Nickelodeon made millions by filming shows that made up many people’s childhoods — at the cost of their own actors’ childhoods. The Max docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” documents abuse behind the scenes, bringing justice for its victims and accountability to the entertainment conglomerate.
The series begins detailing the infamous Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider’s rise to fame, best known for hit shows “Victorious” and “iCarly.” Schneider, known for making inappropriate jokes involving child actors, was one of many executives who created and allowed these jokes to air, turning a blind eye to the inappropriate behavior. “Quiet on Set” unearths all the problems that have been buried by one of children’s television’s largest networks.
On set, the sexual abuse occurred from multiple predators who worked as executives. The mother of an extra, known as Brandi, on “Zoey 101” detailed how her daughter stayed in contact with production assistant Jason Michael Handy after filming. Handy, who has since been convicted, sent Brandi sexually explicit videos while she was underage.
In episode three, actor Drake Bell from “Drake & Josh” spoke out for the first time about repeated sexual abuse from dialogue coach Brian Peck, who isolated him from his family as other executives were complacent.
“[It was] the worst stuff that someone could do as sexual assault,” Bell said.
Actress Alexa Nikolas from “Zoey 101” was also featured in the docuseries, yet later spoke out about feeling misrepresented. In an interview with IndieWire, she said she felt livid over a clip that mirrors sexual imagery and lacked context for its inclusion. Instead of maintaining her best interests, she believed the series exploited her story for shock value, instead of uplifting her voice.
This docuseries is not a true crime story nor juicy entertainment for people to relish — it should be a space to tell victims’ stories and hold higher ups accountable. Behind the scenes, actors were manipulated and even paid into staying quiet, with many afraid to tell their stories and relive this trauma amidst public pressure. Instead of glorifying and condoning the shows these actors were mistreated in, people must stop contributing to the shows’ ongoing successes.
Writers, producers, and adults in Nickelodeon left children in harm’s way. By sacrificing the safety and wellbeing of these child actors, adults working in the network were bystanders to the misconduct by approving sexual innuendos featuring teenage actors, such as on “Victorious.” The procedures surrounding child actors and protecting them must change, starting with the intention of all adults on set.
“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” should be used as a moment for spotlighting victims’ stories and changing the practices in the entertainment industry for child actors, instead of embedding this previous, unethical work further in entertainment. Across the children’s entertainment sphere, from network television to family influencers, adults must step up to protect all of the children involved.
