What Is Quiet On Set? A Comprehensive Review for Parents
Quiet on Set has quickly been viral for its in-depth investigation into the darker aspects of children's television. This documentary series has awakened parents and educators, highlighting the need for vigilance and proactive measures to protect children. In the next few minutes, we'll introduce Quiet on Set, spotlighting its revelations and determining whether it is suitable for children. Let's begin.
What Is Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV?
Quiet on Set is a thought-provoking documentary series that explores the hidden and often disturbing elements of children's television from the 1990s to the 2000s.
Through interviews with former child stars, producers, and industry experts, it exposes the reality that the kids' TV industry may not be as innocent as we would like to believe.
This American series consists of five episodes, released in two batches. The first four episodes aired on Investigation Discovery on March 17-18, 2024, with the fifth episode following on April 7. Each episode runs for 42 minutes.
What Dark Sides of Kids TV Does It Reveal?
Now that you know what Quiet On Set is, let's take a look at some of the revelations it offers.
1The Exploitation of Child Actors
It took me some time to come to terms with the fact that beyond the smiles and giggles, there were things these child actors hid behind their faces. The documentary sheds light on the terrible conditions the young actors had to endure, including grueling work schedules and deprivation of proper education.
For instance, Bryan Hearne, recalled and detailed how uncomfortable he felt when he was covered in peanut butter and then licked by dogs. Moreover, he even suffered racial discrimination due to his skin tone.
It's difficult to grasp that such young children had to face these challenges, which often led to long-term emotional and psychological issues.
2Subtle Mix of Inappropriate Content
Quiet on set also reveals how some children's shows still feature content that is inappropriate for young audiences. Some content creators for kids continue to incorporate subtle adult themes, violence, and suggestive language in seemingly harmless ways.
Taking a clip in the documentary as an example, Ariana Grande was asked to squeeze the potato with both hands and make moaning noises on Nickelodeon shows.
Does it suggest something inappropriate to you? If so, you'll likely notice other not-so-kid-friendly actions, such as squirting jokes, being portrayed as comedy.
3Child Predators Everywhere
The Quiet On Set documentary also discloses the harmful environments that some child actors were exposed to: Nickelodeon hired five child molesters and pedophiles. Because of this, Drake Bell, a former child actor, was sexually abused at 15 by the Nickelodeon dialogue coach, Brian Peck.
Although many of these child predators were eventually convicted, the damage they inflicted often had profound and long-lasting effects on the victims' lives.
4Psychological Impact
The series explores how certain shows can affect a child's mental health. The long grind and competition to be favorites to earn a lead role are emotionally and psychologically exerting. As a result, there are frequent issues of anxiety, aggression, and unrealistic expectations about life and relationships from the kids. From the series, you will discover that smiles across young actors can be acts that are no deeper than the surface.
Tips to Protect Your Child from These Dark Sides
After learning so much from the documentary, do you think these dark sides only exist in the kids' television industry? Of course not; they are ubiquitous. Now, it is time to take some steps to protect your kids from these dangers.
Be Involved in Their Life
Statistics reveal that 80% of sexual abuse cases occur in isolated, one-on-one situations. This staggering figure highlights how often children are left unmonitored or alone with others.
It's crucial not to assume that children will automatically open up about issues in their environment, as many parents did in the documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. To mitigate this risk, maintain an active presence in your child's life.
Spend some together time, be diligent in their digital and real life, know their friends and caregivers, and create a safe and open environment where they feel comfortable sharing their experiences with you.
Teach Them about Body Boundaries
Teach your children the importance of setting boundaries regarding how they are touched, and educate them on appropriate behaviors so they can easily recognize when someone is crossing the line.
It's also important to encourage your kids to speak up about anything that makes them uncomfortable, as this openness is crucial for their mental health.
Offer Timely Support To Your Child
The issues highlighted in "Quiet on Set," should help you to provide your child with the necessary emotional and psychological support.
Watch out for any signs of distress, anxiety, or sudden behavioral changes. At the same time, do not hesitate to promptly seek help from a professional if you do not know what to do to help your child in that situation.
Get Alerts When Your Child Is In Online Danger
In addition to taking measures to stop dangers from kids' real life, internet threats, like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and more, also deserve care. This time, a parental control app gives you insight into their online activity and alerts you if they encounter any dangers.
For detailed online reports and alerts, AirDroid Parental Control is an excellent choice. With it, you can set up keywords to detect if they are involved in dangers or content you don't wish they access. If they are, you'll get instant notifications so you can respond accordingly.
Should Your Child Watch Quiet On Set?
No, Quiet on Set is not suitable for younger children for the following reasons. (But if your little ones are 15 or above, they can take this to learn the dark side of real life so they can protect themselves.)
- The documentary contains mature content, including discussions about exploitation, abuse, and the psychological impacts of inappropriate media, which can be distressing and confusing for young viewers.
- Moreover, recurring issues of misogyny are explicitly detailed in Quiet on Set. These themes can mislead children's values. And children should not be exposed to such content.
- Although there are efforts to censor some foul and profane words by bleeping them out, terms like "shit," "idiot," "taint," and "slut" are still discernible. No parent wants their children to learn such language from TV.
Allowing children to watch this documentary could expose them to disturbing information that they are not emotionally equipped to process, potentially leading to unnecessary fear, anxiety, and misconceptions about their favorite TV shows and the entertainment industry. Instead, you, as a parent, should watch the series themselves and use the insights gained to take necessary steps to protect your children from similar experiences.
So, where can you watch Quiet On Set?
There are several options for watching the docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. You can see the complete series on Investigation Discovery (ID) or Max. It's also available to rent or purchase on Apple TV and Prime Video.
For a free streaming option, you can watch some clips on YouTube.
Conclusion
Quiet on Set should be seen as more than just a docuseries for entertainment; it is a crucial wake-up call for parents, educators, and policymakers. By exposing the hidden dangers within children's television programming, the series emphasizes the need for vigilance and proactive involvement in children's real lives.
While the series itself doesn't speak directly to children, we, as concerned parents, can use the lessons learned to guide our interactions with our kids and help them avoid potential pitfalls.
Leave a Reply.