Entertainment- Investigation Discovery is releasing a docuseries about the toxic work environment on some famous Nickelodeon shows.
- BI previously reported allegations from actors, writers, and crew members that Dan Schneider's sets were "traumatizing."
Dan Schneider is a towering figure in Nickelodeon history. Now, his reign — and the allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with underage cast and crew that came along with it — is getting the docuseries treatment.
The fall of Dan Schneider's beloved Nickelodeon empire will be the focal point of a new four-part Investigation Discovery docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," which was produced by Sony's Maxine Productions in association with Business Insider.
Schneider struck gold on the children's TV network with the '90s sketch series "The Amanda Show" starring tween idol Amanda Bynes. More success followed in the 2000s as he created popular shows including "Zoey 101," "iCarly," and "Victorious."
But these sitcoms that defined a generation and put then-unknown actors like Bynes and Ariana Grande on a path to superstardom have been tainted by numerous allegations of a hostile work environment constructed by Schneider.
This alleged toxicity was the subject of an investigation published by Business Insider's Kate Taylor in August 2022.
The exposé came shortly after Jennette McCurdy, who starred as Sam Puckett on "iCarly" and its spin-off series "Sam & Cat," detailed her uncomfortable experience on Nickelodeon in her best-selling memoir "I'm Glad My Mom Died."
In her book, McCurdy spoke of a powerful figure, referred to only as "The Creator," who was controlling and the source of emotional abuse. McCurdy said that this person pressured her into drinking alcohol while underage, yelled at her while she was filming a kissing scene with a costar, and "explicitly" asked that bikinis be included in a wardrobe fitting.
Additional allegations and new revelations came up in Taylor's investigation, which included interviews with actors, writers, and crew members who worked with Schneider on his TV shows.
Alexa Nikolas, who exited "Zoey 101" after two seasons of playing Nicole Bristow, described the on-set work environment to BI as "traumatizing," while a longtime writer called it a "maddening, disgusting, controlling little bubble."
"Victorious" star Daniella Monet told BI that some of the characters' outfits were "not age appropriate" and expressed dissatisfaction with the overly sexualized aspects of the show.
The report also detailed Schneider's requests for massages from adult female colleagues and a gender-discrimination and hostile workplace claim made in 2000.
Directed by Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, the two-night docuseries will include never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with Nikolas, "Double Dare" host Marc Summers, "All That" cast members Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan, Bryan Hearne, and Katrina Johnson, and more.
Take an exclusive look at the trailer below.
"Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" will premiere across two nights on ID at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 17, and Monday, March 18.