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I think it had great acting. A very compelling storyline, about very tough subject matter. I like the focus of the show, to raise awareness about issues and that we should treat each other better...
However, I have an issue with some of the portrayals and direction of the series:
First of all, I don't like the suicide revenge tour. The tapes come across as a revenge tour on those who hurt her, and I find that to be particularly cruel. Not that some of those people weren't cruel to her, but I don't know if that's the message I'd want to send. There is an underlying theme throughout the season that everybody is to blame for Hannah's suicide, and it continues right down to the final minutes. As if those people forced her into that position...
Hannah's experiences, while some were tragic, were not unique. I think every single viewer can find at least one, but likely more than one, commonality that they themselves share with her experiences. People have overcome worse and didn't go on a blame-fest and kill themselves. I don't mean to sound insensitive here, but not a single child in the show spoke to an adult. Obviously, many children won't, bit many children also do, and the show does a poor job showing that teenagers can overcome issues with adult intervention (bullying, harassment, rape, assault, sexual assault, loneliness, drug and alcohol abuse, etc). Every adult that was a central character (besides Clay's parents) was a willful bystander oblivious to the culture of the school and the problems the different kids were dealing with. That's not only unrealistic but a little crass...
I don't like how they had Clay draw out listening to the tapes. Unrealistic and too time consuming. Besides that, I'd give it a 7.5-8/10, mostly for great acting and a solid premise, even if I found the direction of the storyline questionable...
Now, I'd never allow my children to watch this, but I'm saying this as a parent of a 2-month old and not a teenager, so that may change. But the show was too vulgar in dialogue and graphic (sex scenes, rape scenes, suicide scene) for me to allow my child under 16 to watch. Plus, the fact that teenagers don't process or interpret information the same way adults do--i think a teenager could view this with a responsible adult and have a mature conversation around it. At the same time, there is a load of room for (mis?)interpretation that the show romanticizes suicide and presents adults as unable to respond to or recognize teenage angst, and that adults shouldn't be trusted and the teens should take matters into their own hands. Too much room within for misinterpretation. 'Maybe' I'd watch it with an older child...
I don't mean to sound insensitive here, but not a single child in the show spoke to an adult.
This is simply false. The kids talked to adults repeatedly. One of the main characters was the counselor who spoke with many of the characters, including Hannah, who practically told him she was considering suicide.
I think you are missing the whole point of the story. And you are taking it too personally. Your husband was a grown man, an adult who should be able to shoulder more stress and pressures than a 16 year old, who is still in terms of life experience a child, but who was being forced (as all of her peers in today's society are, unfortunately) to deal with matters far beyond her years. The two scenarios do not equate.
Each of the 13 recordings she made are directed to a person who played a role in her ultimate decision to kill herself. There is a reason the school counselor is the last one, because he SHOULD have taken more of an active role in trying to help her, and even he brushed her off.
I am so glad I grew up in the last generation to come of age before social media, so I didn't have to deal with that sh*t. Can't imagine what it is like to have photos or video of something I did be broadcast around the entire school.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RosemaryT
It's pure BS. I watched a couple episodes.
Twelve months ago, my much-loved husband committed suicide. Every minute of every day, I try to figure out what I could have done differently, and if I could have stopped him and maybe I should have done a better job making his favorite meals every single night. Or maybe I should have been a better lover, or earned more money, or something. It must have been something that I could have done to prevent this.
And this is why suicide is different.
My husband didn't die of a heart problem or a disease process. He put a bullet in his brain.
Suicide survivors (as we're called) deal with guilt, guilt, guilt and more guilt. "13 Reasons" just adds to that guilt. I can't speak to the book, but I can say that the show is moral idiocy.
Hannah killed herSELF. To even produce a show that adds one iota of guilt to us suicide survivors is horrible.
Well, I'm 55 and a mother of five adult kids and eight grandkids, the oldest of whom is a 14 year old girl. I am currently binging on this show and I think it's fascinating.
In a way, high school hasn't changed a bit. I think that's what's fascinating to me as well. The same personalities, they just have different tools and different ways to communicate - but bullying has been around for aeons and will always be around.
I think every parent of pre teens and teens should watch this show. It's not without it's flaws but overall I think it's excellent.
Greetings and thank you for reading. So, this is a really different TV Show in the sense that it is the first of its' kind. One that elicits a lot of emotion.
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Location: Born & Raised DC > Carolinas > Seattle > Denver
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We finished episode 10 last night, the next episode is
Spoiler
Clay's tape. I am dreading it
13 Reasons Why is easily in Netflix's top 10 All-time originals. Wife and I have had a good time watching it. Dylan Minnette ought to be recognized by his performance, he's been amazing. Langford is good too.
I don't have kids and I'm not a teen but, I kept seeing it pop up on my Netflix so I decided to check it out. I'm on episode 8. I think all teens and young adults should watch this.
Written by someone who didn't even watch one minute of the series... While I agree with some of his points about the show romanticizing suicide (but not because of the number of people who have watched), I don't see how the author can make those claims.
I am fascinated by this show and can't wait to pick up where I left off last night (on episode 8 now).
I personally think that people who commit suicide (and I've known several, including my uncle, who blew his head off in the bathroom about 30 feet from where his kids were standing outside waiting for the bus) are 1) ultimately responsible for their own decisions, but 2) in incredible pain, which makes them feel utterly hopeless.
So I don't judge them - but I also believe that if the people around them can SEE THE SIGNS of that incredible pain, or stop contributing to that pain, or stop others from contributing to that pain, then we're all better off. That doesn't mean that those who didn't succeed at helping them are guilty.
But the series is specifically about bullying and tormenting another human being. Now - not everyone who commits suicide does so because they are bullied or tormented. I think it takes a perfect storm of emotions, personality, values, and events to come together to influence someone to take that final, irrevokable step, and we can throw stones at each other all day trying to cast blame. But one thing is certain and that is that bullying and tormenting and abusing another human being is a deep and terrible sin, and can have deep and terrible consequences whether the tormenter means for it to or not. Actions have consequences, and non actions do too.
They say "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." There's some truth to that, but there's more to it than that. Sometimes what is incredibly painful DOES kill you. Sometimes incredible pain does make you stronger. And sometimes incredible pain just breaks a person.
This series has really made me think.
There is no way I'd let a teenager of mine watch it without me watching the entire series first. Like I said, I'm only on Episode 8. But I do think it has a lot of merit so far.
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