I watched “13 Reasons Why” in a few days. I was obsessed. I haven’t thought about the book in years – and so many things have happened to me since. Watching the show was a new experience for me. I couldn’t stop pressing the next button while watching alone in my room on a small computer screen. I got through the entire season – until the last episode.
Photo courtesy IMDb.
“Daddy – something happened to me” was the one single line in this entire show that really hit me.
Throughout the series, so many graphic things happened. And I watched without flinching until that one line. It sums up my freshman year. In that second, I thought of myself lying on the ground, covered in blood, fading in and out of consciousness. I thought of having a knife held to my neck and not being able to breathe. I remember thinking very clearly “what did I do to deserve this?” I thought that I was going to be raped and killed right there. I was very lucky – after what felt like hours, someone heard my screaming and came to my rescue.
I thought that there could be nothing worse than that moment – that moment that happened over a year ago. I think about it like it was yesterday. Turns out, something worse did happen, and it wasn’t to me.
The moment of my life that caused me to scream out of pain for at least twenty minutes after the last episode of 13 Reasons was when one of my best friends uttered to me almost the same exact words through tears- “something happened to me.” I have never known any deeper pain than the pain that I experienced on that night, just hearing what she went through.
“13 Reasons Why” was really hard for me to watch because it reminded me of the two worst moments of my life. But it was a story I needed to be told. I needed people to see what it’s like from the point of view of a person suffering. I realize that my suffering isn’t the same as Hannah Baker’s, but the general story rang true for me. I was happy where it ended. I personally want it to stay ended.
Much to my chagrin, I heard that there *could be* a season two. Based on how the show ended, season two would be over-dramatic. It will probably involve (spoiler alert!) school shootings, crimes, and a guy finding a way to get off on rape charges. However, more than that, for me, it will no longer be a show with a valuable lesson.
It will become a show banking off the pain of people like me. It will no longer be about how Hannah Baker lost her life due to the careless actions of other people. It will become another unrealistic high school tale much like Glee. A season two will ruin the authenticity of season one. I know that there are people who are excited for season two. They are ready to be entertained. This should not be an entertaining story. It is a painful story.
The directors and producers find themselves at an impasse. They can choose to make a second season and that is ultimately not up to me or anyone not working on the project. That may even be the easier option. People are asking for a second season, and they have left it open for the show to be expanded upon. They could also choose to leave the show where it is. Although I do not speak for all survivors, I personally would hate to see the all to true suffering of teenagers be turned into entertainment and a cash cow.