A new episode of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV titled “Breaking the Silence” will premiere on Investigation Discovery and stream on Max in the coming weeks. The episode will feature former child actors Drake Bell, Giovonnie Samuels, Bryan Hearne, and Shane Lyons, along with journalist Soledad O’Brien and Hearne’s mother, Tracey Brown. They will have a candid discussion about the children’s TV industry, then and now, following the success of the docuseries that premiered on March 17.
Jason Sarlanis, president of TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID & HLN, Linear and Streaming, stated that the new episode will delve deeper into the crucial conversations ignited by the docuseries and provide further insights from the brave voices who have spoken out previously. The release from ID notes that Quiet on Set had the largest audience of an unscripted series since the launch of Max, with over 16 million views, leading to the greenlighting of the bonus episode.
The four-part docuseries shines a light on the dark side of Nickelodeon during the late ’90s and early 2000s, featuring former child stars such as Drake Bell, Amanda Bynes, and Miranda Cosgrove. Former Nickelodeon employees and child actors opened up about their experiences with the network, highlighting alleged abuse, sexism, and racism, particularly under the leadership of creator Dan Schneider. The doc also marked the first time Bell spoke out about the abuse he suffered from a former Nickelodeon employee while working on The Amanda Show and All That.
The bonus episode “Breaking the Silence” will bring together former child actors who worked together in the early 2000s, providing a reunion that offers viewers a glimpse into their discussions about where the industry can move forward after the allegations and wrongdoing have been brought to light. The new episode of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV is set to premiere on ID on April 7 at 8/7c and will also be available for streaming on Max.
Through their candid discussions and revelations, the former child actors participating in the episode “Breaking the Silence” aim to shed further light on the challenges and issues within the children’s TV industry. The episode will provide a platform for these individuals to share their experiences and insights, contributing to a broader conversation about the future of the industry and how it can address the issues that have been brought to light. Viewers can tune in to the new episode to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and realities of working in the children’s TV industry.
