Dan Schneider wins defamation lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Sony over Quiet on Set docuseries

Dan Schneider, the Hollywood producer known for his work on Nickelodeon shows, has won a legal victory in his defamation lawsuit against Warner Bros. and Sony. On Friday, Judge Ashfaq G. Chowdhury ruled that Schneider can proceed with his lawsuit filed in May. Schneider claims that the Investigation Discovery and Max docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV falsely portrayed him as a child sexual abuser, an accusation he strongly denies.

The four-part docuseries, which aired in March, explores toxic workplace environments and alleged misconduct behind Nickelodeon shows from the late 1990s and early 2000s. While the series never directly accused Schneider of sexual abuse, it implied troubling behavior, with interviewees describing a toxic atmosphere at the network under his leadership. The show also delves into the allegations of sexual misconduct and abusive behavior from other figures connected to Schneider's productions, including convicted sex offenders Jason Handy and Brian Peck.

Judge Chowdhury ruled that the docuseries made "damning implications" about Schneider's conduct that a "reasonable viewer" could interpret as accusations of sexual abuse. The court denied a motion from Warner Bros. and Sony to dismiss the lawsuit, which had argued that the docuseries did not accuse Schneider of criminal behavior.

Schneider, who created or produced many of Nickelodeon's hit shows such as Drake & Josh, iCarly, and Zoey 101, has faced increasing scrutiny since the release of Quiet on Set. He admitted to being a "bad leader" but rejected any claims of being involved in criminal activities. Schneider's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the emotional and financial harm he claims to have suffered.

Quiet on Set is available for streaming on Max.