My husband is still stunned over the fact I can't stop gushing about the Netfix original series that focuses on one girl's suicide and its aftermath. To give you some perspective on how much I loved this series, we started watching it on a Tuesday and had gone through all 13 episodes by Saturday.
My daughter told me her friends were talking about it, Instagram was covered with it and she needed to know what the hype was about. We had actually passed on the show just a couple days earlier because it dealt with suicide and I don't like depressing stuff, remember. But I told her I would watch it with her.
We watched the first episode in which the main character, Clay, receives a box of cassette tapes and finds out they are from his friend Hannah, who had recently committed suicide. Once he is finally able to listen, my daughter and I were mesmerized. And we had to watch the second episode.
The following night my husband sat on the couch while we were watching and got instantly caught up in it. We had to pause the show to explain what had happened in the previous two episodes. He was fascinated because the story plays out sort of like a murder mystery. You keep asking, "Who done it?" Whose actions were the worst, that finally pushed Hannah over the edge? The thing is, many of the actions were minor (some might think), which is what makes the story so powerful. Little things can add up, making the bigger tragedies impossible to handle.
Every night we watched an episode or two, or three. It was late Friday night when we got to the final episode, My husband was eager to see the end, but our daughter was tired and had to be up early the next day, so we waited. Saturday, after a long day at a comic book convention, my husband came home and said, "Are we watching the final episode?" Of course! The show brought out some great family discussions. I hope it does the same for others.
Some people have complained that the ending leaves too many unanswered questions, but I was fine with it. The ending leaves you wondering if the people left behind get the help they need. Does the worst offender get punished? Does the bullied kid go on a shooting rampage?
All it takes is one kind word or action to change the outcome of a bad situation. So anything could happen to these characters.
I describe what happened in the show as "the perfect storm" of events that piled up to destroy a person's life. An embarrassing photo, a rumor, a lie, a betrayal, a guilty conscience, feeling of unworthiness, etc. These are things most kids deal with in high school. But piled onto someone who is just learning how to navigate life can be debilitating. You stop noticing there are still people around you who love you and want you in their lives.
The subject matter is sad, there are depressing things that happen, things that are hard to watch, but overall it didn't bum me out. If anything it made me feel hopeful that people will watch this and think twice about the things they do and say to others. It also made me reaffirm my gratitude for my family and how blessed my life is.
There is also the fact that the entire cast is brilliant!!! The writing is believable and often humorous, so it's not one big downer. There is balance. You will laugh and cry and then hug your family. At least we did.
Warning: This show is intended for a mature audience. There is nudity, violence, swearing and sexual situations. Even so, I think 13 Reasons Why should be required viewing for all high school students and their parents. But they should watch it together and discuss it. Be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes episode when you finish the series.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80117470
