“You don’t know what goes on in anyone’s life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can’t be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life. Everything. . . affects everything.” – Jay Asher
13 Reasons Why is an American drama-mystery web television series, based on the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and adapted by Brian Yorkey for Netflix.
The series revolves around Clay Jensen, who returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker (his classmate and crush), who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah’s voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why. As he listens to the tapes, the cruelty that lurks in the halls of his high school comes alive and his life grows twisted and wrecked as he begins to witness Hannah’s life comes into focus all over again, through the sound of her voice.
This is the gist of the series. It spread faster than wildfire all over the globe this year. Ranging from teenagers to young adults, many had been interested in this show and have watched it as soon as Netflix released it.
There are some distinctive differences between the book and the TV show. The major one that can be written (without handing out any spoilers) would be the fact that, the book was written in 2007 and the TV show has been shot a decade later.
It is genuinely a wonder how a book written, a decade ago, with a few modifications could easily connect to several people living in 2017. The issues of suicide, bullying, sexual harassment, LGBT matters, rape etc., are still vividly relevant. That is perhaps, the sad truth.
The show although, was praised for it’s direction and the character portrayal, has received quite a lot of backlash on how emotionally heavy it is for a viewer to watch such a story come alive upon their screen.
I agree with this. It really is some seriously effective content to portray and paint a face upon. Netflix flashes trigger warnings and emphasises upon them quite heavily, every time an episode is about to begin. So, the viewers know what lies ahead.
Thirteen Reasons Why is a show that needs to be seen through a subjective lens. Everyone has their opinion on how the show is, how it portrayed several issues that teenagers come across nowadays, what it’s effect was upon it’s viewers etc.
I can say this from my perspective. It did not set out to glorify suicide. No show, no book and no film sets out portray such content as something to be venerated. It only did what it was supposed to do. It showed us what the pages of Jay Asher’s book has within it and how these words still hold such power upon the people of today.
I hope everyone who has watched the show is alright and wish that the message of the show has gotten through. The next season releases in 2018 and there are several loose ends that need tidying. The show’s producers noted to tie them up next season and they better deliver. Sleep evades me, just as the answers to the questions, that the last episode of the first season left behind.
[Written By Sreya K.]
Tags: Netflix Thirteen Reasons Why Thirteen Reasons Why series
