By now, the majority of people have watched the new Netflix series, "13 Reasons Why." Once I started watching the show, I couldn't stop until I finished it. The message of the show is something that everyone needs to hear and see. While I highly enjoyed the show, I did have some issues with the series adaption. So, if you have seen the show, read on. If you haven't and don't want to have anything ruined for yourself, come back once you do.
Here are thirteen issues I had with "13 Reasons Why":
1. No one knows it was a book first.
The novel, written by Jay Asher, came out in 2007. I remember the first time I read it. I was in high school and was completely struck by how much the story affected me. It demonstrated how much our words and action can influence someone. While the show was great, it pales in comparison to the novel. The novel encompasses so much emotion and thought into less than 300 pages. If you liked the show, give the book a read.
2. How long it takes Clay to get through the tapes.
Okay, I get that they had to make the episodes 45+ minutes for the sake of stretching out the story. But it seriously took Clay way too long to make it through the tapes. While it takes him a while in the book, the tv series drew out his listening to the tapes way too much. It was annoying and even unnecessary at times.
3. The confusion in the first four or five episodes.
During the first several episodes, it is really hard to understand what is going on. The show kept going back an forth between present and past. Each of the characters would drop little hints or details that don't make any sense until you end the series. It was an incredible puzzle that like point #2, took too long to put together. I have heard from several people that the confusion in the plot made them not want to watch the rest of the series because they didn't understand or see where it was going. Again, I understand that they had to stretch out the plot to make long episodes, but it was too hard to follow and keep up with.
4. Tyler planning a school shooting.
This is not part of the book. There really isn't a lot of detail on Tyler in the novel, but he most certainly was not planning a school shooting. However, watching the series, you can see this planning start several episodes before the finale. It doesn't really fit with the show or resolve anything, yet leaves the viewer wanting more.
5. Alex trying to kill himself.
Similar to #4, this absolutely does not happen in the novel. I get that they had to add details to the series due to lack of details in the novel, but this could have been left out. It didn't really fit in with the character in the series and seemed like a last minute addition.
6. The scheming from all of the characters.
Like the previous two points, there is not a lot of details on the characters in the book. However, the incredible amount of scheming that the various characters do to prevent the tapes from getting out is just insane. While they all treated Hannah terribly, it shows that they did not learn anything from her death. Maybe the producers and writers were trying to how terrible these teenagers were, but it left no hope for any of them except Clay.
7. Changing the order of the tapes.
Seriously, read the book. Clay is not number 11 in the novel, he is number 9. They also switched the order of Alex and Jessica. I can only assume that the writers though it made the story more cohesive for a tv series, but it takes away from the plot and storyline that Jay Asher created.
8. The tapes being given to the police and the parents.
This kind of speaks for itself. Again, this isn't something that happened in the book and only added more suspense and drama to the finale.
9. The ending.
There was so much happening in the finale that it was overwhelming. Basically, everyone found out about the tapes and then it ended. However, the novel ends with Clay talking to Skye, a classmate he knows to be suicidal. This is a very important detail that went too quickly in the series and was thus overrun by all the other drama. Clay knows that he should have paid more attention to Hannah's struggling and maybe he could have had an impact on her. He has learned something through this and tries to help Skye and have a positive impact on her.
10. How it was obviously set up for another season.
Everyone knows they are going to make a second season. That's why they left so many questions unanswered. It's also why they added details like mentioned in #4 and #5. I get that they couldn't just make one season of a show (or could they have??) but it was so clearly drawn out with all the added details to leave room for another season.
11. The suicide scene.
The suicide scene was incredibly hard to watch, and I think that was on purpose. I only take issue with Hannah's mother and father's reactions. When Tony described the scene in a previous episode, his reaction was so much more emotional than actually seeing her parents find Hannah.
12. Selena Gomez's song in the last episode.
Okay, yes, she is the executive producer, but it was just so cheesy having her song in the final episode. Like, I get that she wanted to have that, but was it really necessary.
13. Why is this the first show to address how serious people's actions can affect and harm someone?
While I had some issues with the show, the message of the show is so important for everyone to hear. It is just dumbfounding that a show like this was not made sooner. "13 Reasons Why" deals with something that not only high schoolers but college students and beyond deal with. Our words have the power to bring life and death. Even though we may not think our words and our actions influence someone, we never know how someone will take our remarks or actions.
