Both iCarly and Drake and Josh were popular shows on Nickelodeon’s Teen Nick channel. Following the end of Drake and Josh in 2007, iCarly followed soon after with a similar cast.

Though both featured very different storylines and supporting characters, they each juggled the same type of humor, making for some more wacky and zany situations. While Drake and Josh is typically hailed as the better of the two shows, iCarly still brought a lot to the table as far as Teen Nick shows go. To help compare the two, here is our list of five things iCarly did better, and five things Drake and Josh did better.

iCarly Showed Off Miranda Cosgrove

Miranda Cosgrove was the biggest actor to transition from Drake and Josh into iCarly. In Drake and Josh, the young actress played Megan Parker, the two’s little sister. In iCarly, however, the actress found herself in the lead role. Likewise, the two characters were drastically different from each other. In Drake and Josh, Megan was a brilliant young girl who set out to make her brother’s lives as miserable as possible. 

In iCarly though, Cosgrove portrays Carly Shay, a light-hearted, outgoing teen. iCarly really allowed Cosgrove to show off some acting abilities, as her two characters are drastically different personalities. Furthermore, seeing her in the spotlight was also welcome as Cosgrove brought a lot of charm to her own series that was missing from her role in Drake and Josh.

Drake and Josh Had More Music

Considering how Drake Bell’s musical abilities had helped him with his reputation, it is no surprise that some of those elements would find their way into Drake and Josh. The show actually focused heavily on Drake’s role as an aspiring musician. However, this also factored into the show very well in the sense that the writers could focus more on the musical elements from time to time. 

Even in the Drake and Josh movie, Drake’s debut as a new musician plays the biggest factor in the plot of the movie. Incorporating a heavy musical element allowed for some interesting situations on the show and also showed off Drake Bell’s own unique talents. Unfortunately, iCarly never really explored the vocal talents of its cast, which is odd considering both Miranda Cosgrove and Jennette McCurdy can sing.

iCarly Crossed Over

iCarly aired around the same time as the other popular Teen Nick show, Victorious. Once, the two shows even crossed over for a nice, fun little event that fans of both shows could appreciate. Furthermore, following the end of both series, the two merged to create the short-lived spin-off series, Sam and Cat. 

While the crossover may have been pure fun, it was still nice to see characters from each show interact with each other. It made iCarly seem like it fit in the larger scale of a limited universe. Though the crossover may have been a minor deal in regards to other TV events, it showed how Nickelodeon had been evolving and made iCarly feel as though it had its place on the channel.

Drake and Josh Had Crazy Steve

Actor Jerry Trainor made appearances quite often on both Drake and Josh as well as iCarly. On Drake and Josh, he played Crazy Steve, an erratic co-worker of Josh’s who’s random actions and sayings made for great bouts of humor. On iCarly, he played Cosgrove’s older brother Spencer, an aspiring artist and caretaker to Carly.

Without a doubt, Crazy Steve proved to be the more memorable role. Trainor expertly pulls off the erratic behavior and has had several hysterical moments on Drake and Josh. That’s not to say that he underperformed as Spencer in any way. Crazy Steve was simply just much more suited for Trainor’s style.

iCarly Ran Longer

Though not the best measurement of quality, iCarly still had the benefit of running longer than Drake and Josh. Drake and Josh ran from 2004-2007, while iCarly ran from 2007-2012. Not only was iCarly able to get more content out there, but the general quality of the show remained consistent throughout. Therefore, fans of the show were rarely ever disappointed. Likewise, iCarly fans were blessed with a consistent cast and simply got more done with the characters in the extra 2 years.

Drake and Josh had the Better Dynamic

Part of what made Drake and Josh so great was seeing the two interact with other characters. Not only was their own relationship very entertaining to witness, but the interactions with Megan, their parents, Craig and Eric, etc. all made for the more intriguing aspects of the show. 

Furthermore, Drake and Josh really established a strong family dynamic. After a point, you really got a sense that the two were brothers. Megan also felt a lot like a little sister to the two, especially at the end. While both parents could have had a stronger presence in the show, they still had their own great moments. While iCarly certainly established some interesting relationships, it didn’t quite capture the same charm as some other supporting characters from Drake and Josh did.

iCarly Felt Much More Modern

One direction that iCarly took that was significantly different from Drake and Josh was in its approach to technology. iCarly really embraced the modern practice of vlogging and the rising popularity of a web series. The series itself required the technological element as a basis for the story. 

As such, the characters also get into some modern relationships with fame as well as internet publicity. Rivalries are formed with characters like Neville Paperman. The iCarly crew gets invited to internet award shows. Carly has to deal with a crazy fan. In a time where the internet is everywhere, iCarly showcased a lot of what that can lead to.

Drake and Josh Got Movies

Drake and Josh performed so well that the series spun out two movies with Drake and Josh Go Hollywood and Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh. Merry Christmas Drake and Josh functioned as an epilogue of sorts for the series and aired a year after the show’s final episode. Both movies were very well received and featured all of the best elements of the show.

On the other hand, iCarly only spun out one TV movie with iGo to Japan. Strictly speaking, the crossover with Victorious is also a movie, but it feels more like a crossover episode than a spin-off movie. In regards to Drake and Josh though, the two movies help emphasize just how popular the show really was.

iCarly Embraced the Weird

While Drake and Josh certainly found themselves in some crazy situations, iCarly certainly outdid themselves when it came to the weird. Characters like Gibby, Spencer, Lewbert, Ms. Benson, etc. constantly kept the weird in the show, and the situations only added to it. Drake and Josh never really featured characters that were too far out there.

iCarly also saw crazed fans, strange internet videos, obsessive rivals, and family drama on a regular basis, making the weird feel right at home on the show. While it’s easy to see how some would prefer the more realistic elements of Drake and Josh, iCarly’s weirder approach made it more distinct and allowed it to stand apart from what Drake and Josh had accomplished, making for a more intriguing show.

Drake and Josh Left a Legacy

To this day, Drake and Josh remains a very beloved TV show. Fans of the show are still very likely to follow the cast with whatever current project they may be working on. Depending on the individual, you may even hear a quote from the show from time to time. Unfortunately, iCarly doesn’t really have the same lasting impact following the finale. 

Drake and Josh is so popular that there has even been some demand to bring it back. Recently, both Drake Bell and Josh Peck have teased a possible revival of the series, or perhaps the next best thing. Considering the excitement around a potential version of the show, it is obvious that the actual show was immensely popular.