Based on Jay Asher’s 2007 novel, Netflix’s adaptation of “13 Reasons Why” follows the aftermath in a school and community of a young girl’s suicide, as her peers attempt to figure out what went wrong.
I read Asher's book when I was in the 10th grade, around 2014. I remember my circle of friends raving about the novel, and about how tragically heroic Hannah Baker’s suicide was. It was wildly popular among my age group as a whole at the time--rarely a day went by without seeing it in the hands of my classmates, or hearing people discuss how clever and effective it was of Baker to leave her suicide note in the form of tapes for her peers and friends to watch.
Even then, the book left a bad taste in my mouth. I remember being confused as to why it was such a sensation among my classmates. I felt no sympathy towards the main character, Hannah; rather I found myself wondering why she was blaming her suicide on everyone else.
Fast forward to today, and Netflix's “13 Reasons Why” adaptation is a hit among young adults and teens everywhere. It was released in March of 2017 and is now gearing up for its second season, over a year later.
The series has received massive amounts of praise for depicting a topic as taboo as suicide, and in some episodes, rape and sexual assault. Directors and others involved in the show’s production have made statements about the show’s intentions to open and encourage dialogue between generations about suicide and bullying, which are no doubt ambitious goals--but the show fails at every single one of them.
In my opinion, “13 Reasons Why” is the most inaccurate, glorifying depiction of suicide, assault and bullying that I have ever seen. It glorifies Hannah Baker, who records herself speaking about all of the people who wronged her before committing suicide, as this romantic, underappreciated hero. The context of the overly dramatic, intentionally shocking Hollywood plotline makes killing yourself seem glamorous, and the ultimate retribution to anyone who has wronged you--which is simply untrue. Hannah Baker doesn’t “get back” at her rapist or her family by committing suicide and letting them know they were the driving force. Suicide doesn’t enact revenge, and Hannah’s life isn’t changed by her death; instead, it is cut short.
Writer Ijeoma Oluo accurately describes the series as the “ultimate fantasy of teen suicidal ideation,” and it’s true--the show leaves viewers with a sense of suicide as justice, and that Hannah has “gotten back” at everyone who didn’t pay attention to her or hurt her in other ways.
The show also presents suicide as the only option for people who feel hopeless and bleak about their lives. This narrow narrative implies that bullying in itself leads to suicide, when in reality, no one thing effectively leads to someone killing themselves. Because of this simplistic, narrow-minded Hollywood plotline, it offers little to no insight on the psychology of suicide, which is arguably the aspect most worth discussing. There is no discussion of who Hannah Baker was before she began struggling, and how or why mental illness can contribute to suicidal ideations just as much as bullying, sexual assault and other social conditions.
In fact, the words depression or mental illness don’t appear in the series at all--instead, Hannah’s sadness is portrayed as quirky eccentricity. This is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the show--suicidal ideation can be extremely contagious, especially among teenagers, who have not evolved enough mentally to see past their immediate struggles and are more likely to make a poor, rash decision (like Hannah did).
Many argue that the aspect of mental health doesn't even need to be discussed in the series, because the mere conversation involving suicide is enough. This is extremely toxic, however, because the problem is that the show simply depicts the act itself--there is no discussion of suicide prevention or support for people with suicidal thoughts or tendencies. It does indeed contribute to ways people think about suicide, but not in a prevention-minded way.
MollyKate Cline writes in Teen Vogue that “the audience is shown what to do without examples of what they actually should do.” Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to see an on-screen example of an adult or teen being supportive in a crisis, instead of seeing Hannah Baker sarcastically gloat in her tapes about how victimized she was?
Another thing that bothered me about the show was how insanely misrepresentative it was of suicide in itself, and mental struggles. As someone who has struggled with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts in the past, I did not relate to or identify with Hannah Baker’s weirdly vindictive death or her behavior leading up to it. The show portrays the idea that months and months of meticulous planning goes into a suicide attempt, which is statistically and historically inaccurate.
Longtime sufferers of depression or suicidal thoughts will sometimes consider taking their own lives for months, even years, however the process Hannah engages in is not at all reflective of how people think about it. Dr. John Ackerman writes that: “It is unrealistic for someone, especially a teenager in the midst of an emotional crisis, to conduct an elaborate series of tapes all the while maintaining a sarcastic, witty and glib tone towards people she blames for her decision to end her life.”
Hearing people talk about how serious and beautifully tragic the show is makes my blood boil. When someone talks about how the show did “such a good job talking about suicide,” that’s when I know that person has never experienced mental illness or any similar struggle in their lives. Selena Gomez, an executive producer of the show, defended the show to the Associated Press as a “beautifully tragic, complicated yet suspenseful story.” Netflix, also in defense of the show, pointed out that “entertainment has always been the ultimate connector.”
But suicide is never beautiful, nor is it ever entertainment. And until popular media outlets such as Netflix stop portraying it as such, suicide will remain an over-idealized and misinterpreted concept in American society. An effective dialogue about suicide that involves positive modeling, communication and trust truly does not exist in this series.
If someone you know is struggling, just be there to support them and make sure they are aware of all the resources available to help, like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-272-8255) or the Crisis Text Line (741-741). Whatever you do, just do not recommend they watch “13 Reasons Why.”
