‘13 Reasons Why’ is a huge success, and even a source of controversy

In the face of protests from medical groups and parents, the famous Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why,” has been renewed for another season.

“13 Reasons Why” explores the lifestyle of high school students and the problems they face at the institutes. The story revolves around a student, Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), who takes her own life and leaves behind several video tapes, depicting why she committed suicide. The cast of the series received several awards at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards.

More than four weeks after its premiere, “13 Reasons Why” is still in the cultural conversation.

Some people praise its subject and the performances of stars, while the others criticize the show due to its depiction of teen suicides. Last month, several Canadian schools reportedly banned students from discussing “13 Reasons Why.”

Even in New Zealand, the Office of Film and Literature Classification voiced against the show. Several schools advised parents that they should not discuss the series with their children. The purpose of all advisories and warnings is to stop children from watching the show. No doubt, “13 Reasons Why” has a sensitive story, but the show received excellent comments from critics and audiences.

‘13 Reasons Why’ – a popular series

According to the show creator, Brian Yorkey, “13 Reasons Why” focuses on how we treat teenage girls and women in the society, and their problems.

The story is inspired by a 2005 novel of the same name by Jay Asher, with Diana Son serving as showrunner and Brian Yorkey as executive producer.

“13 Reasons Why” is produced by Kick to the Curb Productions and July Moon Productions. Previously, Paramount Television showed interest in developing a movie based on the Jay Asher novel.

For this, the company joined hands with Anonymous Content, with Selena Gomez playing the lead role.

The first season and the special episode, “13 Reasons Why: Beyond the Reasons,” premiered on Netflix in March 2017.

It would not be wrong to say that critics praise the show for its subject matter and performances of Katherine and Dylan. Christian Navarro, Brandon Flynn, Ross Butler, Amy Hargreaves, Kate Walsh, Derek Luke, Devin Druid, Alisha Boe, and Justin Prentice play the supporting characters.

Social impacts

The show generated controversies over its portrayal of suicides and self-harm, leading Netflix to add advisory warnings before the episodes. Some psychologists and professors raised alarms about the sitcom. The principal of a famous Chicago school reportedly asked parents to stop their children from watching the show.

On the other hand, the Australian youth health service issued warnings earlier this month over the graphic content and subject matter of the series. Besides all this, the streaming giant still has plans to renew the show for three to four seasons.