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"Ooh, and I thought Crazy Steve was crazy."
Helen about Crazy Steve

Helen Back Again
Season 2, Episode 8
Large685
First Aired September 10th, 2011
Production Code 202
Writer(s) Arthur Gradstein
Director(s) Russ Reinsel
Viewed By: 4.39 million
Episode Guide
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"Locked Up!"
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"Who Did It to Trina?"

Helen Back Again is the eighth episode in Season 2 of Victorious and the 28th overall.[1] The episode reached 4.4 million viewers on its premiere.

Plot[]

When a new principal comes speeding into the Hollywood Arts parking lot after Principal Eikner announces that he is resigning, Tori unknowingly yells at the new principal for running over Robbie's new bike that he had just bought from Sinjin. During class, the new principal (Helen from Drake & Josh) tells all the students that they must re-audition to stay in the school. Tori and André together to come up with an audition.

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Tori wearing glasses.

In the re-audition, Tori and André perform a remix version of Make It Shine, but Helen kicks out Tori, but re-admits everyone else, including Trina. The Hollywood Arts gang (not including Jade) confront Helen about why she's kicking Tori out, and Helen claims Tori Vega was "untalented and irritating". Tori insists she is talented, and Helen agrees. It turns out, Helen's "assistant" got the names of Tori and Trina mixed up, and Trina's the one who was "untalented and irritating". The gang is happy Tori was re-admitted after all, but Tori tries insisting that Helen can't kick Trina out either, but she has to goad the others into helping her since they agree with Helen that Trina doesn't belong in the school.

Tori wants Trina to stay at Hollywood Arts, mainly because she believes that she was the one who got kicked out and doesn’t want to hurt her feelings, so Tori, Robbie, and André make a plan: they have Trina go to school early, before Helen. Then, Robbie, dressed as a mugger, pretends to rob Helen. When Helen yells for help, Trina uses her karate skills to attack Robbie and save Helen. While Helen is explaining to Tori what happened, André drags Robbie's unconscious body away. Due to Trina saving Helen, Helen decides to let Trina stay at Hollywood Arts. However, Trina believes Helen let Tori stay, still not realizing she was the one getting kicked out.

Songs Featured[]

Trivia[]

  • Jade is the only one who seems to be not scared of Helen. When Sikowitz asks the class "Who else is frightened by her?" and raises his hand, everyone raises their hand but Jade.
  • Tori and her mom are seen using an exercise tool that is a parody of the Shake Weight.
  • This episode was filmed early in October 2010 and aired 11 months after it was filmed.
  • This is the last episode written by Arthur Gradstein.
  • This episode was previously referred to by fans as "Principal Eikner Leaves."
  • Yvette Nicole Brown guest stars in this episode as Helen from Drake & Josh.
    Large753

    YOU SILLY BABY!

  • This was the first episode to air immediately following a new iCarly episode since Robarazzi on June 4, 2010.
  • This is the third episode to show Tori wearing glasses. The first one was The Bird Scene and the second was The Wood.
    • This episode features the first instance in the actual show where Tori wears glasses for real; other episodes showed her wearing glasses in character. It is implied that she wears contacts when she's at school.
  • This is the third time Tori sang Make It Shine. The first was in the Pilot, and the second was in Survival of the Hottest (excluding the opening credits).
    • This is also the second time Tori sang Make it Shine to get into Hollywood Arts.
  • Tori and André were the only ones shown to do their audition in pairs, while the rest of the gang did it individually.
  • This is the first time that Tori and Jade have to act as a married couple. The second is in the Season 3 episode Tori & Jade's Play Date.
  • Helen's driving, which was never known to be good on Drake & Josh, apparently hasn't improved by this episode.
  • In this episode, it seems that both Helen and Sikowitz had a history together as they both said each other's name in a serious tone.
  • The bike Sinjin sells to Robbie is not the same one that Sinjin was shown riding in Freak the Freak Out.
    Large75

    Helen

  • The title is a play on the phrase "To Hell and Back Again."
  • Ending tagline: "I would consider doing that."
  • This is technically a Drake & Josh and Victorious crossover episode, because Yvette Nicole Brown guest stars as her Drake & Josh character, Helen, though the word "crossover" is not mentioned in the promo for this episode.
  • The locker door that Helen rips off has an iCarly sticker on it.
  • This is the second episode of season 2 to not feature Jade imitating Tori (Beggin' on Your Knees being the first).
  • Helen comments, "Ooh, and I thought Crazy Steve was crazy." Crazy Steve was portrayed by Jerry Trainor in Drake & Josh and seen on many other series such as iCarly and Sam & Cat
  • Helen's role in Happy Times is mentioned. This was referred to in several episodes of Drake & Josh.
  • Helen admiring Beck is similar to how she admires Drake Parker in Drake & Josh.
  • When Helen was singing in the classroom, she sang the lyrics "Open up your eyes and see" which is a line in the Drake & Josh theme song.
  • Look closely when Cat's juggling; it's not Ariana Grande, but her juggling double, Olga Kay, an internet celebrity. Cat is wearing a helmet to hide the fact that Olga Kay is the one that's actually juggling.
  • How Trina manages to get into Hollywood Arts still raises some questions about how she got accepted in the first place. This is later revealed in How Trina Got In.
  • This is the second time a person from Drake & Josh has appeared in a Victorious episode, the first being Wok Star, where Josh Peck made a cameo as an audience member.
  • Jade showed her ability to imitate a guy's voice very well. In several videos on YouTube and TheSlap, Elizabeth Gillies is shown imitating a guy's voice and even said herself that she loves imitating guy's voices.
  • Helen does not appear in future episodes so it is likely she was either fired or likely quit.
  • Starting with this episode, Helen is the new principal of Hollywood Arts.
  • This is the second time we see Trina's martial arts talents (the first being Freak the Freak Out).
  • The phrase "talentless and irritating" was also used to describe Daisy Lee in Wok Star.
  • This marks the sixth time Tori and André have sung a duet.
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We finally found Trina's talent!

  • This is the second time a blooper of the episode was shown at the ending credits. The first time was in Ice Cream for Ke$ha.
    • The blooper shows Tori's laptop cover falling off a lot of times, so Victoria and Leon can't concentrate on the song.
  • Helen's job from Drake and Josh is mentioned in this episode.
    Tandrehelenbackagain
  • The auditions shown to Helen are:
    • Trina - "You Haven't Seen the Best of Me", a song she created herself.
    • Beck - Dramatic monologue.
    • Cat - Random talents (acting, juggling, singing), all of this done in 90 seconds, even though Cat said it was a five-minute audition.
    • Robbie - Stand up comedy (indirectly a ventriloquist act when Rex starts heckling Robbie, Helen believes this is his audition and loves it).
    • Jade - Horror movie which she wrote, directed, and starred in.
    • Tori and André - Make it Shine (remix).
    • Sinjin is shown doing lighting, but it is unknown if doing this counted as his re-audition or not.
  • During the scene where Tori is trying to tell Trina, she got kicked out of Hollywood Arts, when Tori goes to sit on the couch, if you look closely at her right elbow you'll see that she has a scab on her arm.
  • Trina's Nike Air Prestige III's from The Diddly-Bops and Jade Dumps Beck return in this episode.
    Trina Vega's Sneakers

    The sneakers worn by Trina in The Diddly Bops and Jade Dumps Beck return in this episode.

  • Trina's martial arts outfit, which was blue with a yellow belt, is actually a Vovinam Gi, not a Karate Gi. Also, unlike Karate, a yellow belt is the equivalent of a black belt, so this means Trina is highly trained and skilled in Karate.
  • When Robbie says that he hates being beaten and that he has "always have" been. He is probably referring to the bully who made him swallow his toy car in the episode Tori Gets Stuck.
  • When Tori said "I made it dim" while referring to her Make It Shine locker, that is probably the opposite of the phrase and title of the song.

Reception[]

The episode overall received mixed reactions from fans, with the main highlight being the re-audition scenes, but criticisms included that the episode felt rushed. Some didn't like it very much because of Trina's inability to realize that she had been kicked out of Hollywood Arts, not Tori. It premiered after the iCarly episode, iDate Sam & Freddie to 4.389 million viewers.

Goofs[]

  • In this episode, Robbie is shown buying a bike from Sinjin, despite claiming he can't ride a bike. (Beck Falls for Tori and on TheSlap). However, it is possible Robbie only wanted the bike to look cool, and not to actually ride it. Or since then has learned.
  • Beck raises his hand saying he's afraid of Helen, despite saying in iParty with Victorious and on TheSlap that nothing can scare him. The reason he claims to be scared is that he is probably worried about getting kicked out of Hollywood Arts.
    • His fear of Helen could simply just be an exception of nothing scaring him.
  • The fact that Yvette Nicole Brown is playing the same character she played on Drake & Josh meshes with a post Jade made on TheSlap about Josh Peck being at her play (see Wok Star) since Peck played Josh on Drake & Josh. (but this can't be considered as a goof as other TV shows sometimes establish that an actor that played a certain character exists within the same universe as the character they are playing) Also, Drake & Josh is a TV show since Cat's backstory in Who Did It to Trina?.
    • This type of goof is common in Dan Schneider's shows.
  • Helen shouldn't have had the authority to force all the students to re-audition. A rule like this would be up for the school committee to impose.
  • While Tori and André were rehearsing at the dining table, you can see a PearBook with Tori and André's drinks, but when the camera pans again to the dining table, the PearBook and the drinks are gone.
  • Even if Helen is the new principal, she would still get in trouble for running over Robbie's bike. However, it is possible his bike wasn't supposed to be parked where it was. In all fairness, Robbie parked his bike in the middle of a parking space, which isn't fair to other drivers wanting to park.
  • If Tori was getting kicked out of Hollywood Arts, it wouldn't make any sense that she got kicked out and André didn't, since they worked together.
    • Although there is also a possibility that the auditions were evaluated individually.
  • Helen and her assistant could've gotten into some legal trouble for the mix-up of student results since applications are supposed to be legitimate records and would face dismissal from her job.
  • Because of her clear lack of work experience in schools, Helen would not be able to become the new Hollywood Arts principal. In real life, Helen would need to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Education, plus a Master's Degree or Doctorate Degree in Education Administration. Once she earns these degree, Helen would have to work as a high school teacher for a certain number of years based on California's law. Then, for her to work her way up, she would need be considered as a good candidate to become a vice principal in order to work as one. Plus, she would need a valid teaching credential or principal certification.

Running Gag[]

  • Someone talking about "Cream of Wheat" cereal.
  • People showing signs that they are afraid of Helen.

Gallery[]

Click here to see the photo gallery for Helen Back Again.

Shut up 2

Quotes[]

Jade: (in her audition): "POP GOES THE WEASEL!"
Boy: "I HATE YOU!"
Jade: "I LOVE YOU!"
Boy: "I HATE YOU!"
Jade: "I LOVE YOU!"

Sikowitz: (Screams and runs out the auditorium)
Jade: "No offense Helen, but what do you know about singing a song?"
Helen: (singing) "Hey, heeeeyyy! You need to shut your moouuttthh, open up your eeeeyyeees, and see, that you don't know nothin', nothin', nooootthhiinn' about, meeeeeeeee!
(she and her assistant leave)
Sikowitz: "Who else is frightened by her?" (Helen)
(Everyone raises their hand except Jade)


André: "Wait, what do you mean she's not leaving?"
Beck: "I mean, we're all gonna talk to Helen about this right now."
Robbie: "Yeah, let's!"
André: "Yeah, let's do that!"
Tori: "What are you guys gonna say?"
Cat: "That if you have to leave Hollywood Arts, I'm leaving too."
Tori: "You would do that for me?"
Cat: "No...I really love this school."


Tori, Robbie, Rex, Beck, André, Cat: (Angrily) "Yeah yeah, Let's Go, Find Helen, Find her, We're gonna get that girl!. (Going the other way) You know, Helen is this way, No she's this way, Where is she!?!


Trina: "If I could somehow suck some talent out of me, and sprinkle it all over you, I swear, I would consider doing that."


Tori: "You guys I don't want to tell Trina that she got kicked out of Hollywood... (They all walk away)"


Tori: And sometimes when life gives you lemons you...
Trina: "Tori, I know what you're trying to say."
Tori: "You do?"
Trina: "You're embarrassed about getting kicked out of Hollywood Arts."
Tori: "Awwwwww."
Trina: It's okay. It doesn't mean you have zero talent. Do you think this is easy for me? Cause it's not.
Tori: What's not?
Trina: Being the talented one in our family. That's a lot of pressure, and you're my baby sister, it hurts me when you fail.
Tori: Aw, man.

Holly Vega: Are you gonna cry?
Tori: I don't know.
Holly Vega: You're gonna cry.
Tori: I know.


Sikowitz: Everyone your attention please! See my hand waving to and fro!
Jade: Everybody shut up!
Sikowitz: Ah Jade, so sweet and feminine.


Robbie: [About Sinjin's bike] If this were my bike would it make you want to date me? [To Tori]
Tori: No. But it's a really cool bike.


Helen: You uh shouldn't park your bike there.
Robbie: Then maybe you should watch where you're going.
Helen: Maybe you better watch that mouth.
Tori: Excuse me, you were the one that came in here speeding like a maniac.
[They all start arguing]
Tori: Wait, who are you?
Helen: My name is Helen, I'm the new principal of Hollywood Arts.
Tori: [To Robbie] You shouldn't park your bike there.


Tori: (In a play) (Angrily) Hey! I am so honkin' happy that we got married and had this cute little baby!
Jade: Ditto to that. I tell ya there's nothing on this planet that warms my cockles more then looking at this magical pile of baby right there. Cat: Goo!

Helen: See him, that's the spazzy boy's bike I ran over.
Rex: Heh Heh spazzy.


[During Robbie's re audition]

Robbie: Okay can someone explain baby back ribs to me? I mean seriously when i'm eating ribs do I want to be thinking about a baby's back?
Rex: You bombin boy.
Helen: Ha!
Robbie: Can you stop interrupting me, you're kinda killing my jokes.
Rex: How can I kill what's already dead.
Helen: I love it! A boy doing terrible stand up comedy and being heckled by his own puppet. Now, that's creative.
Robbie: No, this isn't part of my routine; he's really interrupting me.
Rex: Knock knock.
Robbie: Who's there?
Rex: You, the terrible comedian.


[During their audition]
Tori: Well?
André: Did you like it?
Helen: Next!


Beck: [To Tori] You're not leaving this school.
Jade: She has to! I mean, I feel really bad about it seriously, but bye.
Tori: [To Jade] I think I'll miss you least of all.

[The gang confront Helen]
Tori: (Nervously) Hey.
Helen: Did you all want something?
Beck: (Coming forward) We don't think Tori should be kicked out of this school.
Helen: Uh... Tori?
Tori: (Raising her hand) Vega?
Helen: (Looking at her Pear Pad) Oh, yeah! Tori Vega. My notes here say she was kicked out because she's untalented and irritating.
Tori: (Offended) Excuse me, but a lot of people think I am talented!
Helen: You? Oh, you are! And pretty as a pickle. Now why are you children asking me about Tori Vega?
Tori: (Confused) I'm Tori Vega!
Helen: No, no, no, no! This is Tori Vega. (Shows them her notes about Tori Vega on the Pear Pad. It shows a picture of Trina)
Rex: (Singing) Dun-Dun-Dun!
Tori: No, no, no! That's my older sister, Trina Vega.
Helen: Oh! (To her assistant) You mixed up the names!
Assistant:I have personal problems!

Cat: Okay, so I'm gonna be doing a scene, do a juggling act, and singing a song from my favorite musical.
Helen: Baby, you got 90 seconds.
Cat: But it's a 5-minute audition--

Helen: ACTION!

References[]

ved Victorious Episodes
Season One
PilotThe Bird SceneStage FightingThe Birthweek SongJade Dumps BeckTori the ZombieRobarazziSurvival of the HottestWi-Fi in the SkyBeck's Big BreakThe Great Ping Pong ScamCat's New BoyfriendFreak the Freak OutRex DiesThe Diddly-BopsWok StarThe WoodA Film by Dale SquiresSleepover at Sikowitz's
Season Two
Beggin' on Your KneesBeck Falls for ToriIce Cream for Ke$haTori Gets StuckProm WreckerLocked Up!Helen Back AgainWho Did It to Trina?Tori Tortures TeacherJade Gets CrushedTerror on Cupcake StreetA Christmas ToriBlooptorious
Season Three
The Breakfast BunchThe Gorilla ClubThe Worst CoupleAndré's Horrible GirlCar, Rain & FireTori & Jade's Play DateApril Fools' BlankDriving Tori CrazyHow Trina Got InTori Goes PlatinumCrazy PonnieThe Blonde Squad
Season Four
Wanko's WarehouseThe Hambone KingOpposite DateThree Girls and a MooseCell BlockTori Fixes Beck and JadeOne Thousand Berry BallsRobbie Sells RexThe Bad RoommateBrain SqueezersThe Slap FightStar Spangled ToriVictori-Yes
Films and Specials
Freak the Freak OutiParty with VictoriousLocked Up!Tori Goes Platinum
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