Hey it’s me, Hannah Baker. That’s right, on Her Campus.
Just kidding :)
Selena Gomez blessed us all with the TV show that has everyone talking. “13 Reasons Why” was released to Netflix on March 31st, and everyone was obsessed by April 1st. The show is based on the book by Jay Asher that came out in 2007. So if you didn’t know it was a book, like myself, you probably learned about the show from the social media craze it caused. Scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram without seeing something about the show was probably impossible. And so, in true binge-worthy fashion you thought to yourself “I’ll give it a shot”- only to somehow find yourself finishing all 13 episodes in one day because you needed to hear who would be on Hannah’s next tape.
The show revolves around the “new girl”, Hannah Baker, who explains why she took her own life because of bullying. To do this she leaves a box of numbered cassette tapes to each person that played an important part in causing her death. Although it is Hannah who narrates through the casettes, it is Clay Jenson- Hannah’s friend and crush, who is listening to the tapes throughout the show. He is one of the last people to receive them, and he struggles to understand why Hannah did what she did. As all 13 people listen, they each find out what they did or didn’t do to cause Hannah to commit suicide; and are then left to deal with the consequences of their actions. This show therefore, sends an extremely powerful message about how much the things we do to other people and on the internet really impact someone’s life.
For a while I seemed to be keeping the powers of Netflix at bay, but this show proved to be no match for me. I binge-watched it all in a day because it was only one season and it was awesome. Needless to say, I am sure you are all dying with me as we wait to see if they will create a second season. Then we can finally find out what happens to those 13 tapes, and the 13 people on them. I’m talking about Alex, and Bryce, and Justin, and Jessica, and CLAY? SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!
If you are intrigued and want to know what I am talking about, or maybe you are just looking for an intense show full of meaning, love, secrets, and mystery- I’m here to tell you that “13 Reasons Why” is the show for you. Although there have been a lot of mixed reviews because of the shows intensity, I personally think it was an interesting choice and would highly recommend it. There is even an after show called “Beyond The Words” that talks about the messages in the show. It’s an informal sit down with the actors and writers as they explain the show on a more personal level. This also helps with the post-binge sadness of finishing the show because there’s something extra you can still watch when the tapes end.
Overall, even if you don’t choose to watch this show, make sure you remember to be a good person and learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. You never know how your words or actions will impact so many other lives.