It’s been confirmed, “13 Reasons Why” has been granted a season 2. This Netflix hit rose to popularity at break neck speed, so for most this news isn’t surprising. But what does this mean for the original Jay Asher story, where Hannah Baker and Clay Jensen left their stories?
It means that what’s to come for season 2 is completely off script, not just changed to fit a new medium, but made up from the ending that the Netflix writers created. As a book reader, I didn’t hate this adaptation by any means, but sometimes it’s best to let it be. Especially when the first season, although highly acclaimed, could have done more harm than good.
1. This will no longer be about Hannah Baker
In case you missed it, "13 Reasons Why" is Hannah Baker. It's her story, drawing out all the buildable events that led to her demise. Hannah's tapes are finished. Yes, they are in different hands now, but we've heard them all. We've seen what happened to her. Her story is told. What's left are the stories of everyone afterwards, and that was never Jay Asher's intention with the book.
2. Season 1 proved a point, can season 2?
Looking at Jay Asher's original story, this was never about anyone other than Clay and Hannah. Asher barely formed the others in his book. The writers for the Netflix series, however, dug deeper. They showed levels upon levels of Hannah and those she was hurt by, giving them life and creating sympathy for their actions (some, anyway) in the viewers. Season one did a phenomenal job of creating a fellow student's suicide in a 360 degree view, but what can season two provide? Will it be created to also teach and show the harm of bullying and suicide?
3. ...or will it all be just drama?
Thinking back to where we left, we were all pretty certain that Tyler was about to do some form of mass murder, Alex was maybe alive or maybe dead, and there was a bit of a legal battle going on with the Baker's and the school. Is this what season two will focus on, the dramatics? Maybe season two will show the other side of bullying, where a victim doesn't hurt themselves but others. This could be a teaching moment I could live with, if this season highlighted school shootings instead of suicide. But can they pull it off? Or is the season going to be less of a teachable moment and more of a dramatic scene a la Degrassi season 4?
4. The original series was problematic anyway
As someone who wasn't triggered in anyway watching the series, I felt as if I could learn from the show. But for others, those who have been through real life versions of what was happening to Hannah, it became a reminder or a comparison to what these issues look like off screen and to real people. As much as "13 Reasons Why" highlighted the issues of suicide, it also missed quite a few marks. Not only did the outcry for better trigger warnings force Netflix to update the series, but the series failed to shed light on issues such as mental illness. There was concern that the show utilized the "manic pixie dream girl" trope and romanticized suicide. We can only hope that these issues don't continue into season two, as a great deal of what is expected to occur can be harmful to some viewers, especially if not handled correctly.
5. The influence this show has on teens is exponential
Speaking of harmful, we have to remember who watches Netflix: everyone. That includes the teenagers, much like those reflected in this show, that are easily influenced by what's trending. Am I saying that teens are committing suicide to be cool? No. I'm saying there are teens with suicidal idealizations and they mostly likely watched "13 Reasons Why" with the rest of the world, and it was more of a harm to these teens than good. The show was so influential that teachers were told to discuss the issue with students, notes were sent home, and parents had to be made aware of this Netflix show if they weren't already. The writers and producers may have thought they were informing, but did they consider those who didn't need to be informed, who needed to be protected? By bringing even more of this around with a second season are they considering the outcome?
6. Money over message
To answer the previous question, I'm going to say no. The writers and producers are choosing the fact that "13 Reasons Why" made them serious cash over how harmful this second season can be. Yes, it was popular. But for some it was like a train wreck they just couldn't stop watching. I'm not saying that the show was horribly made, it was exceptionally well made. I'm saying that for those who have suffered the same fates as Hannah Baker, they needed this to not be front and center of every news site, Netflix ad, and social media feed. They needed to walk away and they couldn't. The creators of this show are choosing the money over what real-life Hannah Baker's are asking of them: to stop showing their demons in graphic details for entertainment and calling it education.
7. Blame game
"13 Reasons Why" had another issue that it will undoubtedly carry into season two: blaming. Hannah Baker chose to taker her own life and then made sure after she was gone, 13 people would have to hear her blame everyone else around her. Hannah's mental health (again, something that was never brought into the picture) caused her to take her own life. She expected a great deal of people to pick up on how she was feeling and when no one did, she made sure they were all blamed for her death. "13 Reasons Why" gives those who choose to take their own life the ability to pass the responsibility off on someone else. And I have a feeling there will be even more blaming in season two, if Tyler has anything to do with it. A show should not be teaching people, especially teens, that they can hurt themselves or others and blame everyone else around them.
8. Blueprint for suicide and potentially murder
It's hard to argue that season one didn't clearly plan out a suicide. We watched Hannah contemplate and completely carry out her suicide, from start to finish. Season two has the potential to go further and show a blueprint for taking others' lives. I don't doubt that if Tyler plans to shoot up the school, or even just shoot the group, that we watch that unravel from beginning to end as well.
9. Profiting from pain
I'm going to mention money here again, because it's honestly bothering me. The creators of this series, the writers, Netflix and sure, Selena Gomez, are profiting from the pain of others. They can say they just want to teach and inform as much as they want, but when the outcry from those being hurt by the show is so large and no comment is being made by those invvolved from the show apart from adding trigger warnings, then they aren't listening and they don't care. The show doesn't even provide access to suicide or help hotlines. They see dollar signs, not a chance to really listen to those this story most closely effects.
10. Taking away access to help
I'm curious what will happen with Mr. Porter in season two. Will he back out of the position as counselor after hearing he could have saved Hannah? Will the Baker's listen to the tapes and turn their lawsuit onto Mr. Porter? Will the school find another counselor who can help Tyler? Honestly, that might give season two a tiny bit of credit. Season one not only romanticized suicide and showed graphic depictions of the act itself, it also took away a students access to the help they needed. "13 Reasons Why" portrayed a school counselor as unequipped and distracted when it came to handling Hannah's meeting. In a show that's triggering many to such behavior, why would you teach them they can't trust a counselor who is there for them? Why would you take away that help? If season two has to happen, and I have a feeling we can't really stop it, give us redemption for the school, for school counselors. Give Tyler, or Alex if he really did attempt suicide, the access to help that Hannah was not given by the writers.
11. Do we need more graphic scenes?
There have been numerous lines of defense from the cast, as well as Jay Asher himself, on why the graphic rapes scenes and suicide scene were OK on the small screen. It's true, these issues are taboo and the series as a whole, especially these scenes, draw attention to those subjects like rape and suicide. But where will this leave us in season two? I want to say right back to the drama. Again, I'm picturing Tyler with all those guns and thinking that they will show every bloody death that can potentially happen, and what would the reason be for that? Ratings, that will be the reason. They set the bar high for themselves, so season two will have to be as brutal, only this time they can't hide behind the necessity of showing a taboo subject to raise awareness.
12. Kindness isn't the key to saving everyone's lives
It seemed like an overarching message that a little bit of kindness could have saved Hannah Baker's life. It even extended into Tyler, who grew more and more agitated at his inability to hang out with the rest of the group Hannah blamed for her death. Bullying, ultimately, led to Hannah's death and Tyler's want to collect a trunk full of guns and ammunition. We were left feeling that if everyone was only a bit kinder Hannah would have lived and Tyler would have continued being a creep with a camera and not a gun. Even Skye seemed to get a glimpse of happiness all because Clay suggested they ditch school. But that's not how this works. What Tyler, Hannah and Skye are going through is mental illness. Yes, bullying doesn't help in anyway, but just being kind to someone isn't the end all to suicide and gun violence. Season two is just another opportunity for the people in that high school to look back and say, "if only I was a little bit kinder." No. You should always be kind, sure, but your kindness isn't saving those suffering from mental illness, it takes so much more than that.
13. Some endings are better left open
You know what I felt at the end of season one? Confusion, chaos and a great deal of frustration, much like these characters were feeling. We ended the show not knowing Alex's fate, Tyler was becoming a danger to those around him, Clay might "save" Skye, Justin ran away and Bryce might possibly get what he deserves. Hannah's parents and Mr. Porter had their hands on the tapes, for the first time adults were getting involved. All these ends were open and I thought for sure this was intentional by the writers. Life after death is a mess of confusion and unanswered questions. Especially in situations where someone takes their own life and people are scrambling just to understand what was so horrible that that person wanted to cease to exist. That's where the story should have ended, that would have been a realistic feeling. Hannah's story should have been the end of "13 Reasons Why" and we should have been left dealing with that just as Clay left it. Returning seems wrong, jumping into a future where Hannah Baker does not exist and no longer has a say in what's going on.
14. But if that have to...
I guess we should have known this was coming. Season two is inevitable no matter how many reasons I can come up with. But maybe I am wrong in one area, maybe the writers, producers and actors are listening. Maybe they hear the pain that season one inflicted and intend to do better by those most in-tune with Hannah Baker. We can only hope that season two will be better. That Tyler won't be allowed to push the blame on others, that the students will be shown that parents and guidance counselors are helpful, that this isn't all just a show to entertain the masses, but something we can all learn from.
