13 Reasons Why becomes teen conversation topic

13 Reasons Why is based on the New York Times bestselling YA book by Jay Asher. 13 Reasons Why is the story of Hannah Baker, a high schooler, who commits suicide. Clay Jensen, a young friend of Hannah receives a box of tapes from Hannah, his late classmate and crush, after she kills herself. On the tapes, which get passed along to other students based on Hannah’s instructions, Hannah reveals the 13 reasons why she took her own life.

This thriller television series has been streaming on Netflix since March 21 of last year. This show is empowering yet emotional. It has affected me emotionally due to its graphic scenes depicting a young woman’s life.  

Season two of this show follows a different perspective of Hannah’s suicide. It mostly takes place in a courtroom, following up on the case of the Baker family vs. Liberty High School District. It shows  the aspect of every character and their side of the story. I was very shocked to see what the individuals Hannah held responsible for her death had to say for themselves.

Throughout the season, the issue of bullying is tackled through the character Tyler Down, an outcast and photographer who is shown to have no friends at Liberty. Tyler eventually befriends a group of punk kids – something which, in turn, leads to him getting sent to a rehab program after he’s coaxed into vandalising the baseball field. Upon returning to Liberty, Tyler is targeted by a sports kid named Monty. He follows him into a bathroom and sexually assaults him.

This topic, in general, can make any audience uneasy.  While others are praising the show for shedding light on the issue of sexual violation, I feel its graphic nature was unnecessary.  The scene was narratively exploitative and merely used as a tool to set up the season finale cliffhanger. 

Overall, the sequel to this riveting show left me speechless and disturbed. 13 Reasons Why shows issues affecting today’s teenagers tackling different individuals and their private lives. I enjoyed watching the show and can’t wait for a third season.