7 Reasons to Watch 13 Reasons Why

Just stop. Stop everything now and go and watch the first episode of 13 Reasons Why because it is incredible and has such an important message which is vital all teens learn. The show aired on Friday and I finished it on Sunday night and probably would have finished it sooner if it wasn’t for the vast amount of work I have and it’s impacting and powerful storyline.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher is a book to TV show adaptation and mainly follows Clay Jensen who returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker—his classmate and crush—who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On the tapes, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list. As someone who has been a victim of bullying at High School, this TV show struck me hard and I could totally relate to Hannah and the effects of bullying on her life and how crushing it is. After watching a few of the later episodes, I had to take a moment just to sit in silence and think about what I’d just watched. The show made me hurt, sometimes smile and think a lot and that’s what I think makes a show effective if it makes you truly think about your actions and the way you see the world. I haven’t yet read the book but after watching the show I know I definitely will and I highly recommend that you do too as it is a show/book that will change the way you look at life.

As someone who has been a victim of bullying at High School, this TV show struck me hard and I could totally relate to Hannah and the effects of bullying on her life and how crushing it is. After watching a few of the latter episodes, I had to take a moment just to sit in silence and think about what I’d just watched. The show made me hurt, sometimes smile and think a lot and that’s what I think makes a show effective if it makes you truly think about your actions and the way you see the world. I haven’t yet read the book but after watching the show I know I definitely will and I highly recommend that you do too as it is a show/book that will change the way you look at life.

1. Important message – I know I’ve already talked about the importance of the show’s message but I feel that I need to stress it again. It is so important to be aware of how we treat others. Even though someone appears to shrug off a sideways comment or a rumor, it’s impossible to know everything else that’s going on in that person’s life and how we might be adding to his/her pain. But suicide isn’t the shows only focus as it also highlights rape and sexual violence.
2. Diverse cast – The diversity helps sets it apart from just your typical high school show. But it’s not just the casting of these diverse actors that should be recognized. Their portrayal of fully realized characters in the series also marks a huge step forward for not falling prey to the tired stereotypes so often seen on TV.
3. Incredible Acting – Every character’s acting was just wow, in particular, Mrs Baker played by Kate Walsh, Hannah played by Katherine Langford and finally, Clay played Dylan Minnette. Their performances left me speechless and I can’t fault anyone’s acting.
4. The Characters – One of the most harrowing points of this series is just how innocuous it all seems at first. They all seem so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as if the whole world awaits them until it all comes crumbling down. We feel every emotion and being able to learn more about each character’s situation helped this.
5. The Episode Structure – I enjoyed the fact that each episode focused on a particular character and we were able to learn more about their backstory and relationship with Hannah. Having this structure made the show addictive as not only did I want to hear Clay’s tape but everyone else’s.
6. The Realness – I know this is very much like point 1 but its realness is what makes it relatable and highlights its powerful message. For me I didn’t feel like some teen TV show, I honestly felt like I was on this journey with all the characters and it partially because these characters feel familiar as they will have real-world representatives and it’s likely that you knew a Courtney or a Zach, or even a Skye.
7. It’s a Book to TV Show Adaptation – This means that, like myself, if you loved the show you can read the book and see how they compare because I always like to see what they’ve added, missed or changed.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, I’ve included a link to the NHS website which has some really helpful links.