The docuseries, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” uncovers the toxic environment and culture inside some of the most popular Nickelodeon TV shows. This series shows harrowing accounts from former child stars and crew from some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s and mentions alleged instances of abuse, sexism, and inappropriate behavior involving minors. Some of the programs mentioned included “The Amanda Show,” “Zoey 101,” “Victorious,” “Drake & Josh,” “iCarly” and “Sam & Cat.”
This five-part docuseries focuses on the producer Dan Schneider and the toxic conditions in the television industry; these allegations are not new to the public. Dan Schneider produced all of the aforementioned shows on Nickelodeon. The series outlines allegations made by Nickelodeon, Drake Bell, Kenan Thompson, and many other former Nickelodeon stars who either shared their own stories or offered support after these disheartening and harrowing revelations. Schneider, who parted ways from Nickelodeon in 2018, did not appear in the docuseries.
In her memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” Jennette McCurdy recounts the toxic atmosphere that she faced when she worked on Nickelodeon’s “iCarly.” McCurdy often spoke of abuse brought onto her by someone only referred to as “The Creator,” who allegedly was Dan Schneider.
Jared Drake Bell, a star of the hit TV show “Drake & Josh,” shares about his abuse when he was a child actor on Nickelodeon. Bell noted odd experiences with Brian Peck many times. Peck, who worked for Dan Schneider and was a former dialogue coach for Nickelodeon, was convicted of sexual abuse and arrested in August 2003 in connection with sexual abuse of a minor. Peck pleaded no contest to two felonies via public records. Peck was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
It is known that Bell’s father, Joe Bell, had concerns about Peck.
“Brian and I became close because we had a lot of the same interests, which, looking back, I think was probably a little calculated,” explained Joe Bell in the show.
A wedge formed between Bell and his parents as he worked on “Drake & Josh.” This affected his relationships with his parents and his ability to share his experiences with them.
“I […] had no idea what to do, or how to react. And I had no idea how to get out of the situation. What am I [gonna do], call my mom and be like ‘Hey, this just happened, can you come pick me up? I’ll just sit here and wait.’ I had no car, I didn’t drive. I was 15 at this time,” said Bell.
“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” has gained over 20 million viewers and has become the most-viewed unscripted show on Max. This rating is fantastic for its producers, Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz. This docuseries allowed Bell and many other actors to share their side of the story.
