Geeks logo

Some Reasons Why Not

'13 Reasons Why' and How It Isn't Helping Anyone

By Connor ThiessenPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
Like
Dang it, Hannah, I want to feel for you, but you're just mean after death.

Hello everyone. I’d like to thank you, as one often should, for taking the time to read this. It really means a lot to me. There are a few things I need to make known about this post before you continue. First, it is, for all intents and purposes, a critical look at the new Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, and while I don’t necessarily intend to spoil the series for those who will watch it or haven’t finished it, I will not shy away from talking about the series as a whole. Second, because of the subject matter that the show addresses, this post is definitely going to be a little more on the somber side. And third, it is important to acknowledge this show not just as a form of entertainment or an interesting story to be told, but as a commentary on our culture’s attitude toward a number of issues, particularly that of mental health. With these things established, let’s talk about some stuff.

It should be said that 13 Reasons Why is a very well-written show, with exceptional performances from the cast. When I started watching it, I did not intend to get emotionally involved in the story or any of the characters. I wanted to to watch it solely for the sake of curiosity and so that I could form my own informed opinions on it, in order to be a part of the dialogue surrounding the show. But this show has clever dialogue (not all of it, certainly, but a lot) and some really interesting characters. I quickly found myself invested. And at this point, I’m not sure that this quality of writing is a good thing. It’s easy to criticize and find the red flags in noticeably-shoddy workmanship, but when everything has perfect spelling and grammar, and there is a keen sense of storytelling, it becomes much harder to notice the dangers found in an influential show like 13 Reasons Why. Honestly, I wish I could end my review just with saying that it’s extremely well-written and well-acted. But because the makers of the show took on the responsibility of addressing and portraying the experiences of suicidal teens (among other heavy topics), whether knowingly or not, they had more on their plate than just writing a good story.

The task that the writers of 13 Reasons Why had ended up with was to shine a light on the feelings and experiences of depressed and suicidal teens, and to provide helpful insight into how we as a community (whether in the school or not) can help and possibly prevent tragedies like the one exemplified by the show’s female protagonist, Hannah Baker. Unfortunately, that is not what we have been given. The flash-back-flash-forward format of the show sends a strong message of “these are all the things that you did or didn’t do (often unwittingly), and now there is nothing you can do to help.” The theme is not hopeful or helpful, but one of shame and condemnation. And yes, many of the students of Liberty High School did terrible things to and around Hannah, as well as neglected to pay a number of decent human courtesies to her. But we need to remember that this show is meant to imitate the real life and experiences of high school students, meaning that if anyone watching the show is (God forbid) actually dealing with the suicide of a friend, they will not need the added analogous guilt trip.

For those who do need the strong wake-up call that this show gives, there emerges a whole other issue that goes far beyond entertainment. I heard a friend of mine talk about the show’s power, saying that “It does a really good job of showing that our actions have consequences.” The fact that we need an entire fictional series of 13-hour long episodes about high school students to show us that our actions have consequences is, for me, a tad infuriating. OF COURSE ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. That point is so obvious, so inherent in the very nature of how life happens, that I won’t spend much more time ranting about it. What is equally important is the reasoning that 13 Reasons Why uses to argue its point. If I were to summarize the plot in one sentence, it would be along the lines of “A girl uses the story of her own suicide to wreck emotional havoc in the lives of her former colleagues.” And woven into this narrative is the message of “Be careful what you say and do to people, because what if something like this happens? Things could get really bad for you.” I wish that it were enough to simply say, “Be careful what you say and do to people,” full stop. There shouldn’t have to be some selfish motive attached in order to teach human decency. Self-focused actions make up most of the reasons that Hannah ended her life. Just be good to people, please.

Which brings me to my final point. 13 Reasons Why is not good for the people that it ironically tries to create empathy towards. The producers, prior to making the series, talked to a number of experts on depression and suicide. And while a number of the “help seminars” featured briefly in the series show that some of that advice was taken, the producers chose to ignore some very strong recommendations: If you know that your audience will include those who struggle with depression and/or suicide, do not show the act of suicide onscreen or describe it in detail. 13 Reasons Why included both. In the end, I got a sense that this show became less of an ally to those struggling, and more exploitative of their struggles in order to create a good story. And that, if you ask me, is pretty disheartening.

If you were to ask me whether you should watch 13 Reasons Why, I would say that in the end, I can’t stop you. I would only hope that you consider what I’ve said here before doing so. And if you do watch it, I hope that you do so with a clear mind, and an awareness of what you can and cannot handle, because the show doesn’t seem to care.

tv
Like

About the Creator

Connor Thiessen

I've got just enough fingers for all the pies I want to have my fingers in, and no, I'm not a cannibalistic baker.

Writer, Actor, Gamer, Drummer, Ukulele-er.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.