The last season of theiCarlyreboot sure left viewers with a lot to think about. The originaliCarlyran for an impressive six seasons on Nickelodeon from 2007 to 2012. At that time, it became the network’s highest-rated and flagship live-action series. It’s no surprise thatiCarlywas one of the top contenders for a revival when Paramount+ launched in 2021. The relaunched show follows Carly, Freddie, and Spencer in their adult years and has been met with similar rave reviews.
Updated June 04, 2025: This article has been updated by Jessica Peerez with recent information regarding the much-lovediCarlyreboot and news of the fourth season’s cancelation.
While the first two seasons combined new storylines with ahealthy dose of nostalgia, season 3 felt like it was tailor-made for the OG fans. Of course, we’re talking about the season-long arc of Carly and Freddie finally becoming a couple. Diehard “Creddie” stans have been waiting for this moment for over 15 years, and it’s finally here. With season 3 wrapped, all we have to do is wait for the next season, right? Right? Well, wrong. At the time of writing, it has been confirmed that the show will not be renewed for a fourth season, leaving fans frustrated with last season’s cliffhanger ending.
The Revival As a Whole
WheniCarlyreturned in 2021, it was clear that it was no ordinary revival. Typically, reboots and sequels aim for the same audience that originally watched. Kid’s shows have a more difficult task. If they’re revived years down the line, their target audience will have aged up and out of the demographic. They may attempt to shift focus to new main characters or the children of the original cast, such as with Disney’sRaven’s Home. However, audiences want the characters they grew up with and typically don’t gel when they’ve been replaced.
iCarlyfound a workaround. We follow the same original characters (save forJennette McCurdy’s Sam), but they’re no longer kids. Instead, we see Carly, Freddie, and the rest tackling issues that young adults in their late 20s deal with. This feels like a natural progression for the show, like the cast has grown along with the original fans.
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Season 3 brought us, arguably, the most “fan-servicey” season yet (but in a good way). After some hints in the second season finale, Carly and Freddie finally admit to their mutual feelings and become a couple. Throughout the season, we see Carly and Freddie grow in their relationship, work through their insecurities, and ultimately come out stronger together. It’s not forced and feels like a natural progression for people with 15 years of complicated romantic history.
How Did Season 3 End?
Season 3ended on a major cliffhanger, which left fans sure of a new season. After finally making “Creddie” a reality for fans, the season finale, “iHave a Proposal”, ended with an impromptu wedding for Freddie and Carly. When Marissa and Lewbert elope instead of having their wedding, Carly and Freddie decide to get married instead. However, a character who has been absent throughout the story, both in the original Nickelodeon series and the reboot by Paramount+, turns up just as the couple is about to say “I do”'; Carly and Spencer’s mother.
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Fans never knew who Carly and Spencer’s mother was or the relationship she had with her children. Season 3 of the reboot was the first time that Carly and Spencer talked about their mother, revealing that she had abandoned them when Carly was still a child. Her reappearance at Carly’s wedding was a chance for fans to finally know her identity since her face isn’t shown in the finale. The absent mother is now back to do who-knows-what, and viewers don’t know her story or why she left, except for the fact that she did something that caused Carly and Spencer lasting trauma. These were the mysteries that fans looked forward to exploring in Season 4.
Why Won’t There Be A Fourth Season?
Anyone who watched the third season’s finale will know it was not meant as a series-ender, and the decision to end on this cliffhanger seems like a criminal offense. Cast members,speaking to J-14, had previously expressed that Season 3 will not be the end of the series. Laci Mosely even stated that fans are going to want Season 4 more than they’ve ever wanted anything. Given this, it came as a shock to fans when the fourth season was suddenly canceled.As per Deadline, a spokesperson for Paramount+ has revealed why we will not be getting a new season.
“The series had a great three-season run and delivered on what fans really wanted to see with Carly and Freddie finally getting together. We want to thank the entire cast, the writers, directors and producers along with the whole crew for their dedication, creativity and talent.”
Despite the thinking of Paramount+, the reactions of fans make it clear that the series definitely has not provided fans with everything that they want to see. If producers had chosen to forgo bringing Carly and Spencer’s mother into the finale, the thinking of Paramount may have held true. Nathan Kress has also expressed his regret that the series ended in the way it did, acknowledging that nobody envisioned this ending. However, he also gave fans some hope for closure.
“Thank you all for your kindness, love, and undying support for these past 3 seasons. I’m so grateful that we were given an opportunity to bring you this story… and I especially want to thank our amazing crew, writers, and my castmates for the greatest workplace and creative environment I could ask for. I’m so proud of what we accomplished together. Freddie is forever in my heart, and I’m honored that I was able to put that mantle back on, even for just a few more years.
Obviously this stings a bit.. we had a lot of story left to tell, and we were excited to give you guys the ending you deserved. No one wanted this to end on a cliffhanger.
Maybe somehow, someday, we’ll find out how to story ends.
Much love, friends. 💙”
Paramount+’s decision to not renew the series for a fourth season is admittedly a poor decision on their part and an unfortunate way to conclude a series that has been loved by fans for years. However, if Kress’s sentiments come true, we still have a chance of getting closure for the third season’s cliffhanger. Until then, the first three seasons of theiCarlyreboot are available for streaming on Paramount+.
