Hannah Montana vs. iCarly vs. Waverly Wizards
Popular Tween Shows Compete for Emmy Award
Sep 6, 2009
Should it be Hannah Montana, the Disney Channel production about a young pop star leading a double life? Should it be iCarly, the Nickelodeon series about teen-agers running a popular web show? Or should it be Wizards of Waverly Place, the Disney program portraying siblings with magical powers?
The shows share many qualities. Most obviously, all three are immensely popular live-action comedies whose female leads are adored by young girls. And for the most part, they're well-written with capable, likable casts.
But there are notable differences -- mainly between iCarly and the two Disney shows. And the main factor in determining the winner could be how one defines "Outstanding Children’s Show."
The winner will be presented Sept. 12 in Los Angeles as part of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards presentation in Los Angeles.
Why Hannah Montana Could Win
Hannah Montana has been on the air the longest of the three nominees. Next year will mark its fourth and final season, so it might be a sentimental Emmy choice.
The show lacks the freshness of its earlier seasons, but that's to be expected. After all, heroine Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) has had to deal with more situations than your average teen character. As a result, so have the Hannah Montana producers and writers.
There are only so many times one can fall back on the dual-identity theme (Miley, of course, hides the fact that she doubles as pop star Hannah Montana). And there are only so many times one can draw laughs from Miley bantering with her brother Jackson (Jason Earles). So Disney's had to adjust
Miley's getting older, so her teenage crushes are getting more serious. And her best buddies, Lilly (Emily Osment) and Oliver (Mitchel Musso) are a couple now. The result is that some might not see Hannah Montana as being such a kids show anymore.
But Disney's managed to maintain a light touch, focusing on friendship and family. So Hannah Montana has remained nice, clean fun.
Why iCarly Could Win
In iCarly, the kids truly do rule.
Many kids shows portray adults as being somewhat clueless, but in iCarly, a majority of them are flat-out idiots.
The main character (Carly Shay, played by Miranda Cosgrove) doesn't live with her parents, who are overseas in the military. So the level-headed teen stays with her goofy twenty-something brother Spencer (Jerry Trainor) -- and she takes care of him more than he takes of her.
Carly also has to mediate frequent disputes with her best friends, Sam (Jennette McCurdy) and Freddie (Nathan Kress) who can't admit that they like each other.
In its two seasons, iCarly has been daring and innovative -- at least for a show of its genre. Its web-based theme works well with youngsters, and its quirky, fast-paced humor keeps them engaged. The show frequently spoofs popular culture, with references to things like "The Tingling Brothers Circus" or "The Dingo Channel" -- a takeoff of Disney.
Unlike the Disney programs, iCarly isn't bent on having morals to its stories. Troublemakers don't always learn their valuable lesson -- although they generally get humiliated at the end of the episode.
Even the "good" people in the show will engage in questionable behavior -- and it often comes with no consequences. And while iCarly does have some tender moments, it's more about providing laughs at a furious rate than it is about preaching.
So is iCarly not setting a good example for kids? Or is it just not taking them for fools?
Why The Wizards of Waverly Place Could Win
Wizards tells the story of Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) and her brothers, Justin (David Henrie) and Max (Jake T. Austin), who descend from a family of wizards.
Their father (David DeLuise) lost his magical powers for marrying their mortal mother (Maria Canals Barrera), but he still tries to teach his children the proper use of wizardry.
He fails, of course, as the siblings frequently get themselves into trouble with their wands. But everything always ends up OK, with lessons learned and family bonds strengthened.
The use of magic opens the way for a wide use of special effects -- and it also makes just about anything possible. The characters, after all, can make it snow on one side of the street and clear on the other.
Also, the writers have cleverly introduced werewolves, and vampires and even zombies with good comedic effect.
Kids and magic are a winning combination. Harry Potter proved it, and Wizards has provided further evidence in its two seasons.
So Who Should Win?
The most outstanding is iCarly. It's the most ingenious and the most humorous of the three. But being the best children's show doesn't necessarily mean it's the best show for children. That's for the Academy of Television Arts and Science to decide.
