The Fan-Favorite iCarly Character Who Almost Got A Spin-Off Series

Say it with us now: "Gibby!"

Nickelodeon's "iCarly" wrapped in 2012, and you probably know that it expanded the series' canon in 2013 with "Sam & Cat," a sequel crossover spinoff of "iCarly" and "Victorious," featuring an odd-couple pairing of Sam Puckett (played by Jennette McCurdy) and Cat Valentine (Ariana Grande) in the titular roles. What you might not know, though is that "Sam & Cat" wasn't the only series developed to expand the "iCarly" universe: Fan-favorite Orenthal Cornelius "Gibby" Gibson (Noah Munck), the eccentric friend to Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove), Sam, and Fredward "Freddie" Benson (Nathan Kress), was tapped to have a spin-off of his own.

Gibby began his "iCarly" run as a recurring character notable for his eccentricities that included, but were not limited to, randomly taking his shirt off and screaming his name as a catchphrase, akin to a Pokémon. Munck was promoted to series regular for the series' final three seasons.

A pilot titled "Gibby" was filmed in 2012 but ultimately never aired or went to series. The episode follows Gibby as he takes a job mentoring four middle schoolers at the Bixby, an after-school recreation center. The show would have followed Munck's character as he stepped into a leadership role, bringing his signature eccentricities and heart to a new setting. Though Nickelodeon did not grant a series order for "Gibby!," a rough cut of the unaired pilot leaked online in 2023, giving fans a tease at what this spinoff could have entailed.

Following the scrapped "Gibby!" pilot, Noah Munck reprised the character one more time in the "Sam & Cat" episode "#SuperPsycho," sharing a dinner scene with "iCarly" resident antagonist Nevel Papperman (Reed Alexander). Following this final appearance, Munck shifted his focus to other creative pursuits, including producing electronic music under the name NoxiK and uploading independent, avant-garde comedy videos and songs on YouTube under the Sadworld YouTube channel. Munck also had a recurring role on the ABC sitcom "The Goldbergs," playing "Naked" Rob Smith. 

Though he didn't return for Paramount+'s "iCarly" revival, Gibby's presence still lingered. The character is mentioned in the episode "iObject, Lewbert!," which features his younger brother Guppy (Ethan Munck). The revival concluded with a major cliffhanger before its cancellation in 2023, but Miranda Cosgrove has expressed hope for a future epilogue film. If that happens, perhaps the now grown-up eccentric friend will get one last moment in the spotlight. Fans eager to return to the world of both "iCarly" and "Victorious" can look forward to the upcoming "Victorious" spin-off, "Hollywood Arts," which is in production at the time of writing.