Key takeaways from the series' bonus episode
When “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” premiered last month, the four-part documentary detailing the alleged abuse and discrimination behind some of Nickelodeon's most beloved shows, the response was overwhelming.
It detailed disturbing child sexual abuse cases involving two crew members on creator Dan Schneider's shows and included a bombshell interview with Drake Bell, former star of the series “Drake Josh,” who says he was abused by Brian Peck, a dialogue coach. (Peck was convicted in 2004.)
“Quiet on Set” also featured interviews with other former child actors, parents and crew members who accuse Schneider of sexist and racist behavior and of writing inappropriate adult-themed content.
Many viewers reconsidered their love for shows they adored as children, while stars including Kenan Thompson have expressed support for people speaking out about their experiences. Schneider also issued a video apology.
The reaction to the series has been so extraordinary that filmmakers Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz created an additional episode, “Quiet on Set: Breaking the Silence,” which premiered Sunday and is available to stream on Max.
Hosted by journalist Soledad O'Brien, the bonus episode includes disturbing unseen footage and new interviews with Bell and “All That” stars Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne, who discuss the reaction to “Quiet on Set.”
It also features an interview with Shane Lyons, former “All That” cast
member, who was not part of the original episodes but was motivated to come forward and share his own troubling experiences.
Here are key takeaways from the episode.
Drake Bell says he has not heard from any of the people who wrote letters in support of Brian Peck.
“Quiet on Set” details how many famous and influential people, including James Marsden, Taran Killam and Joanna Kerns, wrote letters on behalf of Peck.
In the bonus episode, O'Brien notes that “Boy Meets World” stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle, who wrote letters in support of Peck, have since expressed regret about their actions on their podcast. She asks Bell if this has changed how he looks back on Peck's sentencing, when Bell walked into the courtroom and saw so many familiar faces there in support of his abuser.
“No,” he replies. “I worked with Will on [Ultimate] Spider-Man' and there was a lot of opportunity to apologize or talk about it and he never did.”
But, he continues, “Everybody deals with their trauma in different ways.
Everybody comes to different conclusions at different times in their lives and realizations. And I mean I really appreciate their perspective now. But I mean, that day is so ingrained in my mind, and ... nobody's reached out to me.”
“No one else?” O'Brien asks. “No one at all.”
“Personally, no, not one person who's written one of those letters has reached out to me,” he says.
This may have changed since Bell spoke to O'Brien for “Quiet on Set.” On Friday, the actor wrote on X, “I just had the most amazing conversation with @ RiderStrong we are all healing together. I have nothing but love and forgiveness for him.”
Black actor Raquel Lee Bolleau shares a degrading sketch in which she was spit on by Amanda Bynes.
The episode features a previously unaired interview with Raquel Lee Bolleau, an actor who starred in “The Amanda Show.” She describes a sketch called “The Literals,” in which she repeatedly told Bynes' character to “spit it out.”
“Every time I said. `Spit it out,' she would spit what was in her mouth — whether it was water, whatever — directly in my face,” says Bolleau. “Everybody thought it was so funny. Ha ha. Everybody's laughing. Me? I did not find it funny.”
Bolleau was infuriated. “I was so mad that the director hurried and put me on the side of the set and was like, `Listen, Raquel. Breathe in, breathe out. She's the star of the show.' He said, `Don't make too much of a problem. I'm going to ask her not to spit in your face. But you have to keep your cool.'”