Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is filled with shocking new revelations about Dan Schneider’s Nickelodeon empire — but there’s one major thing missing from the true crime series.
Before the dawn of social media, there were two places kids could go for entertainment: Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel. Dan Schneider had a knack for tapping into the minds of young viewers, helping to shape pop culture of the ‘90s and ‘00s with a series of iconic Nick shows.
But, behind the scenes, it was a different story. Allegations of on-set bullying are uncovered in Investigation Discovery’s latest true crime docuseries, Quiet on Set. Most shocking of all are the predators who worked for the children’s network within a short space of time.
Later on in the documentary, Drake Bell comes forward to reveal his identity as the victim in Brian Peck’s child abuse case, which saw the former Nickelodeon dialogue coach sentenced to 16 months in prison in 2004. While there’s no denying the significance of Quiet on Set, highlighting power imbalances within the entertainment industry, there’s one major thing missing from the docuseries. Warning: Some may find this content distressing.
Quiet on Set sidesteps Drake Bell allegations
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV touches upon the accusations against Drake Bell, who was sentenced to two years of probation for child endangerment in 2021. But the documentary series brushes over the claims made by his victim — rather than taking the opportunity to highlight the cycle of abuse, it feels, at times, it makes excuses for Bell.
This is in no way minimizing the horrifying abuse the former Drake & Josh star had to endure, nor the crimes of Peck. However, it’s important to give the full picture, especially when dealing with such sensitive subject matter.
In Quiet on Set, the allegations made against Bell by a female victim are discussed in the context of his mental health struggles as a result of his abuse. “All of these demons that I had were very difficult to work through, and so I think a lot of my self-destructive behavior would always be a temporary fix,” he says.
After touching upon his bankruptcy and DUI, it summarizes the 2021 case, which saw a former female fan accuse Bell of grooming her from the age of 12 before sexually abusing her at age 15. Ultimately, due to insufficient evidence, the actor wasn’t charged for any physical abuse.
Bell pled guilty to a felony charge of attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. The judge sentenced Bell to two years probation and a suspended one-year jail sentence, as well as 200 hours of community service.
In Quiet on Set, Bell says, “I took responsibility for that, you know, I did what was asked of me, but the media grabbed a hold of so much misinformation and it absolutely destroyed me. And I started to spin out of control. If I had continued down that path, that could very likely be the end of my story.”
Drake Bell victim’s emotional impact statement
Despite the lack of physical evidence, Bell’s accuser — who was 19 at the time of the trial — gave an emotional impact statement in which she alleged that Bell sexually assaulted her in the backseat of a car in 2017.
“Another instance of creepy behavior happened when I was spending time with him at the age of 14,” she said. “He told me that he couldn’t believe how much I had grown since he last saw me. He said that I wasn’t little anymore, and I was, quote, a woman now. Not too long after that, his messages to me became blatantly sexual.”
She described feeling “excited” about their interactions initially but that he became “spiteful” when she didn’t give him what he wanted. “I want to make something very clear: The reason that these particular incidents did not result any further than oral sex was because the defendant knew that I was menstruating at the time,” she added.
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To reiterate, Bell wasn’t charged with these sexual assaults, having taken a deal for disseminating material and attempted child endangerment. But regardless of how the trial turned out, it felt dismissive for Quiet on Set to ignore what it exemplifies — the cycle of abuse and the need to take accountability. Especially when it’s not the only set of allegations made against the Drake & Josh star.
In 2020, Melissa Lingafelt — who dated Bell when she was 16 and he was 20 — shared a series of now-deleted TikTok videos accusing him of emotionally and physically abusing her during their relationship. She also alleged that Bell harassed underage girls.
Bell issued a statement denying the allegations and discrediting Lingafelt. But the following year, amid his arrest, she told The Daily Beast: “What he’s being arrested for right now is a prime example of what I would witness, him having inappropriate conversations online with underage girls. I saw really questionable, crazy shit on his computer. The stuff he’d be looking at was f*cking insane.”
Though Bell was never formally charged over these statements, it again adds to the question of why this wasn’t highlighted in the docuseries. Bell himself describes the “mental manipulation” and power imbalance between he and Peck, noting how the latter was integrated into the entertainment industry. But these quotes could easily be flipped to apply to Bell’s victim.
Quiet on Set viewers react to Bell’s comments
Bell’s comments have sparked an emotional reaction online. “Essentially no accountability on his part for preying on a teenage girl,” said one. “The abuse he suffered was awful, and no child deserves to experience that. I also hope he stays away from vulnerable teenage girls for the rest of his life so he can’t victimize another one.”
Another responded, “It really bummed me out as an ex-fan of his, he continues to call it ‘misinformation’ in the doc. I was really hoping that he would use this moment as a chance to take some accountability and he still didn’t do it. It’s so disappointing to see him continue to complain about people criticizing him for the abuse while simultaneously not addressing it in the slightest.”
A third simply wrote: “You don’t get a redemption story Drake.”
Perhaps the backlash wouldn’t have been so strong if Quiet on Set gave more voice to the perspective of his accusers and acknowledged the complexities and nuances of abuse dynamics.
That’s not to dismiss Bell’s own trauma, nor the experiences of every voice heard in the series, but rather point out the missed opportunity to confront the broad issue of systematic within the entertainment industry. Only by amplifying the voices of survivors and fostering a culture of accountability can we work towards creating a safer and more equitable environment.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is available on ID and Max, which you can sign up for here. Read more about Brian Peck’s connection to John Wayne Gacy here, and check out all of the true crime and documentaries heading to streaming this month here.
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