Copyright The New York Times
Early in the new HBO series “I Love L.A.,” the heroine Maia, played by Rachel Sennott, the show’s creator, finds herself in a situation familiar to anyone with a frenemy. Scrolling on her phone, she encounters a post from a former pal she had been trying to avoid. Even worse: The friend, Tallulah (Odessa A’zion), looks incredible and had been paid thousands to post the image, a sexy look from a fashion campaign. Tallulah soon bursts into the narrative with a husky voice and bad instincts. She is irresponsible, entrancing and one of the most prominent influencer characters on television. Though the term “influencer,” describing what is essentially a social media star, was only added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2019, internet-famous characters have been showing up on TV for years. Often such figures are vain and vapid, subjects of derision. “I Love L.A.” represents something of a turning point in adding depth and dimension to its portrayal of an influencer, the latest evolution in a trajectory that reflects broader feelings about social media and its effect on the culture. In the first episode of the Nickelodeon series “iCarly,” which aired in 2007, the title character is approached by two girls who fawn over her new web show, a livecast called, of course, “iCarly.” The fans ask Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) and her friend Sam (Jennette McCurdy) for their autographs. Sam tells her pal to get used to it: “You might get famous.” Carly replies, “I don’t know if I’m going to like that.” But when a cute boy asks Carly to dance, she decides online fame isn’t so bad after all. Carly Shay was an influencer before the concept had been popularized. Internet celebrity was still somewhat novel — Instagram didn’t exist yet and platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were in their infancy. Her show starts as an outlet for kooky talents, and there’s a wholesomeness to her pursuits. This is no doubt partly because “iCarly” was a kids’ show, but it was also easier then to sell the internet as a place for unfettered creativity with none of its pesky dark side. (The 2021 reboot remained on brand, with Carly mostly undamaged by her viral youth.) Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
