13 Reasons Why prides itself on tackling difficult issues head on, but its approach has resulted in many controversies. Based on Jay Asher’s novel of the same name, 13 Reasons Why arrived on Netflix in 2017. Its first season told the story of Hannah Baker’s suicide, through a series of flashbacks which detailed the “13 reasons why” she had taken her own life.
Those reasons included a culture of bullying and drugs at her school, which resulted in many students making poor decisions and then trying to deal with the regrettable consequences. They also included rape, and the revelation that Hannah and her friend, Jessica, had both been raped by the football captain, Bryce Walker. Not only were many of the scenes triggering for viewers, but Hannah’s suicide was shown in graphic detail, prompting an outcry across social media.
13 Reasons Why came back for a second season, and this time the controversial topics handled included sexual assault and school shootings. Still undeterred by yet more uproar, 13 Reasons Why season 3 has also seen a new character getting involved with a known rapist, and someone being framed for murder. With such a divisive show it can be difficult to keep track of what the backlash is about, so here are 13 Reasons Why’s biggest controversies (so far).
Hannah’s Suicide
Undoubtedly the biggest controversy 13 Reasons Why has faced was its decision to show Hannah Baker’s suicide in graphic detail. The storyline had already caused outcry, with many parenting groups claiming that it would influence impressionable teenagers, and that it glamorized suicide. Showrunner Brian Yorkey and the cast all defended the show, stating that they were trying to promote conversation between adults and teens, and teaching about the power of seeking help.
However, after advice from medical experts, Netflix made the decision to remove the controversial scene in which Hannah takes her own life, two years after it first aired. The two sides of the argument both have valid points; for anyone contemplating suicide, the scene could prove to be a fatal trigger. On the other hand, the visible pain that Hannah went through could easily serve as a strong deterrent to anyone who thought suicide was an easy way out. Arguably, though, the scene that served as the biggest deterrent of all was Hannah’s mother discovering her daughter’s body.
The Rape Of Hannah, Jessica, and Chloe
Another major criticism of 13 Reasons Why season 1 was its depiction of sexual violence, most specifically the rape of Jessica and Hannah by Bryce. Again, the showrunners defended the choice by saying it was highlighting an important topic that wasn’t spoken about enough. While it’s easy to agree that we should be discussing the matters of consent, peer pressure and rape with our teens, 13 Reasons Why focused much more on the behavior of Bryce, the perpetrator, rather than the impact his actions had on his victims. Not only did 13 Reasons Why do this in season 1, it also did the same in season 2, when Bryce went on to rape Chloe, his girlfriend at the time.
Drug Culture
Drugs are part of high school life, and that’s an unavoidable fact. However, they’re certainly not something that every teenager does, and certainly not in the quantities or with the reckless abandon as depicted in 13 Reasons Why. Bryce Walker is rich, and obviously has disposable income, but we’re also supposed to believe that Justin, who has been abandoned by his family and is not wealthy, has the means to be a drug addict. 13 Reasons Why seems to think every teenage gathering automatically involves heavy drug use, especially from the football team, who are supposed to be the best athletes in the school. It’s another instance of the show focusing on the negative aspect of school life, rather than the promise of a bright future for these kids.
Bullying and Jock Culture
Bullying, and the toxic male dominated sports culture at Liberty High, is a major factor across 13 Reasons Why. Hannah was relentlessly bullied, and it seems as though getting slammed into lockers by a footballer is just par for the course for most. Again, one could argue that 13 Reasons Why is highlighting a major issue with our schools, and that could be admirable. But it’s 13 Reason’s Why’s failure to address it that’s the issue. It’s not until season 3 that we actually see a fairly supportive principal allowing Jessica to give a school assembly based on the #MeToo movement. There’s no discipline strategy in place to deal with the bullying, we are not shown the consequences of the jock behavior, and so the show fails to highlight the issue in a useful way at all. If anything, it merely promotes the fact that if you’re a straight white male sports player in school, you can get away with pretty much anything.
Tyler’s Assault
Another victim of the continual bullying, is Tyler Down. An outcast from the very start, 13 Reasons Why has followed Tyler’s journey from a quiet photography student to arriving fully armed to the Spring dance. The school has turned a blind eye to all of Tyler’s troubles; surprising given how overtly he was bullied. Monty, a member of the football team, was a continual thorn in Tyler’s side, making his life worse and worse until it all culminated in a horrific physical and sexual assault. The extremely graphic depiction of Tyler being sodomized with a broom handle and badly beaten was a very difficult watch. Unsurprisingly, it sparked outrage, and the warning that preceded the show didn’t feel like enough.
Tyler’s Attempted Shooting
The debate over gun control in America has been raging for some time now, and sadly, school shootings are frequent occurrences. Arguably, then, 13 Reason’s Why’s decision to have Tyler attempt a mass shooting was merely raising discussion and awareness of an issue that affects most American school kids - but again, it was the way the show dealt with it that cause the issue. Tyler arrived at his decision based on the assault he had suffered and the culmination of long-standing bullying. However, there was no detailed look at the state of Tyler’s mental health when he made his choice, just like there wasn’t with Hannah when she took her own life.
The way the attempted shooting scene played out, in the finale of season 2, was badly handled. Clay Jensen stepped in front of Tyler’s gun and talked him out of going through with it, before Tony and Clay together removed Tyler from the scene of the crime and then disposed of his guns. As if that wasn’t enough, in season 3 it becomes clear that rather than letting anyone find out about Tyler’s attempt, Clay and his friends take turns in looking after Tyler so that he is never alone. The implication that a group of 17 year old kids can handle the ramifications of an attempted mass shooting, as well as provide adequate after care for a mentally unwell peer, is a dangerous one.
Bryce’s Probation
When Hannah’s tapes, detailing her 13 reasons, were released, everyone got to hear Bryce’s confession. Clay had secretly recorded him admitting that he raped Hannah and Jessica, and season 2 found him on trial. Of course, while he was on the stand, it was actually Jessica who had to endure the real trial, being labeled a slut and being told she was asking for it. Bryce was depicted as a star athlete, from a good home, and a student whose college chances would be ruined if convicted of rape. The result was that he received a paltry 3 month probation term for his crimes, while Jessica (and subsequently Chloe) had to live with what he did to them. It was too late for Hannah. Although his sentence caused controversy and anger among fans, sadly it’s all too often reflected in court rooms for real.
Ani’s Relationship With Bryce
The introduction of Ani in season 3 was met with such fierce backlash from fans that Grace Saif, who plays Ani, was forced to quit social media. While hounding an actress who plays a fictional character is completely wrong, it’s easy to see why the character of Ani was detested so much. First of all, she stuck herself right in the middle of the problems that Clay and his friends were dealing with, despite not knowing their shared history. Her lack of sensitivity was astounding, like asking Chloe if Bryce had been aware she was pregnant, right after they’d met. She also worked her way into Jessica’s life, counselling her on her rape and recovery, all the while courting a relationship with the very man who had already raped 3 girls.
The whole purpose of the character seemed to be humanizing the despicable actions of Bryce Walker, and since Bryce never seemed to have any redeeming features, it was too little, too late, Plus, Ani seemed more concerned with making sure someone went down for Bryce’s murder than his actual demise. When Clay looked to be in the frame, Ani set about trying to pin the blame on someone else - the wrong person.
Monty’s Season 3 Story Arc
Monty was an inherently unlikable character from the start. He spent most of 13 Reasons Why season 1 playing suck-up to Bryce and learning his habits and behaviors, which made him become an entitled bully. It was season 2 where Monty became more of a character in his own right, and like his mentor, there was not a redeeming feature in sight. He bullied Tyler endlessly, assaulted and violated him, and, as it seemed for much of season 3, got away with it. As it turned out, Monty had a secret: he was gay, and struggling to come to terms with his own sexuality. When Tyler managed to seek help for his assault, Monty was arrested and imprisoned, and was subsequently killed in his cell. At the same time, Ani successfully (for now) pinned Bryce’s murder on him, even though he had an alibi; he was sleeping with a student from another school at the time. Monty is now dead, and we won’t get to see the character learning to come to terms with his sexuality, or dealing with the consequences of his actions. Like so many stoylines in 13 Reasons Why, this controversial episode is once more skipped over with no real lessons learned.
Next: 13 Reasons Why Season 3’s Monty Twist Explained
