The start of the summer is sure to bring new activities and new releases. This summer, two popular TV classics are making an appearance on our screens again. The hit show “Friends” had a special reunion episode release on May 27, and the beloved “iCarly” is set for a reboot season premiering on June 17. 

These two shows hold a sense of sentimental value to many. Friends is a timeless classic enjoyed across many different generations. “Seeing the actors together again reading the script and just being together felt unreal,” stated Centennial sophomore Abby Cudzilo. It is often regarded as a comfortable background show and never seems to cause boredom.

Containing a total of 236 episodes across 10 seasons, the final episode had an estimate of 51.1 million viewers, making it the fifth most-watched series finale in television history. With this, a lot of hype surrounding a new episode arose. Many wondered if it would ruin the legacy it already lived. 

With the reunion episode airing seventeen years after the final episode of the show, it brought back a lot of memories for most. The one hour and 44 minute episode shown on HBO max included appearances not only from the cast, but also from celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Reese Witherspoon, Lady Gaga, and more. 

The cast and guests broke down scenes and included their feelings regarding the show. They included some acting, but mostly interviews. 

The episode was overall received pretty well. “I thought they did a good job showing us behind the scenes and parts of the show that the audience was unaware of,”  added Cudzilo.

Moving on to another classic, who would have thought iCarly would make a comeback?! Produced by Dan Schneider, this nostalgic TV series first premiered on September 8th, 2007. 

“Hearing that iCarly is coming out with a reboot is too good to be true… I’m so excited!,” said Ellie Costello, a junior at Centennial.

Aiming mostly towards the “Generation Z” kids, many Centennial students grew up watching the show on Nickelodeon. Now that they’re older, so are the cast members. Seeing them grow up with us brings back a lot of emotions that faded years ago. 

“I’m excited to see the new changes, since it will be directed to our age and older,” Blaire Latona, a junior at Centennial, mentioned. 

The reboot contains many of the original cast members including Miranda Cosgrove (Carly), Jerry Trainor (Spencer), and Nathan Kress (Freddy). Jennette McCurdy, also known as her character Sam Puckett, will not be making an appearance due to the fact that she has quit acting. 

The show takes place 10 years from the end of the original show, which is the present day. The first season will contain 13 episodes. The reboot will be available to watch on Paramount+ exclusively (with subscriptions starting at $5.99 a month), and the first 3 episodes will be released at the same time. 

These new releases are set to make longstanding marks on the legacies already created by these two shows. It is exciting to viewers to be able to see the hype surrounding these shows so many years later. 

js

For more breaking news and photos, follow The Wingspan on Instagram and Twitter @CHSWingspan.