Mount Hood

iCarly returns for season two

Paramount+ iCarly’s season two continues to look at life from the lens of adulthood, as well as welcomes back familiar faces

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

 

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

This article contains minor spoilers for season two of iCarly.

The reboot of the beloved Nickelodeon children’s series, iCarly, has returned for a second season with a release of three new episodes. Available for streaming on Paramount+ on April 8, iCarly’s new season will pick up right where season one left off, with Carly trying to adjust to adulthood while also working to gain traction for her revived web channel. While the first season was a hit amongst many fans of the early show, some were left with the question of whether season two will be just as notable. Here is this Staff Writer’s thoughts on the three recent episodes of the iCarly revival.

 

Episode 1: “iGuess Everyone Just Hates Me Now,” tackles the topic of “cancel culture” and the struggles female influencers and creators often encounter juggling their love life and careers. Viewers also get to see some of the old “Creddie” action present in the first series of iCarly in this episode, as Carly tries — and fails — to make viewers like her again. Thanks to the topic and message this episode covers, it easily became my favorite episode from the season so far, with seven more to go.

 

Episode 2: In “iObject Lewbert,” the iCarly gang’s escapades as children come back to bite them in the form of archnemesis and doorman Lewbert. Not going to lie, as someone who grew up watching the original iCarly show, it felt refreshing to see the iCarly cast finally face the consequences of their actions. This episode also features my favorite line of the entire season so far: “What kind of millennial hell is this?” I’m using that from now on.

 

Episode 3: “i’M Wild and Crazy” has Carly attempting to keep up with the adventures of her eccentric  best friend, Harper, in order to be less “boring.” I’m not saying I relate to Carly, but I relate to Carly. How many of us have tried to step out of our comfort zone in order to prove someone else wrong? While this episode wasn’t my favorite from the current bunch, it was entertaining and relatable.

 

The new season will also feature Paul, played by Josh Peck, as Carly’s manager for the iCarly web series. It will also allegedly reintroduce the beloved character of T-Bo, the quirky Groovy Smoothie manager in future episodes, according to teasers from Miranda Cosgrove. iCarly season two has a total of 10 episodes, with new episodes premiering weekly on Fridays. Don’t miss out. So far, it’s an 8/10.

Find the ideal to-do list app

Six time management and habit tracker apps to stay organized

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Looking for a new way to manage time and keep track of habits? A multitude of apps exist to do just that — but which to choose? Here I provide an overview of six time management and to-do list apps to help narrow down the options. All are available for free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. 

“Focus To-Do”: My favorite of the bunch, this app is based on the Pomodoro technique — work on something for 25 minutes straight, then take a five minute break. List upcoming tasks, estimate the amount of Pomodoro sessions it will take and start the timer to get to work. As an added incentive, users can grow a virtual sapling by completing sessions.

“MyLifeOrganized”: This app is great for those with a lot on their plate. Organize projects, tasks and reminders into multiple workspaces and subsections, and use tags to easily navigate different types of tasks.

“Productive”: With a cute design, “Productive” is aimed at those looking to keep track of daily habits, such as drinking enough water, waking up early and going for a walk. The app logs statistics overtime, and users can complete challenges for extra motivation.

“Remember The Milk”: Remember more than just the milk; this app offers a great way to organize all kinds of reminders while also adding a social element. Sync up specific to-do lists with other devices so that tasks can be managed from everywhere, and share lists with colleagues or friends to check off together. 

“TimeBloc”: Keep track of routines and events — both one-time and recurring — in one calendar with customizable color coded labels. Scroll through the day’s hour-by-hour tasks on the main tab, or view added routines on the second tab to plan ahead.

“Todoist”: Focused on making habits by keeping streaks, “Todoist” creates a reward system for completing to-do list items every day. Set goals and check off tasks on different boards in order to reach higher “Karma” levels.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

Review: “Birds of the Northwest”

Discover the joys of birdwatching with “Birds of the Northwest” 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Birdwatchers throughout the Pacific Northwest can rejoice: the visual identification guide “Birds of the Northwest” just made birdwatching so much easier. Award-winning photographer ⏤ and author of over 175 field guides and other literature ⏤ Stan Tekiela shows just how easy it can be to learn about native birds. Based on his best-selling bird field guides, this condensed copy manages to cover 130 species of birds found in Oregon, northern California, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. 

Readers can find key details about the birds and their behavior, such as which ones will eat from backyard feeders, how to tell the variation in a male and female bird and how to tell the difference between their counterparts. There is also an additional section on feeding birds, which are broken up into categories ⏤ Bluebirds, Chickadees & Nuthatches, Doves, Finches, Hummingbirds and Woodpeckers.

The guide is a very condensed pocket sized format, yet manages to go fairly in depth on the variation of identification marks for a bounty of birds. It has useful sections based on the main color of the feathers, going from mostly red, to yellow, green-blue, black and white, gray and fully black birds. Along the bottom of each page shows the average height of the birds in question and their silhouettes for quick comparison, and Tekiela gives brief descriptions of important characteristics for proper identification. 

He uses to-the-point phrases, like for the Pacific Stellar’s Jay, which is described as having blue streaks on its black head and a large crest. Normally, it’s around 11 inches tall and will eat from bird feeders. Learning to name and place birds is a timeless skill, and makes going outside that much more immersive. It takes patience and a handy guide, but in time, anyone can practice their birdwatching skills.  

Review: I would have to give this a 4.5/5 because the book is so handy and detailed, which makes it essential for beginner birdwatchers. Before buying this book, it was difficult to correctly identify each bird I saw since there were so many. After getting the guide, it’s become increasingly easier to find the right fowl. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Dungeon Delving for Dummies: “Ghosts of Saltmarsh”

“Ghosts of Saltmarsh” is Wizards of the Coast’s most boring adventure guide

Stephanie Moschella |‌ ‌Digital Media Manager

For new dungeon masters, “Ghosts of Saltmarsh” is a suitable adventuring guide that lays out the groundwork ahead of time. However, for anyone that has played Dungeons & Dragons more than a handful of times, it is aimed extremely towards newbies and not seasoned players. There are many interesting moving pieces, including a haunted Shadowfell forest and hidden vampires; but, at the end of the day, it falls flat in comparison to some other campaign guides. 

With seven adventures and three new factions, there really isn’t a lot of new content in this guide. It is much too similar to the “Tales from the Yawning Portal,” with an assortment of adventures that can be added to any campaign. There isn’t one Saltmarsh adventure that screams “sea pirate shanty.” If anything, things can be taken out from this book and put anywhere else. This guidebook doesn’t convey these adventures well at all, and there is little to no character or story when it comes to these adventures. 

If DMs were planning on only running Saltmarsh ⏤ something that I tried to do ⏤ there will be a lot of times where they have to take full and utter control. With the lack of balance between adventures that are played in the lower levels compared to mid-to upper-levels, DMs have to throw a lot of freebies to their players. It’s hard to really push the boundaries of playstyle when it is almost set up for players to fail. 

I don’t get why so many people are saying this is a great adventure sourcebook. I know it’s hard to review campaign guides already, but it’s even harder when the book just kind of sucks. The artwork is amazing, and there are some characters that when heavily expanded on, can be great set pieces in a campaign. But that’s just it, it relies too heavily on the DM making choices to change and improve upon characters, which in the end, only the character name is something Saltmarsh provides. 

The location of Saltmarsh is cool I guess — the run down coastline town can be an interesting start to campaigns; but, honestly, within the first couple of sessions, it can become extremely small and claustrophobic fast. I just kept thinking about how glad I was for being born in the suburbs right next to a major city.

Overall Review: If DMs use parts of this adventuring guide in their own campaigns, it can add a fun and interesting twist. However, there isn’t anything new presented in this guidebook hence, it can just be dismissed. 4/10 would recommend to DM’s and players alike. 

Contact the author at smoschella20@mail.wou.edu

Trip out over Brent Faiyaz’s latest single, “Gravity”

Trippy visuals and bass guitars come together 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

Music artist Brent Faiyaz has gained traction for his talents and recognition in the music industry following the huge response from his album, “F–k the World,” which was released in February 2020. Fans have been long anticipating another album or single, and when the time finally came, Faiyaz didn’t disappoint. Released on Jan. 27, Faiyaz’s latest hit, “Gravity,” comes stacked with vocals and lines from DJ Dali and Tyler, the Creator, and has Steve Lacey on the guitar and bass. 

Through the song, both Faiyaz and Tyler describe their lifestyle on the road and the way it impacted their relationships. Both artists experience a type of “gravity” from their partners, who try to pull them back home from the rush of a luxe lifestyle, and the amount of energy it takes to maintain that balance. 

Faiyaz boasts a bit about his fame in the chorus with, “I’m on (Don’t act like I’m average)/ But you want me home (Home)/ I’d get you what you want (Superstar status)/ But you want me alone (I’m gone, baby, I’m active).” And Tyler, the Creator echos the message of finding a balance between here and there in the third verse, “Now when I’m gone, and I roam ’round the globe for three months/ That’s too long without somethin’ that’s sweet/ So I phone, little treats, that’s a snack, not a feast/ They don’t mean much to me/ ‘Cause I know that I have a bakery back at home.” 

There are effortless transitions between verses paired with strong vocals and unique melodies, which all together form a trippy auditory time-warping experience. Following this theme, the album cover includes fluorescent colors that look like a psychedelic oil spill, resulting in a warbling and eye-catching artwork. 

The melodies, layers of instruments and laid back vocals create a pop song that will hit the top of the music charts and stay there. As of right now, fans wait to hear if an official music video will be released within the coming months. While they wait,  a video of the audio alongside engaging visuals is currently on YouTube. 

Find Brent Faiyaz’s ⏤ and other accompanying artists’ ⏤ latest music on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Review: “Bridgerton”

Released on Netflix, upper-class society in “Bridgerton” gets saucy 

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌

Netflix’s latest hit “Bridgerton” follows the peculiar family of the same name, showcasing the adventures of the eight siblings and their search for love and happiness. Inspired by Julia Quinn’s bestselling novels, this romantic drama was released Dec. 25, 2020. Starring Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor as main leads Simon Basset and Daphne Bridgerton respectfully, the debut season ranked in Netflix’s Top 10 for good reason — imagine Gossip Girl meets Pride and Prejudice. 

Bridgerton showcases life in London’s high-society in a fictional post-racial Regency era. Audiences can find elaborate sets and costumes, quick-witted characters and steamy scenes which make it a quintessential romance drama. One of the biggest puzzles in this show is in discovering the identity of Lady Whistledown ⏤ the character narrated by Julie Andrews ⏤ who acts as the town’s anonymous author of a scandalous tabloid. 

Most of the themes present in the show were paired with fairly historic views of status and class, gender roles, marriage and love. There was plenty of humor throughout the show that kept the episodes well-paced, but there is a larger discussion to be had with certain themes that come up, and some parts where viewer discretion is advised. For example, episode six contains scenes of sexual assault and rape. 

With their high-class lifestyle comes murder and mystery ⏤ all displayed in elegant ballrooms, sprawling gardens and quaint drawing room parlors. Netflix goes one extra step by taking these details of elite life in London and pairs modern music made classical by the Vitamin String Quartet — like Billie Eilish’s “the bad guy,” Shawn Mendes’s “In My Blood” and Maroon 5’s “Girl Like You.” 

The storyline is developed enough to hold the audience’s attention while leaving wiggle room for a possible next season, and has enough gossip to keep the viewer intrigued. The big reveal of Lady Bridgerton could have been saved for future seasons, as it apparently was in the books, but it was worth it to know in the end. 

Overall Review: A strong 3.8/5 because of the wardrobe choices and the treats they eat look ridiculously good, but there’s always room for improvement.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

“Schitt’s Creek” Finale

A dysfunctional household learns the value of family over the course of six seasons

Brianna Lelieur | Entertainment Editor

“Schitt’s Creek” is a recently concluded show that has been around for six seasons. The series starts with an incredibly dysfunctional family that is filthy rich, and becomes flat broke in a matter of minutes. They are then dropped in a random, middle-of-nowhere town that the main character, Johnny Rose, had bought for his son, David, as a joke. From there, viewers see their journey and evolution into figuring out how the real world works, and how to become productive members of society. 

Now coming full circle, the show has finally reached its end. The show closed on a happy note, with the finale focusing on a message that the characters were glad they lost their money in the beginning, because it allowed them to become better, happier people. 

The show’s last season’s best feature was well executed character development. They ensured that the characters still retained a lot of key aspects of their former lives, and didn’t completely make them something they were not. 

An example of this was with Alexis Rose; she started out super rich, always sassy and in a hurry, looking for the next place to go and see. However, we see her develop into a woman who learns  to appreciate taking a break once in a while, and learning that there is a lot more to life than always being on the go. 

By the finale, she knows that sometimes it is better to have great company — whether it’s with family, a partner or friends — than doing what is “cool” at the time. However, despite the fact they calmed her down a bit, the itch of belonging in a big city always lingered in her. They didn’t write that off, and she didn’t transition into a completely different character. 

“Schitt’s Creek” is a basic Family Dysfunction TV show — it makes the viewer feel like a part of the fame point can relate to them.

Overall review: It’s a decent show, and while I don’t think I’ll be rewatching it, I would definitely recommend it. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

WOU logo

Facebook   Instagram   Twitter  YouTube  LinkedIn  wouTV

WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
345 Monmouth Ave. N.
Monmouth OR 97361

503-838-8000 | 1-877-877-1593

Tools

Campus Maps
Canvas
Find People
Portal
Virtual Tour
WOU Email
Technical Support

Resources

A-Z Index
Accessibility
Academic Calendar
Class Schedule
Jobs at WOU
Partnerships
Student Services

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

Accessibility    Public Records    Privacy    Student Consumer Information

WOU prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by WOU.