Its hard to rate this.. with the 8 saying “great”. Because everyone needs to see and hear it. Its a story that demands to being felt. Unfortunately the damage is done and society needs to learn from this. In order to keep history repeating itself. It’s really vulnerable from everyone on the documentary to tell their story. It left me speechless in some moments..
"There's better days ahead of us."
"Yeah... I keep hearing that."
"Well, keep listening to it."
Fuck Dan Schneider.
Fuck Jason Handy.
And a big whole "fuck you" to Brian Peck, and everyone who backed him up in court.
Rot in hell, you sick fucks.
[HBO Max] A documentary that offers disturbing content that is shown in the most conventional way possible, constantly using archive images to underline the statements of the interviewees. But the story of protagonists whose career as child television stars has caused psychological traumas that remain in their adulthood is terrifying, and that is the strength of the series. With an added episode that is not really a continuation but a boring interview show, the series says a lot about the silent complicity of an entertainment industry populated by predators.
Was expecting bigger kid stats but ok and needed to be told (stories about the pedo movie execs)
If all of this is actually true, it’s hella weird.
I'm giving it a ten not because I felt like it was the best documentary show ever made, but because of the immense courage the whole production and the actors showed in making this and speaking up. It's not easy to speak up about abuse, and to create a documentary like this, where these abused child actors are finally given a voice and a platform, is something I truly appreciate. Everyone deserves to watch this documentary.
Kids deserve better. Hollywood is disgusting. And it’s real sad these abused kids didn’t have better parents in their life to notice what was happening.
Dan posted a response on YouTube where he addressed his dickish behavior and explains how he doesn’t understand how sex offenders were able to and still are able to work with kids in the industry.
Let’s hope this documentary helps clean up the studios responsible for kids productions. It needs an overhaul and better safety measures installed for those working around children.
I fully believe those abused in the workplace by Dan Schneider, first of all. It’s clear he was often neglectful at best and cruel and misogynistic at worst. And I believe Drake Bell, as well as Drake’s own accusers. The two stars are for their bravery and strength in telling their stories, as it should be told.
Just not like this. Having watched Leaving Neverland and The Truth vs Alex Jones before this, I was reminded how Dan Reed was never in front of the camera. He was not the story. He was not the people hurt. It was not about his righteous crusade. He put the spotlight on MJ’s victims and the families of Sandy Hook respectively. Here one of the executive producers is a hotshot journalist telling you the steps she took to uncover the truth. The whole thing is sensationalist, from the music to the reveal of Drake Bell as a ‘next episode’ tease, to how Brian Peck is a side story, a side effect of who they really wanted to expose in Dan Schneider. And Dan’s abuses of his writing staff, his prejudices, and his negligence SHOULD be told, no doubt. But the motive here is ratings, not justice or closure.
Nowhere is that clearer than the fifth episode that only exists because this got more successful than expected. Or how much attention is given to Amanda Bynes and Jennette McCurdy despite them not agreeing to this. Bynes especially feels cruel and exploitative when she doesn’t get to speak for herself. Why even bring Brittney Spears into this at all? How much of the inappropriate jokes is meant to illustrate the negligence and abuse of power of Schneider and how much of it is meant to scandalize and scratch the same ‘how could they get away with this’ itch of a hundred video essays about his shows? It’s scattershot, not trying to paint an industry problem as much as it claims because it always returns to Schneider, it’s always looking for the dramatic smoking gun that’ll be the thing everyone talks about. Because none of this was attention grabbing enough without the Schneider lead-in, even Peck. It’s so jarring to give Drake the space to tell that story, to say that for all of Dan’s other credible faults he was one of the few he recalls reaching out, and then go back to Schneider as the ultimate evil. If there was a time to pivot- if they couldn’t have been sensitive and keener and an industry look from the jump- it was then.
People who were approached have talked about how exploitative this felt. People who actually got on this have said the same. Their stories deserve to be told if they wish it, and they deserve to be told with more sensitivity and grace and empathy than this, instead of greed and sensationalism. I worry if this may propagate the problem in some ways as much as it may help.
To those people who let these horrible people work around children and still give them a paid job in the industry after being convicted of being a sex offender, they don't deserve to go to prison; they deserve to be buried underneath a prison.
It's just unspeakable.
Shout by zxkiBlockedParent2024-03-18T19:42:38Z
30 minutes in, and I'm balling lakes of tears from both eyes. Absolutely, anything to do with children will always make my blood boil. It doesn't matter who or what the kid is. They are innocent lives that have no idea about anything but the role models around them. The way Dan is only one of a billion makes me want to throw up my whole body. Amanda Bynes, Kenan and Kel and so many more were my role models as a kid, and now these people are role models for a totally different reason. I can only imagine how every single cast and crew member felt because my body is in pain from the amount of anger and helplessness I feel. I'm so glad more and more exposure is coming out. Power in the wrong hands is pure evil. An excellent documentary that makes you want to stop thinking.