March 17 (2024-03-17) – April 7, 2024 (2024-04-07)
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is a 2024 ongoing five-part documentary television series that details the behind-the-scenes world of children’s television from the late 1990s to the early 2010s, with a special focus during Dan Schneider's tenure as a producer and showrunner on Nickelodeon. The first four episodes aired between March 17 and 18, 2024, on Investigation Discovery,[1] and the fifth episode is scheduled to air on April 7.[2] The series was simultaneously released on Max and Discovery+.[3][4] Episode 3, Too Close to the Sun, explores actor Drake Bell's personal struggles, especially his relationship and abuse with dialogue coach and sex offender Brian Peck.
After the series was released, the show was positively reviewed by audiences and critics, with praise given to individuals who revealed their negative experiences working at Nickelodeon.[5] Schneider has since released a lengthy apology video on his YouTube channel, fueling further discussions from other Nickelodeon stars and further comments from the individuals featured in the documentary.[6] In addition, several of the individuals who wrote letters of public support to Brian Peck in the 2000s have since retracted them. The series has also lead to a widespread debate particularly on social media around industry practices with regards to child actors, the loss of innocence, and the cost of fame for child stars.[7]
Quiet on Set: the Dark Side of Kids TV depicts the rise of Nickelodeon television producer Dan Schneider, who was accused of fostering a hostile work environment.[8] The series begins with Schneider's work in chronological order, starting with his first big hit All That which first aired in 1994. Interviewed writers Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen accuse Schneider of underpaying them and presiding over a rampant misogynistic culture in the writers room.[9] As the show progresses, issues regarding the actors in Schneider's productions are covered. Former actress Alexa Nikolas appears detailing her experience working in the series Zoey 101. Former cast and crew members of All That, The Amanda Show and other Nickelodeon shows appear as well.[10]
Another sexual abuser, production assistant Jason Michael Handy, described himself as a "pedophile, full-blown" while also sending a sexually explicit photograph to a former child actress.[12][13]
Production
Drake Bell, who starred in The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh, is featured prominently in the documentary series.
In 2018, in the wake of the MeToo movement, ViacomCBS interviewed dozens of employees regarding their experiences with Dan Schneider. Although their review found no sexual misconduct by Schneider, the employees expressed that Schneider was controlling and verbally abusive towards them. Afterward, Schneider parted ways from the network.[14]
During that time, director and producer Mary Robertson noticed a string of viral videos showcasing inappropriate scenes from Dan Schneider produced shows. One video she noted was one of Ariana Grande as Cat Valentine from Victorious pouring water on her face while lying upside down. Another clip depicted Jamie Lynn Spears in an episode of Zoey 101 getting viscous liquid squirted onto her face. Robertson thought that the two clips evoked pornographic imagery.[15][16]
Robertson (with Emma Schwartz) later partnered with Business Insider reporter Kate Taylor to reach out to dozens of actors and crewmembers who worked on the sets of Schneider's shows.[15] Schwartz noted that the many individuals who responded to the offer were relieved that they could share their negative experiences, but several more were still afraid to come forward with their experiences.[15] They also attempted to reach out to Schneider himself, but he refused to appear on camera. His responses were still shown throughout the series through text.[16] On the day that Drake Bell's interview was filmed, Robertson told The Hollywood Reporter, the entire set was quiet.[15] Bell later told Robertson that a weight was lifted from him.[15] On The Sarah Fraser Show podcast on March 22, 2024, Bell revealed that he went to rehab after his interview for the documentary.[17]
Before they sat down with Bell, the directors petitioned the court to make the letters supporting Brian Peck public. They told Variety "We didn’t know what we would find...[b]ut what the letters allow us to do is get a window into who, in Hollywood, was supporting this man during a time that he had been convicted as a child sex offender."[16] After the trailer for the documentary was released, Robertson told US Magazine that she attempted to reach out to Rider Strong and Will Friedle but neither responded.[18] Kate Taylor and Olivia Singh later published several of letters featured in the documentary on Business Insider.[19]
Robertson told The Hollywood Reporter that if the series became successful, she hoped they could make more episodes of Quiet on Set.[15] On March 22, 2024, Rotten Tomatoes listed a fifth episode called Breaking the Silence, which led to viewer speculation.[20] On March 26, 2024, Investigation Discovery confirmed that the fifth episode will premiere on April 7.[2] Jason Sarlanis, the president of Investigation Discovery and its affiliate networks, promised that the episode will dig "deeper into the crucial conversations the docuseries ignited and exploring the lingering questions left in their wake to provide further insight from the brave voices who’ve spoken out previously and those who are coming forward again."[2]
The episode explores the early career of Dan Schneider, especially with his involvement as a producer and writer on All That. Two former female writers on the show, Christy Stratton and Jenny Kilgen, discussed their tumultuous relationship with Schneider. These include a split-payment that goes against the rules of the Writers Guild of America and alleged sexual harassment from Schneider. The episode ends after a settled lawsuit on gender discrimination – and the two writers getting fired.
Drake Bell and his father Joe discuss how during production of The Amanda Show, Brian Peck manipulated Drake into believing Peck was more important in Drake's life than his parents. Drake struggles to talk about Peck eventually sexually assaulting him many times. After Peck repeatedly tried to call Drake at his girlfriend's house and insisted he play the role of the father on Drake & Josh, he and his mom organized a police sting that resulted in Peck being arrested. Drake and his parents were relieved they wouldn't have to deal with him anymore, but Drake remained traumatized for years to the point where he went down a self-destructive path.
The episode begins by discussing Brian Peck's court case, which involved multiple Hollywood individuals supporting him. Dan Schneider's later career saw him become more important to Nickelodeon, but he receives scrutiny for his sometimes inappropriate behavior, as well as sexual jokes featured on Zoey 101, iCarly, and Victorious. Nickelodeon's decision to fire Schneider in 2018 in the wake of the MeToo movement was applauded by crewmembers. Some of the interviewees reflect on how being child actors affected their well-being, and the episode acknowledges Drake Bell's legal issues – including his DUI arrest in 2015 and his 2021 guilty plea for child endangerment.
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 8 critics gave the series a positive review.[24] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 77 out of 100 based on 4 critics, indicating a "generally favorable" show.[23]Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times positively reviewed the series, giving it three out of four stars. He wrote that the documentary expanded on a report by Business Insider and described the documentary as a "journalistically solid, straightforward and at times heartbreaking expose."[25]
Eric Deggans from NPR praised the individuals on the show for speaking out while also hoping that documentaries like Quiet on Set could "change popular attitudes about how child actors are treated in the same way that other works have changed ideas about sexual assault, harassment and codes of conduct in the workplaces which fuel Hollywood's dream factory".[26]
Nick Schager, entertainment critic for The Daily Beast, positively reviewed the series, writing that it "resonates as a continuation of a tale as old as Hollywood itself, and yet another warning to moms and dads that they should think twice before agreeing to help their juvenile offspring chase A-list glory".[27] Jack Seale of The Guardian rated the series four out of five stars, writing "Anything that makes [child sexual abuse] less likely to happen again is invaluable. Quiet on Set has, commendably, played its part."[28] Candice Frederick of Huffington Post gave the show a mostly-positive review. She liked that the series presented stories other than Drake Bell's testimony. However, she criticized the series for not going in-depth with Nickelodeon's overall workplace culture, writing "If that's true, how many of them still work at, or with, Nickelodeon? This is the kind of thing we should also be asking."[29]
Kelly Lawler of USA Today wrote that she "can't help but empathize" with the notion that children's television should be more regulated in order to keep future child actors safe. She also pointed out that many individuals featured in Quiet on Set would never let their own children be a part of the acting industry. Lawler concluded "Even as Quiet has encouraged a conversation about child actors, who at least have some legal protection, there is a wild west of child influencers on TikTok and Instagram".[30]
According to Nielsen Media Research, the first two episodes were viewed by 0.614 million viewers with a 0.40 household rating and a 0.11 18–49 rating.[21] The next two episodes were viewed by 0.641 million viewers with a 0.42 household rating and a 0.13 18–49 rating.[22] Reelgood reported that the docuseries was the fifth most streamed television series across all streaming platforms from March 14 to March 20, 2024.[31] From March 18 to March 25, 2024, Quiet on Set was the most streamed television series in the United States according to the streaming aggregator JustWatch.[32] On March 26, 2024, Investigation Discovery reported that the first four episodes were watched by over 16 million viewers across cable, Max, and Discovery+. It was also the most-viewed unscripted series on Max since its launch on May 23, 2023.[2]
Nickelodeon's response
Just before the series premiered, a Nickelodeon spokesperson issued statements to Variety and NBC News, stating "Now that Drake Bell has disclosed his identity as the plaintiff in the 2004 case, we are dismayed and saddened to learn of the trauma he has endured, and we commend and support the strength required to come forward".[33][34] Nickelodeon also told Variety that they investigate "all formal complaints as part of our commitment to fostering a safe and professional workplace environment free of harassment or other kinds of inappropriate conduct."[33]
In an interview on The Sarah Fraser Show, Drake Bell found Nickelodeon's response to be "empty". He further commented that "I have to pay for my own therapy, I have to figure out what — I mean if there was anything, if there was any truth behind them actually caring, there would be something more than quotes on a page by obviously a legal representative telling them exactly how to tailor a response."[35][36]
On a TikTok live video, Devon Werkheiser, Lindsey Shaw and Daniel Curtis Lee joked about the abuse allegations featured in the documentary, claiming "our set was not like that". They previously starred in Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, a Nickelodeon show that Schneider was not involved with. Drake Bell and Alexa Nikolas, among others, criticized the live video through a post on Twitter and several accused the trio of making light of child sexual abuse.[37][38] In response, Werkheiser issued an apology to Bell and the other featured individuals, writing "I was being an idiot today" and stated that he was "Truly heartbroken over what my fellow actors went through. I can't believe they weren't protected. I'm sorry for compounding any hurt".[39][40] On March 22, 2024, all three actors would elaborate the incident in their podcast, Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide. During the episode, Werkheiser recalled a positive interaction with Bell during the Ned's Declassified pilot's wrap party. The actors also revealed that Brian Peck was on-set as a stand-in during a single episode of Ned's Declassified.[41][42]
Just after the episode was released, Drake Bell's co-star Josh Peck received negative comments on his social media for remaining silent about the abuse Bell endured. Josh Peck previously mentioned on a 2022 podcast that he was not really close with Bell.[43] On March 20, 2024, Bell defended Peck through a TikTok video, stating that Peck privately reached out to him.[44][45] A day later, Josh Peck broke his silence through a post on Instagram. Peck stated that after finishing the docuseries, he took a few days to process it, and afterwards he reached out to Bell, confirming Bell's TikTok the day earlier. Peck concluded "Children should be protected. Reliving this publicly is incredibly difficult, but I hope it can bring healing for the victims and their families as well as necessary change to our industry".[46][47]
Nancy Sullivan, who portrayed Drake Parker's mother on Drake & Josh, also expressed support for Bell. In an Instagram post, she wrote "Sending love to Drake for a deep healing and for a rich and beautiful life ahead."[48]Steve Burns, who portrayed Steve on the Nick Jr. series Blues Clues, posted a TikTok where he spoke to his viewers while breaking the fourth wall, "Hey, just checking in. Tell me, what's goin' on", before remaining silent for the next minute. Although the docuseries was never mentioned in the TikTok, Burns' video was seen by individuals on Twitter as a response to the docuseries.[39][49][50]
Amber Frank, who portrayed Taylor Hathaway in The Haunted Hathaways posted a response video on her TikTok, alleging that child pornography appeared on some of Nickelodeon's computers when they began work on the show.[39]Allie DiMeco, who portrayed Rosalina in The Naked Brothers Band, revealed that the episode where she kissed a Frenchman in his thirties gave her PTSD. She called out Nickelodeon for not allowing kids to speak out against these decisions. However, she acknowledged that the set of Naked Brothers Band was relatively safer than others due to the show's involvement from director Polly Draper, the mother of stars Natt Wolff and Alex Wolff.[39]Jack Salvatore Jr., who portrayed Mark Del Figgalo on Zoey 101, responded to the documentary through an Instagram video by adding several more allegations to Dan Schneider. These included Dan Schneider bringing out a shotgun to scare one of the writers as well as Nickelodeon not recommending anti-depressant pills to iCarly star Jennette McCurdy after the death of her mother.[39]
Angel Massey, the mother of Zoey 101 star Christopher Massey, defended Dan Schneider on Instagram. She praised Schneider for boosting her son's career while also blaming the victim's parents. She also posted some images of people's negative comments, including an image of multicolored fly swatters.[51][52] Christopher Massey later posted an Instagram story urging people to leave his mother alone. He also wrote "My story will be told from me.....not from a parent, a friend, a co worker.....ME!!!"[52]Madisyn Shipman, who starred in the Nickelodeon show Game Shakers, also defended Schneider. On an Instagram post, she shared that she had "nothing but positive things to say" about Schneider based on her experience on set.[53]
Matt Bennett who played Robbie Shapiro on Victorious and known DJ for the Nick-Themed event, Party101, wrote on his Instagram story where he wrote the following, “I spent most of it trying to remove myself from the situation, asking, ‘If I hadn’t worked for Nickelodeon and didn’t know any of the people involved, would I be ok with the behavior and the treatment of others I’m seeing?’ And the answer is no. I wouldn’t be ok with it and I’m not ok with it. I’m not sure how much I can do or say today, it’s all a little too real for me right now.” with an additional note stating its a private situation for a lot of people and wishing for people to be respectful of their privacy.[46][54]
Dan Schneider's response
Dan Schneider, the subject of the documentary series, in 2011.
Before the episodes were broadcast, Schneider's spokesperson released a statement that defended the content of his productions. The spokesperson claimed that everything was approved by the network producers. The spokesperson concluded, "Unfortunately, some adults project their adult minds onto kids’ shows, drawing false conclusions about them."[16]
After the episodes were broadcast, Schneider uploaded an interview on YouTube with BooG!E (who had appeared as recurring character T-Bo on iCarly) regarding the docuseries. Schneider stated "Watching over the past two nights was very difficult. Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology". He stated he was "embarrassed" that he asked several crew members for massages. Schneider also agreed that some jokes on his older shows should been cut for future airings, adding they were added as kids found them funny and nobody brought concern at the time. He reiterated that every creative decision he made at Nickelodeon was carefully reviewed by the network.
Schneider acknowledged his behavior in writing rooms and apologized for making writers feel uncomfortable with the environment. He also denied having any role in salaries, stating that sharing salaries is a common practice among television writers. Schneider cited the demand of producing over 40 episodes a year for feeling pressure. Schneider mentioned he was very proud of the diversity of his shows, with several having major Black characters. He denied being banned from any set and stated if he was ever off set he was busy writing; since he was known to be present on set, this gave such an illusion. Schneider stated that he was part of Amanda Bynes’ counsel for her attempted emancipation and that she called him one morning distressed. Schneider, concerned for her stated he called someone trusted to pick her up and that she was eventually taken by police.
Regarding the sexual abuse of Drake Bell by Brian Peck, Schneider denied hiring Peck and stated that the case was "the darkest part of my career" and was devastated by Bell's abuse, adding that he helped Bell's mother prepare her courtroom speech. He also acknowledged feeling baffled after hearing Peck, a registered sex offender, was hired by Disney Channel after being released from prison. When asked if there was anything that could be changed in hindsight, Schneider mentioned having an on-set therapist as well as changing his demeanor.[55][56][57]
Alexa Nikolas, one of the individuals featured in the documentary, released a YouTube live stream reacting to Schneider's video on March 20, 2024. She disliked that Schneider came out with a public video instead of sending private apologies to each of the former child stars and staff members. She also criticized the fact that Schneider enlisted an actor in one of his shows to conduct the interview, likening it to an echo chamber. Nikolas concluded by saying "I don't forgive Dan Schneider", further explaining that he "was avoiding a lot of the main discussions here that were mentioned in Quiet on Set. This was him playing the sympathy card, centering himself, playing the victim."[58][59][60]Leon Frierson, another individual featured in the documentary, had a more positive reaction to Schneider's video. In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, he said "Dan rightfully pointed out the missteps by the network and shed light on a failed process in terms of the questionable content that was broadcast to the world." On the That's F***ed Up Podcast, Frierson also revealed that he was paid about 1⁄10 as much as cast members from other networks.[39]Madisyn Shipman, who starred in Game Shakers praised Schneider’s response for taking accountability and supported him, mentioning her experience was mostly positive.[53]
Response from Brian Peck's former supporters
Just before the docuseries aired, Strong and Friedle released an episode of the podcast series, Pod Meets World, where they addressed their past friendship with Brian Peck on the set of Boy Meets World and defense of him during the trial and sentencing. Both contend they were not aware of the full extent of Peck's charges and that he had misled them. They say they have since cut ties with Peck.[18] In an interview on the podcast, The Sarah Fraser Show, Drake Bell took issue with the Pod Meeds World episode, noting that both men were adults when they wrote their letters.[35] He also revealed in the same interview that he never received any apologies from any of the people who have written letters to Peck.[17]
Joanna Kerns issued a statement to the documentary makers that she was unaware of the full extent of the case at the time and now regrets her letter of support.[11] On March 25, 2024, directors Beth Correll and Rich Correll wrote a statement to Variety expressing regret for supporting Brian Peck. They concluded "There are no words to express how awful we feel for being on the wrong side of a horrific situation and the trauma it caused you, Drake. We are devastated that we unwittingly supported the unsupportable".[61]
See also
An Open Secret – a 2014 documentary film about child exploitation and sexual abuse in Hollywood in which Brian Peck, the subject of two episodes of Quiet on Set, is mentioned.
I'm Glad My Mom Died – a 2022 memoir by Jennette McCurdy where she describes a strained relationship with a producer at Nickelodeon she referred to only as "The Creator".
.jpg)
.jpg)
