Based on the novel by Jay Asher, newly-released mini-series, 13 Reasons Why follows Clay Jensen as he listens to the tapes Hannah Baker’s left behind after she commits suicide. Bit by bit, they reveal another piece of the story. The show weaves through time, from before and after Hannah Baker’s death, and makes it feel like she’s still alive even after she’s gone.
A Quick Synopsis
Each episode chronicles one person out of 13 people, one for each reason for why Hannah did what she did. The show follows a certain structure while exploring each person’s story. More specifically, how it relates to Hannah’s story. We also watch Hannah’s parents in all of their confusion and frustration as they’re left in the dark. All of which is devastating as they’re saddened they didn’t see the signs. By the seventh episode, Clay slowly starts to lose his mind and becomes angry, terrified, and confused. We discover just how unfair the world can be as we get insight into everyone’s point of view. We see how terrible people can get away with anything as Hannah suffers something traumatic. But most importantly, we see how something so small turns into a tragedy.
Final Thoughts
The success that’s come along with the show’s due to the slow crescendo of mystery. We also see the revealing depiction of someone becoming depressed through Hannah’s narration. And of course, the universal feeling of being bullied and alone. The series may be about teenagers and their angst in high school, but it can be relatable to anyone. Overall, I can’t say much about how accurate or inaccurate it is compared to the book. But I can tell you that 13 Reasons Why leaves you with a heavy feeling in your stomach. However, it’s a necessary conversation about mental health and a show I’d recommend you to watch.