(This article does contain spoilers)
I know I’m wasting the chance to write a list (13 Reasons Why You Should Watch 13 Reasons Why), but I decided to do an article because of the important subjects that appear in the show.
13 Reasons Why is a Netflix show that was released recently, and is based on a book by Jay Asher. I haven’t read the book, but you can read an article that lists the differences between the show and the book. It is about a girl, Hannah Baker, who commits suicide and leaves a series of cassette tapes, instead of a note, to the people who she blames for her demise. The tapes discuss one person at a time with the reason they contributed to her death. The first person mentioned in the tapes, after listening to all of them, must pass them on to the next person mentioned, who passes it on to the next person, and so forth. Already, you can tell that it has serious elements. It’s set in a high school, and the show itself is full of drama and suspense, but it also includes suicide, bullying, rape and sexual assault.
There is so much right about this show. It accurately depicts bullying and the effect it has on the victim. It also notes how schools often do nothing to stop/prevent it. In the show, the school claims to not have noticed anything going on at school, but how could they think that bullying does not exist in a high school? With social media, and greater access to the internet to teens and pre-teens than in the early 2000s, bullying is everywhere and easy to do. The show definitely provides a truthful depiction of social media’s presence in it. What Hannah experienced was the isolation that comes with being made fun of or targeted. Bullying was one of her reasons why, as it is for many, especially teens, today.
The show also mentions the warning signs of suicide, such as a drop in grades, which was true in Hannah’s case, as is eventually noted by the school counselor. Even with the warning signs, it is hard to notice someone who is suicidal or at risk. The show depicts how “jokes” can be harmful and how society’s sexualization of women is uncomfortable. For example, Hannah is put on a “best/worst list” and she was listed under Best Ass, which incited unwanted sexual attention and comments, as well as losing a friend. Some people would write it off as a joke or a compliment or “locker room talk”, but for Hannah, as with many women, it was offensive and hurtful. Such norms can be glanced over and laughed at, but Hannah’s experience makes viewers (hopefully) start to realize the harm that can be done.
Aside from bullying, other reasons included rape/sexual assault. These episodes were preceded by a viewer discretion advisory, and were intense in that it showed rape and how it could have easily been prevented. As the reasons in Hannah’s tapes progressed, they became more and more intense. The sexual assault instances were heart-wrenching to watch knowing that multiple people, who knew the assault took place, did not try to talk about it or report it, but defended the rapist.
Hannah’s death was tragic, but because she created the cassette tapes, she called people out for being hurtful, whether they knew it or not. Her system allowed more than one person to know about the faults of the people she blamed. There was no innocence in what her “friends” did to her, and the show will hopefully change the way people act, or at least think about how their actions could affect others.
The show is not completely depressing and dark. There is drama and wit involved, and happy, romantic moments, but the serious undertones help to emphasize what the show is really about: suicide due to the effects of bullying, rape, and sexual assault.
One thing that I wish they would have added was a bonus episode that discussed the warning signs and included the suicide hotline and how to report a sexual assault. Usually shows that discuss important topics have some sort of access to helpful information. For example, Secret Life of the American Teenager had Shailene Woodly talk about the importance of safe sex and where viewers could find help or information. If Netflix had added a discussion on how to cope with the problems in the show, they could have offered viewers information on counseling and how keeping it all in, blaming one’s self, or not speaking up can (sometimes) be more harmful than the actual actions that caused the hurt in the first place.
So watch the show because it is entertaining, suspenseful, and impactful!
Helpful Resources:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673
Quad Cities Safe Path Survivor Resources (Crisis Line): 309-797-1777