Nickelodeon’s hit show “Victorious” is finally on Netflix, and young adults everywhere are stoked to relive their childhood. The show is about Tori Vega (Victoria Justice), a girl who gets accepted in a fancy art school by chance. When her older sister, Trina, has an allergic reaction and can’t perform at her show, Tori steps up in her absence, wowing the crowd and the administrators of the school.
Hollywood Arts isn’t your average high school though — in the show, crazy plots and musical performances are the standard. None of this would ever happen in real life, but it’s thoroughly entertaining.
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Netflix has all 60 episodes divided into three seasons (though Wikipedia says it’s technically four). Don’t have time to binge watch all of the episodes or listen to every song? Let this ranking be your guide.
Top Five “Victorious” Episodes
5. “Helen Back Again”
When the original principal leaves, he is replaced by Helen (Yvette Nicole Brown), the same Helen that Nickelodeon fans loved from “Drake and Josh.” As the new principal, she asks each student to re-audition to Hollywood Arts, the art-based high school that the characters attend.
It’s an episode full of mini performances as each student tries to earn their spot in the school … again. Fans get to see the extreme talent in each member of the cast.
4. “How Trina Got In”
Fans have no doubt been asking the question of how Trina (Daniella Monet) got into Hollywood Arts since Episode 1. She seems to lack the creative talent that every other student at the school possesses: she can’t sing, can’t act, can’t dance.
The main group of characters come together to speculate on how she ever got into Hollywood Arts in the first place. Each scenario is wilder than the next, but the truth might be the craziest scenario of all.
3. “Ice Cream for Ke$ha”
Somehow Nickelodeon got pop star Ke$ha to be in a show of theirs, and for that I am forever thankful. Ke$ha announces that she has paired up with an ice cream company, hiding letters that spell out her name in each pint. The first fan to collect all five letters and submit their findings gets a free concert from Ke$ha herself.
And duh, her performance is stellar (I mean it’s Ke$ha). The plot of the episode is good, don’t get me wrong, but there’s nothing like seeing a Ke$ha performance.
2. “Robarazzi”
If after reading the word “Robarazzi” you didn’t immediately go “starring Robbie Shapiro” then you need to rewatch this episode right away. In order to get popular on fictional social media platform TheSlap, Robbie Shapiro (Matt Bennett) creates a TMZ style show, exposing his friends on campus.
While it deals with the real issue of what’s okay and not to post online, it is also so funny watching “Victorious” mock TMZ. From Tori’s pimple to Cat’s (Ariana Grande) obsession with odd trinkets, this episode will keep you laughing.
1. “Sleepover at Sikowitz’s”
Easily the best episode in the series, “Sleepover at Sikowitz’s” features an acting challenge for the group: a competition to see who can stay in character the longest. The character that each person plays is chosen by a different member in the group.
Things quickly fall apart for certain members of the team and sleeping over at Sikowitz’s (Eric Lange) house is a wild experience for all of them. This episode is funny, well-written and leaves you wondering who will win until the very end.
Top Five “Victorious” Songs
Honorable Mention: “365 Days” (from “Jade Gets Crushed”)
Though not on an official soundtrack or on Spotify, this song is positively adorable and deserves attention. Though Andre (Leon Thomas III) sings it about Jade (Elizabeth Gillies) — a girl who is very scary — “365 days” is so sweet, if it were a food it would be cotton candy.
5. “Best Friend’s Brother” (from “Prom Wrecker”)
This is the song I know best from the show because of how many times I used to see the music video during commercial breaks. This song is pure bubblegum pop, highlighting Justice’s ability to hit high notes and hold them.
4. “Finally Falling” (from “Tori the Zombie”)
“Finally Falling” comes from a production that the students of Hollywood Arts put on, but it is one of the best songs in the show. It features Justice singing about a relationship built on confidence and security rather than arrogance and insecurities. Though the lyrics suggest a ballad, it’s incredibly upbeat.
3. “Take A Hint” (from “Tori and Jade’s Playdate”)
Gillies and Justice basically destroy men with “Take A Hint,” the most popular song from the franchise. Currently, this track has over 33 million plays on Spotify.
“Take A Hint” is aggressive and strong, a great track to scream to. It is also the only time the two get to do a duet in the entire series.
2. “Tell Me That You Love Me” (from “The Great Ping-Pong Scam”)
One of the few ballads in the show, “Tell Me That You Love Me” never fails to make me smile. Thomas III and Justice harmonize beautifully together.
While this is something the show runners took advantage of many times, it is best in this song. The production is simple, led by the angelic vocals and adorable verses.
1. “Give It Up” (from “Freak the Freak Out: Part 1”)
Though often overlooked, this song is truly the greatest song in the entire franchise. Gillies and Grande make for a powerful duo, singing an anthem for women everywhere. It’s not as explicitly full of girl power like “Take A Hint,” but “Give It Up” is the genre defying bop that we deserve.
“Victorious” is a show that is completely unreal but fantastic anyway. It has the most incredible cast (who are still friends!) and some amazing performances. The cast has moved on from the show, but have been vocal about their love of it, especially in this week’s release to Netflix. It’s nostalgia all around.
