Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV

What’s it about?

Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is a six-part docuseries covering the experiences of child Nickelodeon stars who suffered emotional and sexual abuse on set during the mid-1990s and early 2000s.

The facts

• Directed by Mary Robertson, Emma Schwarts
• English language
• Runtime: six episodes, ~43 minutes each

Why did it get this rating?

This docuseries was self-rated by Neon. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Sexual violence themes

This docuseries covers sexual abuse and sexual harassment towards minors. It contains interviews with victims and witnesses who recount their experiences which are very intense and emotional.

There is mention of an instance involving a grown man kissing and touching a 9-year-old girl, and another of a man sending a naked photo of himself masturbating to a minor.

The show discusses the predatory actions of Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider as well as two crew members who were later found to be pedophiles.

Sexual themes

The topic of sexualised jokes on children’s shows is discussed often, and disturbing clips are often shown.

Helplines:

The sexual violence themes in this series could be upsetting for some viewers, especially for those who have gone through similar experiences. If you are struggling with what you have seen on-screen please reach out for help. If you or someone you know needs to talk:

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau? - Blog
• Staying safe when your parenting downtime gets hijacked by tough storylines - Blog