basement for over a day and doesn't freak out at all.
  • Sam and Pam have been inside the therapy box for almost 10 hours without food, but none of them complained about hunger or starvation. Any person can't possibly go 10 hours without feeling hungry or starving, although it is possible that the therapist did give them food; he just exaggerated the phrase "No food, just talk" in order to get them to finish. It's also possible he never had someone in there for that long.
  • In this episode, Sam tells the therapist that she and her mom are not Jewish. However, she is shown hanging a Magen David in her locker and in iBust a Thief, she says she her laptop was a Bat Mitzvah gift.
    • Although Freddie pointed out that Sam is not Jewish there.
  • Patrice and T-Bo could have been arrested for being conspiracies when they revealed Freddie's full name and address during the news broadcast.

Running Gags

To be added

Series Continuity

  • Sam's I ♥ Las Vegas panties were previously mentioned in iGo to Japan. It is unknown if this is the same pair, as Sam has grown since then. Also, until iMake Sam Girlier, it was thought that Sam only wore boy's briefs and hated panties; she still appears to hate the word "panties" in this episode.
  • Though this is the first full appearance of Sam's mother, the back of her head was shown in iMust Have Locker 239 as she drove a car.
  • Melanie is mentioned again after appearing in iTwins and being mentioned in iThink They Kissed.
  • This is the second time Carly and Sam are locked inside a room by a character. The first was iPsycho. Carly also has the same response: "Why'd you close the door?"
  • This is the second time Carly is shown having a claustrophobic panic attack, the first time being in iSpace Out.
  • Even though Sam makes up with her mom at the end of this episode, Sam continues to negatively mention her in future episodes. Although she said her mom was trying to be a better parent in iStart a FanWar.

Quotes

Freddie: In 5, 4, 3, 2… [starts rolling]
Sam: So I'm waitin' for my chicken, and then, like, an hour and a half later, my mom came back with a bucket of cold chicken and a new tattoo.
Carly: Why didn't she get the tattoo and then get the chicken?
'Sam: She got the tattoo from a guy in the chicken line!
Carly: Eww!
Sam: Right?
Carly: Let's talk about this later.
Sam: Yeah, we better start the show.
Freddie: The show started 15 seconds ago.
Carly and Sam: [look at each other, embarrassed, and then at the camera] …and this is iCarly!


Blonde Girl: Do you sell smoothies?
T-Bo: Do I - What?!


Gibby: That guy runs fast.
Asian Man: [Runs off scared]


Carly: Can you tell me why I found this half-eaten tamale in my bed?!
Sam: Cause I left it there! Give me it!
Carly: My bed is a place for me to sleep, not a place for your Mexican fiesta platters!


Carly: Look, if you wanna keep staying here, then no more eating ethnic food in my bed!
Spencer: Yeah, and no deleting my wet celebrities!
Carly: And no more panties on the stairs!
Sam: Ahh, I don´t like that word!
Spencer: Well, too bad! Stairs, stairs, stairs!
Carly: She meant panties.
Spencer: Now I'm embarrassed.


Freddie: [whispering to T-Bo] Would you quit saying my name?! I don't want that Hammer dude coming after me!! [to the camera] I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! I'm not even Freddie Benson!
Patrice: [approaches] Yeah, you are. Freddie and his mom live in the same building as me.
Freddie: No, no!
Patrice: Bushwell Plaza.
Freddie: Shhshh!!!
Patrice: Aren't you guys in apartment 8-D?
Freddie: [raises his hand, exasparated] I'M DEAD!!
T-Bo: [points at Freddie] Freddie Benson.


Sam: MOM!!?
Pam: I know who I am.


Sam: I don't want any part of her.
Pam: You don't deserve my parts.
Sam: Why would I want worn-out parts?
Pam: Cute. Just take a good look at your future baby, 'cause this is where you're headed.
Sam: My future's gonna be just fine.
Pam: Who told you that, your parole officer?
Sam: At least I call my parole officer!
Pam: Why don't you take a bath?
Sam: 'Cause you didn't pay the water bill!
Carly: See, now you're communicating.


Carly: [looking at Freddie's chest with a smile] Why does your chest look all thick?
Freddie: [suddenly looks self-conscious] Uhh…I've been working out…you know, pushups…[flexes his biceps, and in deeper voice]…milk.
[Carly walks over and rips open his shirt, revealing his bullet-proof vest]
Carly: That's quite a sports bra.


Pam: You married?
Psychologist: Excuse me?
Pam: I don't see a ring. You got a woman, or what?
Sam: Pardon my mommy's desperation!
Pam: Pardon my daughter's personality!


[Sam and Pam are fighting]
Psychologist: This isn't what I meant by "express your feelings"!


Psychologist: No, Pam. It's a new kind of therapy that's a bit unorthodox.
Sam: That's cool. We're not Jewish.


Carly: [frightened] What is this movie?
Gunsmoke: "The Killing War".
Carly: Don't you think it's a little violent?
Spencer: Could we please watch something else?
Gunsmoke: Fine. Put on "Full House".
Spencer: Awesome!


Pam: Why can't you be more like Melanie?
Sam: Oh, quit comparing me to Melanie!
Pam: You threw up in my car!
Sam: I was 6 years old, get over it!


Carly: Why'd you close the door?
Psychologist: No one leaves the Therapy Box until those two learn to love!


Carly: What difference does it make if you're wearing lipstick in here?
Sam: Welcome to the insanity that is my mother.
Pam: Hey, Sam. Remember when you were seven, and I told you that Fluffles ran away?
Sam: Yeah?
Pam: I sold him.
Carly: Oh my god…
Sam: You sold my bunny?
Pam: To foreigners!
Sam: [Gasps] Yeah, well you wanna know why that rich doctor stopped calling you?
Pam: Steven?
Sam: I told him you got hit by a bus!
Pam: [gasps]


[Carly starts freaks out]
Sam: What's wrong?
Pam: You got girl cramps?
Carly: No, I-I'm freaking out!


Sam: I LOVE you. [break] Mother.
Pam: What, you think I don't love you?
Sam: You never say it…
Pam: Well, it's not easy to say “I love you” to a daughter who thinks I'm…you know, scummy!
Sam: I don't think you're scummy…all the time.
Pam: Really?
Sam: Yeah, really.
Pam: You know, I guess I could have had a worse kid.
Sam: [happily] You mean that?
Pam: I do, and I'm sorry I always haven't been as understanding as I could have been…you know, like when you get arrested and stuff.
Sam: Well, I could probably try a little harder not to get arrested. I don't like fighting with you.
Pam: Why don't we get you a new bunny?
Sam: Why don't I call that doctor, you know, tell him you're not really dead? [They smile]
Sam: Can I come home?
Pam: [playfully] Aw, hug me, you little turd.
[They hug; the psychologist smiles]


Carly: Nyeeh! Nyeeh! Nyeeh!


Shadow Hammer: 8-D, 8-D…no…8-D…no…8-D, 8-D, 8-D, 8-D…
Freddie: [opens door; looks after the Shadow Hammer with a worried expression on his face; closes door]


Related Cast Posts

Dan Schneider's Fun Facts

Related iCarly.com Blog Posts

Reception

  • The episode garnered 5.911 million viewers, down from the 7.74 million for the season four opener, iGot A Hot Room.
  • A review of this episode on Entertainment Weekly says, "But since no one's about to doubt the spectacularness of [Jane] Lynch, I'll instead take this opportunity to note something even more striking about her guest stint: The fact that her onscreen daughter, Jennette McCurdy, held her own against the towering talent of the recent Emmy winner. (Lynch even seemed to be basing her performance on doing a great impression of McCurdy’s hilariously rancorous character--she knows her iCarly well)."

Gallery

Camera
See photos of iSam's Mom here.

References

ved iCarly episodes
Season One
iPilotiWant More ViewersiDream of DanceiLike JakeiWanna Stay With SpenceriNeveliScream On HalloweeniSpy a Mean TeacheriWill Date FreddieiWant a World RecordiRue The DayiPromise Not to TelliAm Your Biggest FaniHeart ArtiHate Sam's BoyfriendiHatch ChicksiDon't Want to FightiPromote TechfootsiGot DetentioniStakeoutiMight Switch SchoolsiFenceiCarly Saves TViWin a DateiHave a Lovesick Teacher
Season Two
iSaw Him FirstiStage An InterventioniOwe YouiHurt LewbertiGo To JapaniPieiChristmasiKissiGive Away a CariRocked the VoteiMeet FrediLook AlikeiWant My Website BackiMake Sam GirlieriGo NucleariDate A Bad BoyiReunite With MissyiTake on DingoiMust Have Locker 239iTwinsiFight Shelby Marx
Season Three
iThink They KissediCookiSpeed DateiCarly AwardsiHave My PrincipalsiFind Lewbert's Lost LoveiMove OutiQuit iCarlyiSaved Your LifeiWas A Pageant GirliEnrage GibbyiSpace OutiFix a Pop StariBloopiWon't Cancel The ShowiBelieve In BigfootiPsychoiBeat the Heat
Season Four
iGot A Hot RoomiSam's MomiGet PrankyiSell Penny-TeesiDoiStart a FanwariHire An IdiotiPity The NeveliOMGiParty with VictoriousiLost My MindiDate Sam & FreddieiCan't Take ItiLove YouiQiBloop 2 - Electric BloopalooiStill PsychoiBallsiMeet The First LadyiToe Fat Cakes
Season Five
iApril FoolsiGo One DirectioniOpen A RestaurantiHalfoweeniPear StoreiBattle ChipiShock AmericaiGet BannediFind Spencer FriendsiRescue CarlyiLost My Head in VegasiBust a ThiefiGoodbye
Films & Specials
iGo To JapaniDate a Bad BoyiFight Shelby MarxiQuit iCarlyiPsychoiStart a FanwariParty with VictoriousiStill PsychoiShock AmericaiGoodbye
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