TRIGGER WARNING: This series contains mentions of sexual assault, child molestation and pornography, rape, grooming, pedophilia, fat shaming, disordered eating, racial discrimination and jokes, gender discrimination and jokes, arachnids, religion, poverty, drugs, murder, and prison. Any other possible triggers may be mentioned. Viewer discretion is advised.
On March 17, 2024, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV was released on Discovery Plus, fuboTV, Max, Philo, YouTube and YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, and on cable on Investigation Discovery GO. It was released amid multiple instances of controversy about Schneider and other Nickelodeon producers. Jeannette McCurdy, actress of the character Sam Puckett on iCarly and Sam and Cat, published her book and audiobook I’m Glad My Mom Died on Aug. 9, 2022, diving into the struggle of juggling her personal life alongside acting at Nickelodeon.
As a child, I grew up watching Nickelodeon. Multiple shows that Schneider produced, including Drake & Josh, iCarly, Victorious, Sam & Cat, Henry Danger, and Game Shakers, were shows that I was an avid watcher of. When I watched them, I didn’t consider the lives of the child actors and people working behind the scenes. I only watched the shows to have something to laugh at.
The first time I’d even heard about trouble within the child actor industry was late 2022-early 2023, when McCurdy’s book was published, and in April of 2023, when Drake Bell was reported missing. I’d heard that he had done some problematic things, but I honestly hadn’t done my research at the time, since I’d considered Nickelodeon to be a thing of the past, with all of the new shows coming out that were tailored towards people younger than my generation.
However, with the release of Quiet on Set, my eyes have been opened to all of the mistreatment that child actors, writers, and other production crew went through. And after the release, more people have spoken out about their experiences with Nickelodeon.
The documentary covers the events behind the scenes of Nickelodeon from 1994 to 2018. Schneider wrote and produced a multitude of children shows on Nickelodeon, and few felt safe in the work environment that he created. He yelled at and degraded everyone, as well as scaring them, playing pranks that went way too far, and forcing multiple women to give him massages.
Schneider, in his own words, had a “frightening influence over the kids.” In a sketch, Schneider played the role of a big-shot movie producer, and a kid said “Dan’s a god.”
The documentary reveals the injustices that multiple child actors were subjected to, including Katrina Johnson, Raqel Lee Bolleau, Leon Frierson, Brandi, Amanda Bynes, Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan, Bryan Christopher Hurne, Jeannette McCurdy, Arianna Grande, Jamie Lee Spears, and Drake Bell.
On the set of Schneider’s shows, child stars were put in multiple uncomfortable and tense situations. They were the subject of sexual jokes that weren’t appropriate for kids shows. Verbal and sexual abuse were inflicted upon multiple children and teens by people who were supposed to be trusted adults. Parents weren’t present most of the time, and if they were they were silenced when they spoke up.
As well, female writers were discriminated against by Schneider, paid less and treated inappropriately. Additionally, production staff members’ mental and physical health were neglected.
Two production crew members were arrested for acts of pedophilia, both online and physical. One was rehired to another children’s TV company after his arrest.
After acting, multiple child actors who worked at Nickelodeon were left as one-hit-wonders. Their stardom from Nickelodeon shows became all that they were known for, and their roles after didn’t gain the same recognition as their roles on Nickelodeon shows. Many had to go into therapy due to the mental strain that conditions on set put them through. Even 20 or more years later, they’re still working through the trauma of what they went through.
Quiet on Set revealed the stories of the injustices that child actors and staff went through under the reign of Schneider. It showed how behind the scenes, everything wasn’t as peachy as it seemed. The series covers many dark topics that may bring up strong feelings of anger and disgust. It’s definitely a difficult watch. Many things Schneider and other production members did were very disturbing. People in high school, only if they can handle it, should definitely watch the documentary to be informed about the going-ons of the child actor industry. It goes in depth on the many travesties of production.
Multiple former child actors have spoken up after the release of Quiet on Set, including Drake Bell, Josh Peck, and Alexa Nikolas. Others have shared their experiences with Nickelodeon as well.
Schneider was interviewed by BooG!e, the actor of the character T-Bo on iCarly. He apologized for the things that the documentary accused him of, debunking some claims and providing excuses for his actions.
Episode 5, “Breaking the Silence,” is rumored to air on Investigation Discovery GO on April 7, 2024 at 7 pm.