13 REASONS WHY production still. Photo: Beth Dubber/Netflix
13 Reasons Why (Netflix)
This one is a little different than the others. We don’t think it should end because it’s bad, but a second season seems a little unnecessary.
13 Reasons Why was widely controversial when it debuted on Netflix. The show did not shy away from showing the gruesome reality of teenage suicide and sexual assault, and was considered triggering for many people. Schools sent out warnings to parents about the graphic content on the show, prompting a national discussion on self-harm and suicide.
The controversy around the show prompted Netflix to put strong advisory warnings before certain graphic episodes, but many thought that wasn’t helpful. Many viewers felt like it was gratuitously graphic, mainly in depicting Hannah Baker’s suicide, and worried about it encouraging copycat suicides.
Despite the controversy, the show still tackled an important topic and many praised it for going where other shows were too afraid to venture. The series was also praised for sticking closely to the original novel by Jay Asher.
And that’s why there shouldn’t have been a season 2. The first season of 13 Reasons Why explored Hannah Baker’s tragic backstory and what lead to her demise, and why she left behind tapes for all the people involved. But her story is over, so now the writers are going off book.
With the way season 1 ended, season 2 can only get even darker. If the show starts exploring more controversial storylines, it will start to diminish the importance of season 1 and Hannah Baker. And if it goes on for longer than two seasons, it will only start getting repetitive sooner rather than later. Couldn’t they have made it a mini-series instead?