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Warning: this post contains spoilers for 13 Reasons Why
Since its debut on March 31, the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why has been controversial. Based on a best-selling young adult novel by Jay Asher, the series plays out the reasons why a high school student made the decision to take her own life. The student, Hannah Baker (played by Katherine Langford), leaves behind a series of 13 cassettes addressing the people and events that led her to her tragic end and leads viewers on a mysterious trail (a narrative structure that has received its share of criticism). Hannah’s story unfolds through her classmate and former co-worker Clay, played by Dylan Minnette. The show has received critical and fan acclaim and is poised for a second season.
Because of the controversial subject matter, Netflix has taken proactive action to make sure the series is not perceived as advocating suicide. In addition to pre-episode warnings, the streaming service has made resources available to those who struggle with the issues and events depicted in the show via a website, 13ReasonsWhy.info. The network is also streaming a half hour special, Beyond the Reasons, with interviews with the cast and crew along with segments featuring mental health professionals addressing some of the tough issues the series covers.
Despite the warnings and information, the show is still facing some opposition. Some Canadian schools have banned any discussions about the show due to what it perceives as “glamorization of suicidal behavior and [depicting] negative portrayals of helping professionals.” In New Zealand, the show has a RP18 rating, which classifies the show as “restricted to persons who have attained the age of 18 years, or who are accompanied by a parent or guardian.”
In response to these and other criticisms, the streaming network agreed to add additional warnings prior to episodes including potentially triggering scenes of rape and Hannah’s suicide. In a statement issued this week, Netflix announced:
While many of our members find the show to be a valuable driver for starting important conversation with their families, we have also heard concern from those who feel the series should carry additional advisories. Currently the episodes that carry graphic content are identified as such and the series overall carries a TV-MA rating. Moving forward, we will add an additional viewer warning card before the episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series.
[From The Hollywood Reporter]
As for the graphic on-screen depiction of Hannah’s suicide, novelist Jay Asher told Entertainment Weekly that it was a necessary element of the series. He said, “They felt for a TV series, if you’re going to watch it, you want to show it as horrific as it actually is. So the way she does it, you can’t watch it and feel like it’s glamorized in any way. It looks and is painful, and then when she’s found by her parents, it absolutely destroys them.”
On Beyond the Reasons, show creator Brian Yorkey mirrored Asher’s sentiments, asserting, “We worked very hard not to be gratuitous, but we did want it to be painful to watch because we wanted it to be very clear that there is nothing, in any way, worthwhile about suicide.”
In a recent essay for Vanity Fair, series writer Nic Sheff defended the show’s depiction of suicide, especially after attempting to take his own life. He feels the series has a message that needs to be faced head-on, telling the magazine:
As soon as I read the pilot for 13 Reasons Why, I immediately knew it was a project I wanted to be involved in. I was struck by how relevant and even necessary a show like this was: offering hope to young people, letting them know that they are not alone—that somebody out there gets them. In 13 Reasons Why…I saw the opportunity to explore issues of cyberbullying, sexual assault, depression, and what it means to live in a country where women are devalued to the extent that a man who brags about sexually assaulting them can still be elected president. And, beyond all that, I recognized the potential for the show to bravely and unflinchingly explore the realities of suicide for teens and young adults—a topic I felt very strongly about.
[From Vanity Fair]
It’s probably no surprise that executive producer Selena Gomez also defended the series, telling the Associated Press “We stayed very true to the book and that’s initially what Jay Asher created, was a beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story, and I think that’s what we wanted to do.” She adds that she knew the series’ treatment of the subject matter would be subject to backlash, and admits “It’s not an easy subject to talk about, but I’m very fortunate with how it’s doing and I’m overwhelmed, very proud of it.”
I am still working my way through the series. It’s quite compelling, and I think, in this day and age, it’s important, especially for parents, to see stories like this represented. I have seen lots of posts on Facebook from my “Mom friends” saying the show is tough to watch, but they’re glad they did. I don’t think the show glamorizes suicide, but I am kind of sad it exists in the first place, because, like many television shows and movies, they’re just offering their take on the stories that are happening in real life.
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Photos: Getty Images, Fame Flynet
Source: celebitchy.com
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