**NOTE: This article includes mentions of child abuse and inappropriate interactions with minors, as featured in the documentary.**
The first two episodes of Investigation Discovery’s shocking new exposé Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV have left a bad taste in the mouths of those who grew up watching Nickelodeon shows in the 90s and early 2000s.
The four-part docuseries breaks down the toxic environment at the longtime children’s network during the tenure of Dan Schneider, producer of hit shows such as The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh, iCarly, and Zoey 101.
From verbal abuse on set & allegations of sexual harassment in the writer’s room to inappropriate behavior towards the kids who starred on the shows and convicted pedophiles working behind the scenes, the first half of the series left no stone unturned.
Read more about the show’s revelations HERE, per Entertainment Weekly.
A rep for Schneider, who left the network in 2018, has responded to the series in a statement to Deadline:
Dan expected and asked a lot from his teams. They worked long hours and consistently made successful shows. In the challenges of production, Dan could get frustrated at times, and he understands why some employees found that intimidating or stressful. In a career spanning 30+ years, Dan worked with thousands of people, many of whom still tell him how much they enjoyed and appreciated working on his shows. But he also knows some people did not have a positive experience, and he is truly sorry for that.”
“Remember, all stories, dialogue, costumes, and makeup were fully approved by network executives on two coasts. A standards and practices group read and ultimately approved every script, and programming executives reviewed and approved all episodes. In addition, every day on every set, there were always parents and caregivers and their friends watching filming and rehearsals. Had there been any scenes or outfits that were inappropriate in any way, they would have been flagged and blocked by this multilayered scrutiny.”
The series has sparked a lot of conversation with fans and even former employees on X (formerly Twitter), with many looking back on some of the creepy content that Schneider created over the years.
Check out some of the reactions below!
Discretion is advised.
Quote from Hearne: “There was a sketch where I played the youngest rapper of all time, Lil Fetus. They were fitting me for the Lil Fetus role. And essentially, you’re a fetus, so you nekked, but you know they had to put a body suit on me, and obviously it has to be skin tone. Someone said, ‘The skin tone should be charcoal.’ I started to get teary eyed. Whoever was doing my makeup at the time was kinda like, hand on my shoulder, like ‘It’s gonna be okay.’”
