This Disturbing New Max Docuseries Is Ruining Childhood Memories

Throughout the four episodes of “Quiet on Set,” different statements by Dan Schneider — which largely deny that he was aware of or present for most of the harassment and toxicity on Nickelodeon shows — are shown on screen. The former superproducer and writer also saw fit to make a 19-minute YouTube video trying to explain his side of the story. Schneider apologized for his actions, saying to his chosen interviewer BooG!E (who appeared on “iCarly”), “Watching over the past two nights was very difficult, me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret, and I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”

The rest of Schneider’s “apology” is barely worth mentioning; the language is nebulous and includes a lot of “may have” statements that place the onus on victims rather than himself and the dangerous predators he employed. “Quiet on Set” is unequivocally damning and contains overwhelming evidence from child actors, writers, and parents of said actors alike, all confirming that the environments on multiple Nickelodeon shows were harmful and abusive to children. 

In 2018, amidst the #MeToo movement, Schneider was removed from Nickelodeon. At the end of the docuseries, multiple actors and writers said conditions improved after Schneider’s exit. If you watch “Quiet on Set,” you’ll likely feel the same way as the parties interviewed: Schneider is unfit to manage any form of children’s entertainment. The damage he and his ilk created is long-lasting and truly gutting, and “Quiet on Set” is quite clear about that fact.

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).