5 Questions Left Unanswered After 'Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV'

The Investigation Discovery four-part documentary Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV did an exceptional job of uncovering examples of the emotional and sexual abuse that took place on the sets of Nickelodeon teen shows during the era of producer Dan Schneider. And one over-arching theme to the four-hour project is the sense that the network's coddling of Schneider and willingness to overlook bullying and inappropriate behavior helped make it possible for child predators such as Brian Peck to thrive.

But for all of the solid reporting in the documentary, there are so many other stories left untold. 

I've been writing about Schneider for years and was seen a few times in the documentary. And I can tell you from personal experience that it's frustrating to know there are almost certainly more stories to tell, if people with direct knowledge would only be willing to speak out - even as unnamed sources.

I did a lot of radio interviews on Monday promoting Quiet On Set, and was asked several times what questions I felt were left unanswered by the reporting that has taken place so far. 

Here is my answer, in no particular order. And to be honest this list could have been 10 or even 20 questions long:

1) What Did Brian Robbins Know And When Did He Know It?
Yes, it's a phrase that is so over-used it's almost a trope. But in this case, it also accurately describes the problem.  Robbins has been the president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon since 2021, and is also the CCO of the Kids & Family division of Paramount+. By all accounts, he and Schneider had a close relationship, especially in the early years of Schneider's career.

Robbins was the creator/lead writer of the sketch comedy series All That, the show which gave Schneider his start at Nickelodeon. He was a director/producer on Keenan & Kel, as well as an executive producer on The Amanda Show and the Amanda Bynes WB comedy What I Like About You. He has spent much of his career at Nickelodeon/Paramount and is now one of that company's top executives.

This was a period that was by all accounts filled with turmoil and yet Robbins has never spoke publicly about the period in any detail. Speaking with contemporaries, Robbins was seen as a protector of Schneider, although there is no way of knowing from the outside if that manifested itself as simply "Dan's a great, passionate guy." Or did it extend to running interference at the network for an old friend?

Given that Robbins is now at an upper-level of Paramount Global (which owns Nickelodeon), he certainly would have a depth of knowledge about Schneider's behavior and the network's response. Not that I expect he'll discuss it - even off the record.

2) What Event (Or Events) Led To Nickelodeon Cutting Ties With Schneider In 2018?
While the split between the network and it's most valuable producer seemed to come out on nowhere, my reporting at the time suggested it was the culmination of a number of factors. Some executive turnover at Nickelodeon, which left Schneider less protected internally. His shows were also increasingly over-budget and had begun to soften a bit in the ratings. There was also Schneider's reported anger over the cancellation of Game Shakers and an effort by the network to move him out of studio space he had occupied for more than a decade.

But there have always been rumors that something more led to the very public split. Nickelodeon reportedly paid Schneider a fee to go away, which implies something more than just a sudden realization he was difficult to work with. I'd love to know more about the behind-the-scenes negotiations.

3) What Do People Who Worked On Sam & Cat Whose Names Aren't Jennette McCurdy Have To Say About Their Experience On The Show?
In Sam & Cat co-star Jennette McCurdy's 2022 memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, the actress discussed her time on the show at length and the sometimes contentious relationship she had with co-star Ariana Grande. McCurdy also discussed her relationship with someone she referred to as "The Creator," which seems almost certainly based on Dan Schneider. I'm assuming she created that label in order to dodge any legal difficulties, but given all I know about the conditions on the set, many other people have stories to tell.

I don't expect Grande to ever publicly discuss her time on the show. Since she left the network, her PR people have very carefully sheltered her from having to talk about her Nickelodeon years in anything but the vaguest platitudes. And given her current career, honestly, she'd be insane to open up that door at this point.

But there were a number of other people working on the show who could talk. And I have heard plenty of second-hand allegations. Or in several cases, heard from people with first-hand allegations who are reluctant to talk even off-the-record. The Sam & Cat set seems to have been a contentious work environment. I'd just like to know some specifics, because I suspect these stories would be as memorable as any of the allegations heard in Quiet On Set.

Although to be honest, I could ask the same questions about much of the cast and crew of iCarly and Victorious.

4) What Did Russell Hicks Know And When Did He Know It?
Before he stepped down from Nickelodeon in 2016, Russell Hicks spent 18 years at the network, the last four as President, Content Development and Production for the Nickelodeon Group. During his time at the network, he was directly involved in live action teen programming group and would have been aware of any issues related to Schneider.

5) Did Nickelodeon Put Any Additional Guidelines In Place Following The Jenny Kilgen Sexual Discrimination Lawsuit?
In 2000, The Amanda Show writer Jenny Kilgen sued Storybook Productions (the producer of the show), claiming gender discrimination. In her lawsuit, she claimed Schneider and the show's producers created a "sexually hostile" work environment, denied them equal pay and took part in "illegal retaliation.

The lawsuit was settled out of court, with the promise to put procedures in place that would prevent similar actions from taking place in the future. If that was the case, Nickelodeon executives would have some knowledge of the underlying need for the guidelines. Which should have tipped them off that there was a problem. If that was indeed the case, what actions did Nickelodeon take to prevent a recurrence?

Do you have any thoughts or feedback on this story or the events depicted in Quiet On Set? Reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via Signal at 612-207-2108.