13 Reasons Why, Netflix's newest original series, has caused the internet to begin heated debates on whether or not it was actually a productive series. The show is an adaptation of Jay Asher's 2007 smash YA novel of the same title. When the book released 10 year ago, it was practically required reading for everyone ages 13 and up. I remember it being featured on a summer reading list for my brother, which I thought was amazing. Granted, I haven't read the book in about 7 years, but I remember it being one of the formative reads of my early teens, and I was very excited to see that Netflix was adapting it.
I had high expectations for this show since Netflix does an amazing job with their original series. I binge-watched the entire show in two days and I sobbed through the last two episodes. They were extremely graphic and I did not remember the book being that traumatizing. Due to this graphic content, the internet has taken to berating the producers for portraying the scenes of rape and Hannah's actual suicide. While these scenes are the target of the show's missteps, I believe the show is extremely important for this generation. These shortcomings do not excuse the show's faults, but they've started important conversations.
Something the show did right was highlight today's cyber-bullying problem. Pictures of Hannah were passed around the school, even though they weren't naked, they were still bad angles. It was heartbreaking to watch an innocent photo be misconstrued and used as a tool to label a nice girl as a slut. With the addition of the tapes, you get the real story from Hannah and it is a stunning portrayal of a broken girl.
The show also shows the backstories of the bullies, which gives insight to why the kids bully. It was honestly something that was lacking in the book, but would have been too difficult to write. Through the bullies' eyes, it allows you to see how every bully has been bullied and that sometimes the people who you call your friends are the worst things to happen to you.
One of the worst things to happen to the show was the lack of resources for survivors of sexual assault or people in need of help. 13 Reasons Why made a huge deal about how suicide is preventable and that if there were actual resources in schools, it would not have happened. But where in the show were the resources? There were trigger warnings to alert viewers of the worst scenes, but there wasn't even a suicide hotline after every episode. At the end (after all the credits), a mini documentary redirected you to the show's website that had some resources. It had little banners through out that said, "Need help now? www13reasonswhy.info." These banners should have been at the start and end of every episode. It would have been so easy.
I went the the website, and it was actually very helpful, including this attached PDF on how to being the conversation about suicide and suicide hotline numbers.
All in all, I really enjoyed the show and thought it was important. I think it addressed sexual assault especially well and that episode should shown in sexual assault training. I encourage you, if you're able, to watch the show! But be careful, once you start watching, you can't stop.
Crisis Text Line
TEXT: 741741
http://www.crisistextline.org/
JED Foundation
How to help yourself or a friend:
https://www.jedfoundation.org/help
