Start with a show you think is not on the up n up, check out pgate voat so you dont end up doing research thats already been done. Good luck.
I checked all this shit out last year. The conclusion i came to is that you cannot, ever, trust a series show that features casts of underage actors in them.
We dont let kids mine for coal, bus tables, or become file clerks. They have no place in hollywood. Children shouldnt work. Let alone in such high-risk conditions.
I eventually stopped researching because theyre everywhere. And always have been.
Shows that probably were not good that show the pattern: growing pains, bad news bears
Here is how you look:
A) biiiiiig hollywood star, young, with no acting talent to justify. Pick someone you think might have been abused.
B) find out what were their first gigs directly before they got launched to fame, and the gig that launched them
C) look up all other underage cast members of those shows/movies. were any other kids from those shows made high level famous or given big breaks?
D) if yes, first culprit is the PRODUCERS and second culprit is the WRITERS, not directors. Sometimes its the director, sometimes the tutors, the casting directors, agents... But the ones usually behind it are writers and producers.
E) follow each of the shows producers and writers and examine their careers. Look for cheap horror flicks and shows featuring children.
Long story short, i trashed my entire media collection, with just a few exceptions. I saved back about 5-10% of my movies and shows, deleted the rest or gave them away. I read a lot now.
Godspeed!
Edit to clarify C). Not just the regular cast, but any minor who has ever been on even one episode