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Quiet on Set

It’s rare that you hear any good stories about the lives of child actors, and yet the harrowing documentary series QUIET ON SET: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDS TV finds a way to become one of the most unsettling behind-the-scenes chronicles that has ever been released.

By now, you have likely heard many of the stories shared within this devastating series. As the Nickelodeon network became the guiding light in children’s entertainment, producer/writer/performer Dan Schneider solidified himself as the king of the network. As the key cog in the sketch comedy show ALL THAT, he provided a form of entertainment that had never been geared towards children before. It made stars out of performers like Keenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Katrina Johnson, and of course, Amanda Bynes. In this era, it was Bynes who became the face of the network, earning a spin-off called THE AMANDA SHOW. This launched her career into the stratosphere, and Schneider was a main beneficiary. Between the popularity of ALL THAT and THE AMANDA SHOW, it ensured that any venture he was a part of would become a tour de force within the world of children’s entertainment. He was making the network unfathomable amounts of money, and as a result, his questionable behaviors were often overlooked.

A quick scroll through Tik Tok will provide a glimpse into the toxic nature of Schneider’s productions. Aside from belittling the women who worked for him and casually forcing his young stars to work endless hours before casting them aside with a blatant disregard for their feelings, he also found a way to mix in an endless array of adult-oriented jokes that are shockingly uncomfortable to watch. Keeping in mind that the programs were geared towards kids and featured children as the stars, the phallic symbols, thinly veiled (and disturbingly disgusting) sexual references, and weird preoccupation with feet is downright disturbing. Watching the clips through a modern lens, and hearing from those who questioned the bits from the start makes you realize that the culture created (and encouraged) was a disaster hiding in plain sight.

Featuring interviews with a number of the former performers, writers, directors, producers, and parents of those involved, it is impossible to ignore the travesty that had unfolded. Perhaps no interview is more impactful than that of Drake Bell, who worked on THE AMANDA SHOW and then became the co-star of DRAKE AND JOSH. A victim of unspeakably heinous acts of abuse perpetrated by dialogue coach Brian Peck, Bell recounts in horrific detail how he was openly groomed under the noses of those who were meant to protect him. Terrifyingly, his story is not entirely uncommon in the entertainment world, but one that needs to be heard to grasp how vile and dangerous these situations can become.

Since the release of the documentary, Schneider has apologized for the atmosphere he created, and announced that he would be willing to have problematic material removed from further airings of episodes of his shows. Careful not to admit to anything other than being an insensitive jerk, he had little choice but to show contrition against the continuous onslaught of justifiable rage that has been raining down upon him. It illustrates just how powerful QUIET ON SET truly is, and the fallout from its release will likely continue for weeks and months to come. These Nickelodeon shows meant so much to so many who have now grown into adulthood, and they feel as if the revelations are an attack on an entire generation. Hopefully, the documentary series can prove to be a catalyst for change and protect these vulnerable stars who are at the mercy of those who can make or break a career.