PRODUCTION/CULTURAL REFERENCES (written 10/15/17)

-I originally came up with the idea for this episode two years ago, and it was supposed to be a part of season four sometime in November. However, that was during the time where I got burned out and lazy, so I never even got the chance to start writing it. The only difference between the 2015 version and this one is the addition of the subplot.

-I didn't really care for this episode when I wrote the first draft. It actually took about two weeks to write and there were times where I just wanted to get it over with, unlike last week's episode. However, I gained a new appreciation for it this week during the rewrite. The best part about a show like this is that I can do a variety of different stories. I could write a completely off-the-wall, complicated episode like "The Space Program" and then move on to smaller, more realistic stories like the other episodes this season. It's actually my intention to focus on more episodes like this one in season six.

-This was actually the episode where I wanted to work with someone else. I reached out to a friend back in June and asked if they wanted to write an episode with me. It took them almost no time to say yes, but when it was time to start writing this episode, I was unable to get in touch with them. I chose this episode because of how grounded it was, but since the collaboration didn't work out this time, I'm hoping to try again later this season.

-The subplot was based off of a real life experience that I went through this summer. I came up with it literally the day after it happened. I didn't handle the situation as well as I could have and I wasn't able to get redemption like Buster did, but I'm at peace now with what happened.

-Wade's parrot was named after jazz musicians Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

-I never had a scene in "Jaylynn, Anja, and Halley" where Anja and Halley settled their differences so I decided to include it here. It was a loose end that I felt needed to be tied up.

-Sparky asks if RK is going on strike again, a reference to "Young Black Prepubescents" (#TYH511) where a fed up RK protests iCarly Elementary School.

-In the original draft, Jaylynn is insistent on keeping the puppy and even goes as far as pretending she's an employee at the Smiling Taco to throw Charlotte off. It isn't until the dream sequence that she comes to her senses and decides to return Jaylynn II immediately. However, I felt like this scene made Jaylynn unlikable and she hadn't really felt conflicted over keeping a puppy that wasn't hers, so I rewrote it.

-Originally, the episode ended with a fake PSA about the dangers of keeping pets that didn't belong to you. When Halley asked why this was happening, Sparky said it was so PETA wouldn't sue them. I didn't think it was funny and it had been done way too many times in the past, so I came up with an additional scene at the end where Jaylynn makes amends with the girls and she gets closure with Jaylynn II.

-I had literally no other songs in mind but "Caught Their Eyes" so it made the episode.