November 8, 2008 (2008-11-08) – August 20, 2011 (2011-08-20)
True Jackson, VP is an Americanteen sitcom created byAndy Gordon that aired onNickelodeon from November 8, 2008, to August 20, 2011. The series starsKeke Palmer,Ashley Argota,Matt Shively,Danielle Bisutti,Greg Proops,Robbie Amell, andRon Butler. The theme song was written byToby Gad and Keke Palmer and is performed by Palmer. The series was shot before alive audience, although alaugh track was used for sweetening. The pilot episode garnered 4.8 million viewers on its first airing and set network records among kids 6–11, tweens 9–14, and several other demographics.[1] On May 5, 2009, Nickelodeon renewed the series for a second season.[2] The season consisted of 31 episodes, and premiered on November 14, 2009. This season was later split into two, thus making a third and final season.
In August 2011, Palmer posted a video on herYouTube account[3] and posted on her blog,[4] confirming that "Mystery in Peru" is the series' finale. After the series ended, Palmer renewed her contract with Nickelodeon; she did voiceover work forWinx Club[5] and starred in the television filmRags.[6]
Fifteen-year-old True Jackson is selling sandwiches and lemonade with her friend Ryan in the fashion district of New York City when she is complimented by fashion designer Max Madigan, founder and CEO of Mad Style. Max realizes the clothes True is wearing are his designs, but True had altered them to suit her own purposes. Max likes the modified design and hires True as Vice President of his fashion company's youth apparel division. True hires her best friend Lulu to be her assistant after firing Cricket, her former assistant, who was upset and bitter about being surpassed in the business world by a child. True must juggle teenage antics with her new role as VP, aided by her friends and coworkers.
Keke Palmer as True Jackson, a teenager who serves as theVice President of the Youth Fashion Department at Mad Style, where she works, and gets into mishaps and has a lot of fun with her friends. She is intelligent, funny and hardworking with an odd family. In the beginning of the series, she has a crush on Jimmy, Mr. Madigan's nephew, and they eventually become a couple. A running gag in the series is her catchphrase, "(you/she/he) (I/said/did) (there was) what now?".
Ashley Argota as Lulu,[7] True's best friend and secretary–assistant. She is loud, clueless, and easily distracted. Although not many people believe it, she is very intelligent and loves math. She also suffers fromtrichophagia and is alsoafraid of birds (as she mentions to True in one episode, "They give me the creeps but I'm not sure why"). Her last name was not revealed during the series. She has a boyfriend named Mikey J.
Matt Shively as Ryan Leslie Laserbeam, True's second best friend. Though he does not have an official job at Mad Style, he is always there to help and hang out with True and Lulu. He will often try, at unnecessary times, to lighten the mood of the scene, as he loves telling jokes and pulling pranks around the Youth Fashion Department. He is not very intelligent and is very clumsy. Ryan's middle name is Leslie, but he dislikes it. Oscar is not sure if Laserbeam is Ryan's real last name, but according to Ryan's big brother, he got the name when one of his ancestors was given the name "Laserbeam" by his crew captain while he was working on a ship. Max makes him the website editor in one episode.
Danielle Bisutti as Amanda Cantwell, one of the many workers at Mad Style. She is the Vice President of Women's Fashion. At the beginning of the series, Amanda dislikes True and often disagrees with her, embittered by True's seniority within the company despite her youth. Over time, Amanda becomes close with True and her friends.
Robbie Amell as Jimmy Madigan, a mail deliverer at Mad Style, the nephew of Max Madigan, and the boy of True's affection. The two are affectionate towards one another, and eventually enter a relationship.
Ron Butler as Oscar, the main secretary and operator for Mad Style, and works behind the reception desk on the floor where Mad Style offices are. He is seen taking calls on his headset or delivering messages to Amanda. Known for his style and dry humor, he is flamboyant. He wears ascots all the time.
Greg Proops as Max Madigan, theeccentric, good heartedCEO of Mad Style, Jimmy's uncle, and True’s boss. Max often glorifies True, and rarely criticizes her. He is like a father figure to the children, but especially True, when she feels downhearted.
The indoor recording of Mad Style took place in the studio at stage 25 of Paramount Studios inHollywood. The outdoor shots of Mad Style's fashion company and office took place around1251 Avenue of the Americas (Exxon Building) inNew York.
The location of the school is on the premises of the Paramount Studios. Indoors were shot in the studio, and the school's outdoor shot was shot on the premises of Paramount Studios.
In episode four of season 2, True goes to see a fortune teller with Lulu and Ryan. The indoor recordings were recorded in the studio. The outdoor shot was shot at 178 Prince Street in New York.
The series has aired on-and-off onTeenNick in the United States since 2008, with the most recent airing in 2023.BET also briefly aired episodes of the series in 2009.
The show also premiered on the Canadian networkYTV on March 5, 2009, and every Thursday since, but was changed to Friday to accommodate withiCarly & Big Fun Fridays. Then, the show moved again to Mondays at 6:30pm. As of 2010, the series no longer airs on YTV.
The series continues to air regularly on Nickelodeon networksaround the world. The show ended in Australia and New Zealand on 17 December 2011. The last two remaining episodes premiered in the UK on Wednesday 4 January 2012 and Thursday 5 January 2012 and with "Mystery in Peru" premiering on Friday 6 January 2012.
The series is currently[when?] shown in Jamaica on one of the national stations TVJ (Television Jamaica) at 4:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
On May 1, 2019, the series began airing onNick Pluto.
InItaly, the series began airing on theSuper! Girl PowerPluto TV channel on January 18, 2023, and it was previously aired onNickelodeon,Italia 1 andVH1 in that country. It's now occasionally watchable on the Super! PopPluto TV channel, along withDrake & Josh.
True Jackson, VP: Season 1, Vol. 1 was released in a 2 disc set on September 8, 2009. Running time is 321 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English stereo audio. The set also includes behind-the-scenes, cast member's screen tests, bloopers and the first 13 episodes of season 1.[9] Even though there is Season 1 Volume 1, for unknown reasons, a Volume 2 was never released.
The following releases were only released onAmazon.com's CreateSpace manufacture-on-demand (MOD) service:
True Jackson, VP: Season 2 was released on September 9, 2011. Running time is 468 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English Stereo audio. This DVD release has 20 episodes from the second season.[10]
True Jackson, VP: Season 3 was released on September 9, 2011. Running time is 327 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English Stereo audio. This DVD release has 14 episodes from the third season.[10]
On March 24, 2021, the series was added toParamount+.[11]
In August 2009, a line of clothing inspired by the show called"Mad Style by True Jackson" was released. The line was available exclusively atWalmart and is aimed at children and teens. This was the first line of clothing for the show and was a first for Nickelodeon releasing a line of clothing from one of their television shows. Commercials advertising the clothing line could be seen onNickelodeon andTeenNick. Featured in the show and commercials is aninstrumental version of the show's theme song.
