Yahoo News ‘Quiet on Set’ Trailer: The Dark Side of Dan Schneider’s Nickelodeon Reign Is Revealed
The allegedly toxic environment behind Dan Schneider’s Nickelodeon empire is now being uncovered in a four-part docuseries.
Amid allegations of abuse, Schneider’s legacy as the showrunner of hit series like “All That,” “iCarly,” and “Zoey 101” is being reframed. The ID documentary “Quiet on Set” exposes the dangerous culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
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Directed by Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, “Quiet on Set” seeks to pull back the curtain on a controversial empire, built by creator Dan Schneider, that certainly had an undeniable grip on popular culture.
Per the official synopsis: “Series such as ‘All That’ and ‘The Amanda Show,’ among others, were obsessively consumed by children across the country and defined comedy for a generation. But behind the upbeat onscreen presence on these shows with questionable jokes and over-the-top sketches, ‘Quiet on Set’ reveals an insidious environment rife with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew.”
Former “All That” cast members Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan, Bryan Hearne, and Katrina Johnson, plus director Virgil Fabian, are among the interviewees. “The Amanda Show” writers Jenny Kilgen and Christy Stratton expose allegations of a sexist environment in the writer’s room, and Alexa Nikolas offers insight into being a part of “Zoey 101.” Additional cast and crew members from “iCarly,” “Sam & Cat,” and “Victorious” are included. The docuseries will premiere across two nights on ID from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
“iCarly” alum Jeannette McCurdy published a memoir in 2022 detailing her own abuse in the entertainment industry at a young age. She alleged that a “creator” at Nickelodeon, believed to be Schneider, supplied child actors with alcohol and requested massages on set. McCurdy claimed she was offered $300,000 in “hush money” to not speak about the abuse; while she denied the payment, her allegations were made public years later. Schneider and Nickelodeon parted ways in 2018; a stream of accusations have since followed.
An Insider report, published in August 2022, featured claims against Schneider from dozens of former Nickelodeon employees ranging from female writers to child stars. Schneider first joined Nickelodeon as a writer on tween sketch comedy series “All That,” where both Amanda Bynes and Kenan Thompson got their respective starts to fame. Schneider’s first series was “The Amanda Show” starring Bynes; the actress later sought to live with Schneider and his wife Lisa Lillien in 2002 at age 16 in an attempt to emancipate herself from her parents.
Former “All That” writer Liz Feldman, who joined the show as a teenager, tweeted, “I worked for Schneider 25 yrs ago. I can confirm inappropriate behavior was happening even then. #metoo.” She later became the showrunner for Netflix’s “Dead to Me.”
Schneider’s alleged behavior extended to multiple allegations that he sought out young actresses to be overly sexual for the sake of comedy. Alexa Nikolas, who starred opposite Jamie Lynn Spears in “Zoey 101,” claimed Schneider encouraged one “goo” scene to mirror a pornographic “money shot.”
“Quiet on Set” is produced by Maxine Productions and Sony Pictures Television – Nonfiction in association with Business Insider.
“Quiet on Set” premieres March 17 on ID, with all four episodes airing between March 17 and March 18. Check out the trailer below.
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