The following article contains discussion of suicide that some readers may find upsetting. This review contains mild spoilers for 13 Reasons Why season 2. The first season of 13 Reasons Why — based on the young adult novel by Jay Asher — became a talking point last year amongst teens and adult viewers drawn into the cleverly constructed narrative, with each episode focusing on one of the 13 audio tapes Hannah Baker Katherine Langford recorded to explain why she would go on to take her own life.
Featuring uncompromising, often shocking scenes of drug use, bullying, sexual assault and suicide, the powerful show was both controversial and hugely popular. A second season was inevitable, but was it a good idea? The answer is yes — and no. This time, Hannah's tapes are replaced by court testimony — each episode beginning with a voiceover from one of the people called to the stand to talk about the events that led up to Hannah's suicide, as part of her mother's Kate Walsh legal action against the school for failing to protect her daughter.
Starting five months after Hannah's death, these testimonies and flashbacks, mixed with present day scenes, quickly bring us up to speed with how things have changed or not at Liberty High. Alex Miles Heizer , who shot himself in the first season's finale, survived but is battling physical and mental disabilities following his suicide attempt. Jessica Alisha Boe is trying to cope with having to attend school alongside her rapist, Bryce Justin Prentice. And Clay Dylan Minnette , who loved Hannah and never told her, is dating fragile Skye Sosie Bacon , clearly demonstrating he has a type when it comes to girl crushes.
And has the school learned anything? It seems unlikely as students are instructed not to talk about Hannah, or Alex's suicide attempt either. Netflix Starting slowly — too slowly in some of the early episodes — the tension once again begins to build as the trial unfolds. While we thought we knew Hannah's story, in this second season it's made very clear that we learnt her truth and there is much more to discover once other people get the chance to speak.
It certainly widens out the plot, but also dilutes the impact of the first season somewhat. Jessica's ex Justin's story is borrowed from one of those movies they show in school about the dangers of doing drugs, while the shock in the finale that, yes, leaves things open for a third season isn't a surprise at all as it has been telegraphed since about episode four.
Worst of all is the introduction of a bizarre new plot device. Clay, still grieving for Hannah, not only catches glimpses her after her death — he now gets to have conversations with her too. We already get to hear and see her in flashbacks, so it is odd that the writers also choose for her to pop up and talk to him.
Is she a ghost? Is Clay imagining things? It doesn't really work with either explanation and feels out of place. It's only thanks to Minnette's believable, moving performance that these scenes are worth watching. Netflix In fact, it is the actors who once again make the show work even with the uneven execution in season two.
Minnette, as the series' heart and soul, is just perfect as the boy who thinks he is a good guy even when he isn't, and there are other memorable performances too. Walsh, as Hannah's mother, tears at your heart in every scene she is in, while Boe has a quiet intensity that draws you into her character's story. And Prentice, as the school jock whose treatment of Jessica and Hannah may be just the tip of the iceberg, is utterly, skin-crawlingly convincing without ever becoming a pantomime villain.
Together, they succeed in pulling us into a show that will once again shock and horrify — and one that, even though it isn't perfect — will start important conversations between kids and their friends, and kids and adults, too. And that can never be a bad thing. We would encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Organisations who can offer support include Samaritans on www.
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Clay rides to meet Skye and they attempt to have sex, however his hallucination of Hannah interrupts them twice and Clay and Skye agree that he should go home, so he does, leaving Skye confused and upset, 13 reasons why cast dating each other. When Clay goes up to his room, He then starts to see a hallucination of Hannah outside. Hannah tells him that Justin would give his life to do it over, Clay agrees and says that he should. Getty Katherine Langford - Hannah Baker Whilst Hannah has been romantically linked to Clay Jensen, Zach Dempsey and Justin 13 reasons why cast dating each other in the show, the actress who portrays the teenager appears to have a slightly quieter love life. She goes into her house and she looks at the evidence board she has created that has become her own personal investigation to figure out how the different reasons connect to Hannah committing suicide. Hannah appears next to Clay outside of Skye's house after seeing Mrs. It looks bleak. The defence lawyer says Bryce has lost all his scholarship offers, and he regrets what happened - he gets three months probation. Clay turns around and she disappears.
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