“13 Reasons Why” Review

Molly Stevens
Sep 8, 2018 · 2 min read

One of the more controversial television shows that people are currently watching is “13 Reasons Why.” For those that don’t know what the show is about, I will provide you with a brief summary of the first season. Hannah Baker is a new student at Liberty High School. She soon finds herself in a situation where she is the subject of a nasty rumor. The pilot episode begins with a voice over from Hannah. You soon realize that she was a victim of suicide. Each episode covers a different homemade tape explaining all of the reasons why she did it. By episode 13, you understand her side of the story.

The show receives a lot of criticism for “glamorizing” suicide, and I can completely understand why people would say that (the show is for entertainment, all of the characters are good looking, and of course, having such dark content, there is a whole lot of drama). Although I see why people might not be on board with the show, I think that some critics are overlooking the point. The show accurately portrays how bullying can affect someone and, therefore, brings awareness to its audience.

The show also takes a lot of heat for graphic content, but again, I think that they are using it to get a point across. For example, in the final episode of the first season, Hannah takes her life, and her mom finds her dead in the bathtub. This particular scene had people buzzing because it went into detail of how Hannah killed herself, and the content was quite disturbing to viewers. I think that the scene could help people who have never had a loved one be the victim of suicide empathize with the mom. No one can imagine the affect that finding someone you love in such a state would have unless they have been through that particular trauma. There is a disclaimer at the beginning of each season warning the audience that the show may be a trigger, so I feel that a scene including this type of content is to be expected.