As someone who grew up watching several of Dan Schneider’s shows on Nickelodeon, I had no idea just how disturbing the allegations against the studio and its employees actually were.
“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” exposes the disturbing situations behind the scenes at Nickelodeon, as well as the first public statement from child star and musician Drake Bell, who was the John Doe in a case from 2005 that convicted Brian Peck, a former Nickelodeon dialect coach, as a sexual predator.
The series’ first four episodes, all released in late March to Max, were the first of their kind to see any sort of massive public response. Before “Quiet on Set,” there were countless rumors and whispers of Dan Schneider’s uncomfortable tendencies toward children. I had heard some of these myself, but never really knew the full extent of the situation.
Years ago, I enjoyed “iCarly,” “Drake & Josh,” and “Victorious,” but through the eyes of a child. After revisiting their content with the background from “Quiet on Set,” I will never really see my childhood favorites in the same way again.
However, Schneider’s shielding of the truth was completely dismantled by these four episodes, and their harrowing first-person interviews with people directly harmed by the ex-TV producer. No matter what scripted apology he tries to make, the docuseries has picked apart Schneider’s career; hopefully, for good.
The docuseries itself is filmed technically well, though some loose ends never seem to wrap up. The bonus episode, released on April 7, did not seem to add anything new to the series, instead only recapping what had already been revealed and noting the show’s blooming popularity.
Additionally, the series never directly addresses the allegations and convictions of Drake Bell himself, who pleaded guilty in June 2021 to a felony charge of child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. This oversight seems to imply that because Bell was abused in his own childhood, his behavior as an adult no longer matters.
Despite this shortcoming, “Quiet on Set” could ultimately be a gateway to exposing the rest of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Because stars like Bell have come forward, others may follow.
Though the series is ultimately a disturbing watch for those who grew up alongside the very children harmed by Hollywood, it will play a vital part in exposing even deeper secrets of television and film.