iApril Fools is the 1st episode in Season 5 of iCarly.
As Carly and Spencer face eviction from their apartment on April Fool's Day, the gang reminisces on the times they had there, though they might not be as exactly as they remembered it.
Tropes:
- April Fools' Plot: The episode is set on April Fool's Day.
- Content Warnings: The episode begins with the iCarlys and T-Bo warning the viewers that this episode is very bizarre, and thus might be very confusing and even disturbing for the audience.
- Downer Beginning: The episode begins with Carly and Spencer having been evicted from their apartment and packing up in tears.
- Mind Screw: From the opening to the ending message of “Happy April Fools!”, the episode is very random and senseless.
- Noodle Incident: While Spencer being late on rent makes some sense, the idea that Carly stabbed the owner requires a lot more elaboration than it gets. This adds to the
Bizarro Episode which borders on Mind Screw. - Out-of-Character Moment: Spencer forgetting to pay the rent is normal, but Carly stabbing Mr. Bushwell is nothing like her, more like something Sam would do. This causes the Shays to be evicted immediately.
- Self-Serving Memory: The iCarlys reminisce about many moments from earlier episodes. However, because this is an April Fools' Plot, their memories of past incidents are very warped and very untrue. And it is all very strange:
- In a flashback to "iPilot", their memory of how they got the idea for iCarly in the first place is Ms. Briggs from an alternate universe (actually Spencer in a costume that looks like her) challenging her to a fight that ends up blowing both of them out of existence. After this whole crazy scenario happens, Carly and Sam immediately think that they should do a webshow, with Freddie showing up out of nowhere saying that it should be named iCarly.
- In a flashback to "iHatch Chicks", the two girls are trying to look for the last chick. But then this crazy foreign guy that the girls apparently already know tries to explain to them through charades and gestures. Then Gibby shows up to hit him with a Stop sign, much to the girls' frustration as he's not supposed to be in this flashback. And right after Sam chases Gibby out of the studio, Carly suddenly goes into a hillbilly dance with accompanying music in the background.
- In a flashback to "iSaved Your Life", it shows the whole scene in which Spencer is finally duped and eliminated in a game assassin game between him and Sam. Only, in this version, Spencer is shown to have very exaggerated long hair that goes down to his waist, as the iCarlys made fun of him for having that for most of the season.
- The gang even weaponizes this trope by claiming that the building manager spontaneously allowed them to stay, and having the “flashback”. The manager lets them stay as a result, and even Lewbert goes along with it with no objections.
- Serious Business: Apparently, no going-away party is complete without a party bush, and the lack of one is significant enough to send Freddie to the floor before T-Bo, acting as a genie for the episode, wishes one into existence.
- Ship Tease: Invoked in a Trolling Creator way when a future Spencer travels back in time to claim that the iCarly’s kids are an issue in the future. He can’t remember whether the kids are Sam’s with Freddie or Carly’s with Freddie.
- Shout-Out:
- A flashback ends with the iCarlys randomly transported to the home of Tori Vega, Sam nervously singing "Make it Shine" and Gibby having morphed into Robbie, complete with Rex.
- Spencer at the end references Back to the Future by acting as Doc Brown after traveling back, announcing that the gang needs to go “Back to a future episode!”
- Ungrateful Bastard:
- The iCarly gang, after T-Bo waters their party bush. T-Bo clearly expects a thank you, which the gang refuses to give him.
- And then T-Bo tried to give Carly some stuffed mushrooms in a flashback. Carly responds by throwing a book at him.
