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 meeting at a therapist’s office to reconcile their differences. Carly unwittingly gets stuck with the two when they are put in a “Therapy Box,” a small confined space where they must talk through their issues before they can be let out. When Carly freaks out because of being claustrophobic, Sam and Pam finally make up so they can get out of the Therapy Box.
Subplot
Freddie and his spy recording glasses
Meanwhile, Freddie is stalked by a dangerous criminal named The Shadow Hammer after recording him robbing the Groovy Smoothie. Mrs. Benson moves herself and Freddie into apartment 8-C, as their real apartment number was given out on the local news. While there, Mrs. Benson hires a bodyguard for Freddie named Gunsmoke and the Benson's wear bulletproof vests. Spencer cannot take living with the Benson's and Gunsmoke (who beat him up for teasing Freddie and broke his snow cone machine) and switches the room numbers of their apartment with another one down the hall, even though he thinks the Shadow Hammer won't appear at all. However, to Freddie's shock, the Shadow Hammer does come by, but luckily doesn't question the fact that apartment 8-H is right across the hall from apartment 8-C.
Jane Lynch promised taping tickets for her daughter, Hayden, to an iCarly episode, but since there are no live audience tapings, the producers offered Lynch a role as Sam's mom, Pam Puckett. She agreed, since she's a huge fan of the show.[1]
Though this is the first time we've fully seen Sam's mother, the back of her head was shown in iMust Have Locker 239 as she drove a car.
Patrice, another resident of Bushwell Plaza, gives away Freddie's apartment number on the live news broadcast from the Groovy Smoothie.
This is the first episode that features a remixed version of the background music played during scene changes, which sounds somewhat like background music from the show, Victorious.
It is implied that Pam likes Melanie better, perhaps because she's better-behaved and more girly, although she admits deep-down she truly loves Sam.
This is the seventh time aGleestar appeared on a Dan Schneider show but the fourth in iCarly. First was Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray) as Lexi in Drake & Josh, second/third was Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike Chang) in iCarly and Zoey 101, the fourth was Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams) in Zoey 101, the fifth was Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans) in iCarly, and the sixth was Dot-Marie Jones (Coach Shannon Beiste) in iCarly. Lynch is the only Glee star to appear on a Schneider show while Glee was airing, as the other appearances were from before.
This is the second time Carly and Sam are locked inside a room by a character. The first was iPsycho.
The building the therapist is in is called "Pschneider". This is an obvious reference to Dan Schneider, the creator of the series. Schneider often throws his name into the names of buildings.
It is revealed that Sam had a bunny named Fluffles when she was seven, but Pam sold him to foreigners.
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 newscaster announcer is voiced by Dan Schneider, creator, executive producer, and writer of the show.
Sam's I ♥ Vegas underwear was previously mentioned in iGo To Japan. It is unknown if this is the same pair, because Sam has grown since then. And until iMake Sam Girlier, it was thought that Sam only wore boy's briefs, and hated panties.
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 in Full House was Michelle Tanner's (portrayed by then-child actors Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) catchphrase. It is interesting to note that 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.
This is also the second time the sitcom Full House has been mentioned in the series, the first being in iCarly Saves TV and twice mentioned in iLove You.
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 previous opening credits.
Sam mentions that she hates the word 'panties', as previously mentioned in iMake Sam Girlier.
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 that they leave before the day is over.
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.
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, in iSell Penny Tees, Sam mentions her in a negative way. The episode was filmed after iSell Penny-Tees, so this is probably a good reason why Sam is talking about her mother.
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-life TV show. The first time was in iCarly Saves TV, where Full House is also mentioned, and iReunite With Missy, where The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is mentioned. The fourth time was in iPsycho when Diff'rent Strokes was mentioned by Gibby.
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, essentially, doing a great impression of McCurdy’s hilariously rancorous character--she knows her iCarly well)."[2]
The episode garnered 5.911 million viewers, down from the 7.74 million for the season four opener, iGot A Hot Room.[3]
This is the first occasion where Sam is seen wearing high heels for no apparent reason, and the fourth occasion overall. Previously she 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, (Nathan Kress).
In the end credits, Spencer and Guppy are sitting together in front of the camera, and Guppy is eating spaghetti.
The episode was originally going to be titled i'M Sam's Mom, but the title was changed at almost the last minute.
Goofs
When Sam first comes into Carly's room, her clock goes from 3:57 to 3:58, but seconds later we see it changed to 3:59.
When Carly is yelling at Spencer for just bringing a Dusbuster for protecting her, her hair keeps changing from messy to brushed.
After the Shadow Hammer robs the Groovy Smoothie and leaves, Freddie calls to Gibby to tell him he can come out of the washroom - in the background behind Freddie an employee can be seen bringing out a stepladder to check the surveillance camera. Then after Gibby and the bald-headed man leave the washroom there is a cut back to Freddie, but the employee with the stepladder has disappeared. Then after T-Bo says "Is everyone all right? the employee with the stepladder has reappeared.
When the Channel 8 news crew interviews T-Bo and Freddie after the robbery, we see the interview broadcast live through the news camera, but they somehow manage to alternate seamlessly between two different camera angles, even though they only have one camera;
When Sam's Mom first enters the apartment, she pushes the front door open so hard that it hits the wall then bounces back towards her and comes to rest close to her right elbow, but after Sam says "Why would I want worn out parts?" the front door is suddenly wide open;
Carly's reaction to being stuck in the therapy box is obviously different from the way she reacted in iSpace Out.
When Gunsmoke's 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.
In iSpace Out, it took hours for Carly to freak out, but in this episode, Carly has only been there for 34 minutes when she reacted.
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 and 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".
Freddie: In 5, 4, 3, 2...(starts rolling) [the show started] Sam: So I waited for my chicken and 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 the guy in the chicken line! Carly: Eww! Let's talk about this later. Sam: We gotta 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: Man that guy runs fast. Bathroom 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! Carly: My bed is a place for me to sleep, and 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, don´t like that word! Spencer: Well, too bad! Stairs, stairs, stairs! Carly: She meant panties. Spencer: Now I'm embarrassed.
Freddie: (to T-Bo, almost in a whisper) Would you quit saying my name?! I don't want that Shadow Hammer come after me!! (to the camera) I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS! I'm not even Freddie Benson! Girl: (approaches)Yeah, you are. Freddie and his mom live in the same apartment building as me. Freddie: No, no! Girl: Bushwell Plaza. Freddie: Shhshh!!! Girl: Aren't you guys in apartment 8-D? Freddie: (raises his left arm) 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?
Sam: My future is 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. (after a thought) You know, pushups...(flexes his biceps, then 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 is not 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: 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:(Gasp!) Sam: Yeah, you wanna know why that rich doctor stopped calling you? Pam: Steven? Sam: I told him you got hit by a bus! Pam:(Gasp!)
Sam: I LOVE you. [break] Mother. Pam: What, you think I don't love you? Sam: Well 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: I guess I could have had a worse kid. Sam: [happy voice] You mean that? Pam: Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't always 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. Pam: Why don´t we get you a new bunny? Sam: Why don´t we 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]
