On March 31, 2017 the world began to buzz as the hit show “Thirteen Reasons Why” premiered for the first time as part of an exclusive Netflix series.  The show, based off a popular novel, follows the life of a young girl by the name of Hannah Baker (played by Katherine Langford) and the events leading up to her suicide. Another character featured in the show is Clay Jensen, played by Dylan Minnette.  One day after Hannah’s suicide Clay is mysteriously given thirteen cassette tapes.  After listening briefly to one of the thirteen tapes, he comes to find they are a play-by-play of the reasons why Hannah killed herself.  The series since airing has sparked a huge controversy throughout the nation.  Some claim the TV show is too graphic and improperly addresses issues of mental illness, while others believe it helps bring awareness to various social issues of suicide. Both sides raise compelling arguments.

Critics of “Thirteen Reasons Why” believe that the content of the program is too graphic for young children to view.  Originally in the book, the young girl committed suicide through overdose, rather than slitting her wrists like shown in the TV series.  This is considered a graphic way to depict a person taking their life and many parents believe it was an unnecessary detail change from the book.  Another issue critics found with the series is its inability to show the mental issues that go along with being suicidal and having depression.  While people who are suicidal may have outside forces further influencing their thoughts, it is also a result of serious mental health issues.  Depression is an imbalance of chemicals in the brain that fail to properly mix and interact.  Decreased levels of serotonin and dopamine can cause people to have suicidal thoughts and to feel as though they have nothing to live for. By failing to address this point in “Thirteen Reasons Why” the program is leaving out vital information.  Also, people who have watched the program know that the show never addresses how to properly handle a situation where a person is dealing with having

Also, people who have watched the program know that the show never addresses how to properly handle a situation where a person is dealing with having suicidal thoughts or actions.  The only attempt made by anyone to help Hannah was her counselor.  However, Hannah’s counselor ended up blaming her for her own actions and failed to contact professionals even when suspecting Hannah’s obvious unhealthy state of mind.

According to psychologists that study the treatment of suicidal patients, the worst way to treat a person who has suicidal thoughts is to show them other people who are attempting suicide.

While some remain opposed to the show, others find it a good way to bring awareness to the issue of teen suicide.  Although the show may be considered graphic, it touches on key social problems in our society such as rape, victim shaming, and mental health issues.  It also is a warning to younger viewers, showing them the dangers of social media and posting photos.  The show for some sends a powerful message to its viewers.  Hannah represents an average teen girl who is struggling throughout her high school years.  Some viewers believe she shows how quickly people can become trapped in a place of deep sadness and depression.  In the show, Hannah’s parents were completely unaware of their daughter’s mental state until the time of her suicide.  The show has potential to teach important lessons on being vigilant of suspicious behavior as well as how our actions have a direct impact on others.

“Thirteen Reasons Why” will continue to be a controversial show that gets both criticism and praise from its audience.  For some, the show’s graphic nature is too much for its young, impressionable viewers to watch.  Despite these points of criticism the show is predicted to go on to film a second season of the show. Only time will tell if “Thirteen Reasons Why” will do more harm or more good.