13 Reasons Why has been at the centre of television controversy since the first season aired on Netflix in 2017. The show was widely criticized for potentially increasing the problems it sought to address, including suicide.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s, Jeff Bridge, claims to have found an association between 13 Reasons Why and an almost 30 percent jump in suicide rates among US youths during the shows release.
There is no way to prove the show is the definitive cause for the spike and as concerning as it is, it sheds light on a problematic issue around teenagers and suicidal content.
The Netflix series is rated MA 15+
While it’s alarming to think 13 Reasons Why could be the cause of suicide contagion, it is also distressing to hear that teenagers are watching the series alone.
The show re-lives Hannah Bakers rape and every episode has some sort of reference to violence, bullying and/or grief.
Netflix has since pulled Hannah Bakers suicide scene from the show, 2 years after its release.
This is not a show that any teenager should be watching alone, I feel many of the topics require an adult to be available for an open discussion, during or after each episode.
I myself had moments during the show where I felt triggered into reliving hurtful emotions from past experiences.
I am a grown woman though, who has enough self-awareness to know if I need help along with the confidence to speak up to my friends and family.
“Suicidal Teenagers Should Not Be Watching This Show”
The problem with this statement is that teenagers hide their suicidal thoughts. Parents often don’t know about their child’s suicidal thoughts. All the more reason to provide supervision and additional support if your teenager is going to watch this show.
When I say “going to”….what I’m saying is that I know full well that a 15 year old will binge watch 13 Reasons Why on their phone the day it’s released. It can be hard to stay on top of these things, but as parents, we need to try harder.
Season 1 explores adolescent grief after the death of Hannah Baker, who committed suicide after being raped by a high school jock, Bryce Walker. The show follows each character in the fallout after her death, narrated by a series of tapes which Hannah recorded before taking her own life.
This gave the show a bit of a road map. We knew each character had a tape, the storyline stayed on a fairly predictive path, 13 episodes of interviewing each subject from our armchairs at home.
Season 2 feels like it cowers in the face of criticism, it loses some of its edge and fails to explore characters in the provocative and engaging style that Season 1 delivered. That being said, it was still enjoyable to watch, a strong cast has kept the show alive.
Season 3 starts to feel like the show is running on empty. While the show is intense, the storyline is overdramatic and unbelievable. I enjoyed season 3 of 13 Reasons Why, but it felt like a different show.
I have to wonder if the unrealistic storyline and chain of events are an attempt to avoid the criticism season 1 faced.
Season 1 made the unbelievable, believable.
From start to finish the show took you on a journey, spelling out how someone gets from A, being bullied to B, being raped, to C, committing suicide.
“Why was she in a room alone with him to begin with”, “Why didn’t she tell a parent”, “Why didn’t she tell the police”, “Why didn’t the school do anything”…
This type of questioning is often labeled as victim-blaming, Answers are found throughout the 13 tapes and again in Bryce Walkers court case in Season 2.
13 Reasons Why attempts to give a realistic representation of what life in high school may look like when it has been infected with bullying, violence, and rape culture.
The sequence of events may be far fetched, but the exploration of each individual character’s grief and coping mechanisms are familiar territory for anyone who has faced any of the numerous complex issues in this show.
13 Reasons Why Series 3 is 13 Episodes of Who Dunnit
(No Major Spoilers ahead)
I’m trying to be constructive, especially as I did actually enjoy season 3!
It is a bit of a train wreck though. Some of the flashbacks feel like unnecessary fodder to bulk each episode up.
We’ve spent two seasons building relationships with these characters only to follow them on a wild goose chase to find who killed B.W.
I have to mention the repeated attempts at milking empathy from the audience for Bryce Walker. It really felt like the show had an agenda to inform people that rapists can be rehabilitated…we get it….he wants to change,
I won’t go into any fine detail about n Bryce Walkers murder in Season 3.
Who Killed Bryce Walker?
Everybody is a suspect. No, like literally everyone.
The new girl, former school staff, students, family, shady drug dealers and more…
It feels like everyone was at a really unlikely murder scene (okay not everyone…. exaggerating but,,, seriously). Just when you learn of one suspect’s elimination, surprise! Bob the janitor, the librarian, and the postman were at the crime scene as well.
Like all good “Who Dunnit” shows, there is a twist at the end. Don’t get excited, you’ll see it coming a mile away when some horrendously strong hints are dropped.
Season 3 has such an overdramatic approach, with an unrealistic chain of events involving youth violence that it’s hard to NOT criticize it,
I love this cast so much, There’s been some serious development in acting chops! it’s hard not to recommend it to friends.
13 Reasons Why – Season 4
I cannot believe Netflix is fueling this show for a 4th season. The storyline has run out of gas!
What remains to be unanswered in the season 3, is really not worth a season 4.
I always thought another series would explore the life of a different set of teenagers, with potential drop-ins from original cast members. It looks like Season 4 will pick up where it left off and potentially be a snooze fest.
Season 3 of Netflix’s controversial 13 Reasons Why was released on Friday 23 August, the fourth and final season has been confirmed.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide get help immediately. Choose life, not suicide.
Call Lifeline 13 11 14 or 000 if life is in danger.