iPsycho+Analysis

= __iPsycho__  (click to watch episode online) =



Gibby: “Cause you were too old?” Spencer: “No...” || Spencer’s open ended answer alludes that he was kicked out for an inappropriate reason. (Perhaps he did something illegal) || This joke is still pretty open ended however children may find it humorous for much different reasons than adults || Also could be Shock Value/Random || Sam: “Smart mom.” Carly: “I know right?” || Many parents actually feel this way about Sam. This was clearly an attempt by the show’s creators to mock parent’s complaints || Sam’s pride in being a bad role model is humorous ||
 * **Example of Double Coding** || **Adult Humor** || **Child Humor** ||
 * Spencer (about Gibby being too old for camp): “I remember when they said I couldn't go to camp.”
 * Gibby (on what he will do instead of camp): “I don't know... Sit home, take a bath, watch reruns of Different Strokes.” || Adults are very familiar with the show Different Strokes.The idea of Gibby watching the show is absurd to adults || Shock Value/Random ||
 * Spencer asks Gibby how he would react if he could go to Camp Spencer right in the apartment. Gibby's response is, "Watchu talkin about Spencer?" || Reference to quote in Different Strokes. It was originally, “Watchu talkin about Willis” || Shock Value/Random ||
 * Gibby's second reaction to Camp Spencer: “DYNOMITE!” || Reference to quote in the classic show Good Times || Shock Value/Random ||
 * Nora (after chasing Carly and friends back down the stairs wearing a mask and wielding an axe): "I come down here all excited to show you my Richard Nixon mask and my medieval hatchet...and I catch you trying to run away?!" || Relation to politics... This could also be seen as a reference to thriller movies such as the Halloween movie series. In these films the murderer, Michael Myers, wears a mask while wielding an axe. || Comic relief that Nora was not really going to hurt Carly, Freddie, or Sam
 * Sam tells Freddie to beam himself to Jupiter. Carly asks her if that was necessary and Sam replies, "I could have said Uranus..." || Sexual Innuendo || Either shock value/random or the child will understand the innuendo ||
 * Nora (After Food Pocket burns her mouth): “Ow...my mouth is blistering. Jim Gaffigan was right!” || Reference to stand up comic, Jim Gaffigan. He comments on how you always burn your mouth on hot pockets in one of his popular stand up bits. || Random/Shock value ||
 * Carly (checking email): “Here’s a fun one: I love watching iCarly but my mom says Sam’s a bad role model.”
 * Nora: “No one sees the wizard!” || Reference to The Wizard of Oz || Shock Value/Random ||

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__Analysis of Double Coding in iPsycho: __ ===== In this episode, there are many references to adult pop culture that are likely to go over the child's head. Though the child does not understand the pop culture reference, most children find the shock value/randomness to be humorous. Children may also find the character involved in the double coding to be funny and they will laugh at them whether what they say makes sense or not. In this case, Gibby and Nora (a psychotic superfan of iCarly that locks the crew in her basement) are the characters that blurt out the adult themed references. Both Gibby and Nora's characters are usually very on edge and most of what they do in order to make children laugh is full of shock value. For example, in past episodes Gibby often takes his shirt off for no apparent reason and in iPsycho Nora goes so far as to kiss another girl on the lips in order to produce shock value.

__Interview Results: __
Gibby: “Cause you were too old?” Spencer: “No...” || Assumption that Spencer had probably been kicked out of camp for doing something silly and getting in trouble || Spencer is a funny character || Not funny || Sam: “Smart mom.” Carly: “I know right?” || Not funny || Not funny || Not funny ||
 * |||||| **Why was this example funny?** ||
 * **Example of Double Coding** || **Adam (Age 12)** || **Lindsay (Age 10)** || **Ryan (Age 8)** ||
 * Spencer (about Gibby being too old for camp): “I remember when they said I couldn't go to camp.”
 * Gibby (on what he will do instead of camp): “I don't know... Sit home, take a bath, watch reruns of Different Strokes.” || Not funny || Gibby is a funny character. || Not funny ||
 * Spencer asks Gibby how he would react if he could go to Camp Spencer right in the apartment. Gibby's response is, "Watchu talkin about Spencer?" || Random/Shock Value || Gibby is a funny character. || Random/Shock Value ||
 * Gibby's second reaction to Camp Spencer: “DYNOMITE!” || Random/Shock Value || Gibby is a funny character. || Random/Shock Value ||
 * Nora (after chasing Carly and friends back down the stairs wearing a mask and wielding an axe): "I come down here all excited to show you my Richard Nixon mask and my medieval hatchet...and I catch you trying to run away?!" || Nora seemed like she was going to attack Carly and friends, but she only wanted to show them her "medieval hatchet" || Random/Shock value || Random/Shock value ||
 * Nora (After Food Pocket burns her mouth): “Ow...my mouth is blistering. Jim Gaffigan was right!” || Nora’s character is funny || Nora’s character is funny || Nora’s character is funny ||
 * Nora: “No one sees the wizard!” (Reference to The Wizard of Oz.) || Random/Shock Value || Random/Shock value || Random/Shock value ||
 * Sam tells Freddie to beam himself to Jupiter. Carly asks her if that was necessary and Sam replies, "I could have said Uranus..." || Understood the sexual innuendo || Understood the sexual innuendo || Slightly understood the sexual innuendo. ||
 * Carly (checking email): “Here’s a fun one: I love watching iCarly but my mom says Sam’s a bad role model.”

__Analysis of Interviews: __ The interview results brought me to a few different conclusions. It is very clear that most of the adult references in this episode are funny for children because of shock value and also just because the characters that recite these references do so in their own comical way. Although these observations were true, they did not provide any groundbreaking information. However, there were a few interesting observations regarding some specific examples of double coding. I found it very interesting that the only joke in the episode in which the child and adult completely understood was Sam's sexual innuendo remark. This leads me to believe that the writers at Nickelodeon give their kid viewers much less credit that they deserve. I'd also like to comment on last joke I mentioned regarding Sam being a bad role model. This joke was a direct shot at parent viewers who feel Sam is the reason for the shows inappropriateness. Nickelodeon is well aware that Sam can be a bad influence; they put her character in the show to specifically counter Carly's good role model personality. Since kids are not interested in how a shows characters will serve them as role models, the joke goes completely over their heads.