Why Rewatching ‘iCarly’ Will Make Clear that T-Bo was the Best Character All Along

On February 8th, iCarly‘s first two seasons dropped on Netflix, and the sitcom has been sitting in the platform’s daily Top 10 ever since. The wacky Nickelodeon show has a cast chock-full of memorable, zany characters. We love Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) for her positivity and star-power, Sam (Jennette McCurdy) for her unabashed ruthlessness and love for ham, Freddie (Nathan Kress) for his kindness and nerdiness, Spencer (Jerry Trainor) for being the random, fun, and anything-goes kind of guardian we wish we all had, and, of course, Gibby (Noah Munck) for his shirtlessness, penchant for screaming his own name, and general Gibby-ness.

However, out of every character, there’s one who shines brighter than them all. He didn’t arrive until Season 2 but once he did, we never forgot his name. I am, of course, taking about the illustrious T-Bo (BooG!e) — full name Terrence Jeter Bo — manager of the Groovy Smoothie and self-proclaimed “Doctor of Smoothiology.”

We first meet T-Bo in the 15th episode of Season 2, “iWant My Website Back,” where he managed to make a lasting impression as a man who looms over Carly and the gang while they desperately try to get their website back from Nevel Papperman (Reed Alexander) one minute, and then who’s trying to sell them bagels on a stick (at least half a dozen for only $5, that’s an incredible deal!!! And they had the gall to turn him down! Their loss.) the next. In an episode where Spencer casually decimates his credit score by canceling one card and opening another only to accidentally buy 200 pillows he definitely can’t afford (which is both hilarious and tragic), it’s T-Bo who begins to make his mark as a character to watch.

T-Bo is an innovator!! He took a simple concept, selling things on sticks, and he monetized and marketed the heck out of it. And at a SMOOTHIE SHOP! That takes guts. Especially since this stick-food venture seemed like his own personal business outside of the smoothie vending, which could’ve probably gotten him fired (good thing he’s practically his own boss). T-Bo makes his own path, and he does it while dealing with the main cast’s craziness and all their baggage. I mean, we love to watch it happen and laugh along with it all, but how would you like it if a crazy girl wearing a duck mask started aggressively quacking at all your customers?! And he didn’t even throw her out or anything. Just offered her the olive branch of bagels on a stick. The man is an absolute legend.

In episode 18 of Season 2, “iTwins,” when Freddie questions T-Bo for selling pickles on a stick at a smoothie place, our man claps back, “Well pardon me for thinking that all foods and beverages could get along.” If that’s not true love and tolerance, then I don’t know what is. The man is a sage, his store a gathering place for our show’s heroes to hang and be merry, his food on stick offerings from the gods themselves. He’s provided a safe haven where people can openly be influencers and have web shows without having to feel as ashamed or embarrassed as they probably should, and where anything can be put on a stick, if only you just believe. This is why T-Bo is the best of the best.

Still not convinced? Here are just a few more pieces of evidence in the case for T-Bo Supremacy:

• First and foremost, T-Bo is an understanding guy who doesn’t mind doing a person a favor. He let Spencer hang around his store in his robe and slippers without buying anything for a whole day (and probably scaring off customers) before he even said anything about it.
• He allowed Carly, Sam, and Freddie to hold a speed-dating session at the Groovy Smoothie. So many grubby teens, and he let them in with open arms.
• He is dedicated to his craft, experimenting on new smoothies for daring customer to be guinea pigs for, probably without them knowing, like when he gave Carly and Sam smoothies that had jalapeño juice in them. Not every idea will be a winner, but at least he has the strength to try and fail and keep trying. That takes GUTS, people!

• He’s selling the biggest muffins I’ve ever seen in my life on a stick and he gave Carly one for free after sharing a brief story about his dead friend, unprompted. This is a real man who’s not afraid to be vulnerable or generous. Take note, world. He also had an elderly woman assaulted in his store right after that, when Carly accidentally pegged her with a muffin, which could’ve gotten him roped into some serious legal trouble, but did he hold this against Carly and her pals? No, although he probably should have. No muffin that large deserves to be wasted.
• Finally and perhaps most importantly, he has to deal with all the crap from the people in this insane world around him, the least we could do is recognize the poor guy for everything he’s had to put up with in addition to every wonderful contribution on a stick he’s ever brought to the show. iCarly loves you, T-Bo, and so do we.