"13 Reasons Why" is a Netflix-original show which follows the life of Hannah Baker, a high-school student who commits suicide.

Inspired by the book written by Jay Asher, Hannah leaves thirteen video-cassette tapes which target her fellow classmates and others who wronged her, influencing her suicide. Her tapes serve the purpose of blaming others for her choice to take her own life, and her intent throughout the show is to haunt her classmates with them.

With a plot as convoluted as this, it is no surprise that the production of this show received such a negative reaction from the general public.

It is no surprise that my high school sent out a mass email, informing parents of graphic content within the show. It warned that there were violent scenes depicting issues from peer pressure and bullying to suicide and rape. Overall, my school advised parents to monitor their children since the content could provoke young teenagers.

After the release of "13 Reasons Why" on Netflix in 2017, Google announced that searches related to suicide increased by over 20%, which was a higher percentage than searches related to suicide prevention and suicide hotlines.

When 13 Reasons Why was released on Netflix, I began watching it without any prior knowledge of the book or its content. By the first few episodes, I had already seen actors playing high school sophomores, who are approximately fourteen to fifteen years old, participating in binge drinking and drug abuse.

With every episode there lurked an ominous feeling. I felt every single negative emotion that was being presented to me, but it did not emotionally hit me as it was intended.

The concluding episodes contained the most graphic scenes of the whole season, and it only left me sad rather than aware and knowledgeable about the serious topics discussed. And these serious issues, including but not limited to drugs, rape, and suicide should never be means for entertainment. A TV show revolved around a young girl's suicide with no positive message does not educate its audience; rather, it provokes them.

Teenagers who even slightly relate to the emotions of stress, anxiety, or depression when they think about high school should not go home and binge-watch a show that graphically depicts suicide and rape. Teenagers should not think channeling their suicidal thoughts through revenge tapes is acceptable. Teenagers should not think that suicide is the answer to an end from the problems they encounter in their school or home settings.

And by providing a show that does incite these detrimental reactions, the producers of 13 Reasons Why, including Selena Gomez, utterly failed to spread a positive message for suicide awareness and prevention.

On May 18, Netflix will release a second season of 13 Reasons Why. Despite mass criticism for its controversial depictions, the show has expanded its storyline for a new season based on popular demand.

A new trailer gives a preview of this new season's plot, which expands Hannah's storyline beyond just the thirteen tapes she left behind. This new trailer only emphasizes the romanticism which is placed on serious offenses such as sexual assault, bullying, and suicide. In this way, it is not only a continuation but also should be the dead-end to romanticized teenage dramas which negatively portray suicide in a high-school setting.