Netflix’s new star TV series ’13 Reasons Why’ has been the talk of the town ever since its release back in March. The story, based on the novel ‘Thirteen reasons’ by Jay Asher, revolves around 13 cassette tapes which were recorded by Hannah Baker, a 16 year old teen, before she decides to kill herself. Each tape highlights a reason behind her eventual suicide.
But before you decide to jump on the binge watching bandwagon with this one, here are 4 reasons why you should think twice before watching 13 reasons why:
It Trivializes Suicide
Granted, Hannah Baker went through a lot during her time in high school. But looking at it from the perspective of a naive young teenager going through relatable circumstances, the show sends out a worrying message. It broadcasts in no subtle terms that if problems in life become overwhelming, you are entitled to consider suicide as an option.
It puts suicide as an viable option to consider for the impressionable kid who’s just lost a friend. It portrays ending your life as a feasible choice for the teen who was recently embarrassed in public. And although the show does attempt to subtly slip in the ‘suicide is never the solution’ rhetoric in the final episodes, it’s just a case of too little too late.
The Perfect Suicide Manual
The last moments of Hannah’s life are shown in gruesome and vivid detail. And for anyone thinking of taking the same route, the scene serves as a gruesome and ill-advised guideline. For anyone who is having suicidal notions but is unaware of the means required to actually commit the deed, the show eliminates that one last obstacle that is preventing the person from taking the plunge. The elaborate representation of a conventional bathtub suicide provides the viewer with a step by step guide to end your life. Not the kind of information you’d want to take home from your regular Saturday night binge.
It Portrays Suicide Incorrectly
Suicide and mental illness are much more complicated than the show lets on. In an attempt to keep the story line interesting, the show frantically jumps from one tragedy to the next without shedding enough light on Hannah’s mental state. This focus on the event rather than than its impact eventually leads to an head scratching final episode where Hannah still seems to be pretty happy while interacting with her parents just hours before her eventual planned suicide. The inaccurate and misleading portrayal of mental depression turns out to be downright offensive and insulting to anyone suffering from the effects of actual depression.
There are Major Plot Holes in the Story line
Sure Hannah Baker faced a conundrum of ordeals in her final days. Her friends betrayed her one after the other. She was witness and victim to sexual assault. But one thing Hannah constantly did have on her side were her parents. Involved and comforting, they were always there for her and took active part and interest in her life. But when she decided to kill herself, she conveniently ignored them when she needed them the most. Even more astounding is the fact that she left them completely in the dark over the entire situation, not even leaving behind a mere goodbye note for the people who cared for her the most.
Although Netflix’s ‘13 reasons why’ is a breath of fresh air as far as conventional high school drama series are concerned, the show lacks the composure in execution required to pull off such a sensitive topic. The popular American drama series is scheduled to return for a second season on Netflix.
An Immediate Effect
Following its release, some incidents of suicide have been reported that may have been inspired by the TV show. A mom of a teenager who almost committed suicide blames a school teacher who introduced students to this series. The boy, who was a high school student, began jotting down reasons of ending his own life. Luckily, before any major harm was done, he was taken into psychiatric care.
But not all endings are happy. A man from Peru ended his life by jumping from an apartment window, reportedly leaving behind video tapes of the suicide’s explanation.
Mental health experts have already addressed this controversial matter, coming to the conclusion that sensitive individuals may find themselves at risk due to much of the reasons discussed above in the article.
