As the decade draws to a close, a lot of us are finding ourselves nostalgic for the media we grew up with. All of the classics from "Hannah Montana" to "iCarly" will never be forgotten. These shows were hilarious and extremely popular. Another one of these shows is Nickelodeon's "Victorious." Despite the fact that it initially aired in 2010 shortly after "Zoey 101" ended, it is still relevant today because it was recently brought to Netflix.
It's interesting to see how far the cast has come from then to now. For example, Ariana Grande was a supporting character on the show then and is now one of the most popular and influential artists in the world. At her concert the other night, she welcomed Liz Gillies (who portrayed Jade West) and Matt Bennett (who portrayed Robbie) onto the stage to perform songs from the show. It blew up instantly, being posted all over social media.
Fans have been binging the series and reliving their childhoods, eager for the possibility of a reunion special. It seems incredibly likely to happen, especially after the reunion Ariana had at her show. The cast of "Victorious" (for the most part) all seem to stay in touch, so it wouldn't be totally out of the question. I'll keep my fingers crossed!
So what made the show work? It had a surplus of incredible young actors, each molding their roles into the iconic characters we know and love today. Who doesn't love the method acting exercise episode where the kids slept over at Sikowitz's house? No other show has done something like that before, and it was brilliant. Try to get through that episode without laughing, I bet you can't. The characters also had unique personalities, from Jade's tough exterior contrasting Beck's laid-back demeanor to Robbie being seen as the dork and Andre being the cool musician. Put this mixture together and it's comedic gold. This cast made this concept work, and they did an astounding job.
The music of the show was arguably the best thing it had to offer. I still sing at the top of my lungs when I hear "Best Friend's Brother." "Freak the Freak Out" and "Beggin' on Your Knees" are super catchy too. And while Victoria Justice was the leading lady, the background character songs were equally as good, if not better. "Give it Up" and "Take a Hint" dominated the show and are currently popular audios being used on the TikTok app. The songs were absolutely iconic.
As far as content, the show was intended to be lighthearted due to the fact that it aired on Nickelodeon. Compared to other teen shows like "Riverdale," "Gossip Girl," or "One Tree Hill," this show did not have heavy plots or serious drama lasting longer than a single episode. While I do love to indulge in dramas like the ones I listed, sometimes it can be too much, and I yearn for a show I can just laugh at. "Victorious" is definitely the show for this. I am so glad it was put on Netflix. I feel like a piece of my childhood was just handed back to me!
Join the party and binge the show, you won't regret it!