13 Reasons Why: A Show That Matters

Editor’s Note: As a content warning, this article mentions suicide and triggering mental health topics. If you are feeling suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, you are not alone, and there is support available. You can always reach out to a trusted faculty member at school or visit the Wellness Center. Additionally, you can contact the following numbers for help: 988 (Crisis Hotline) or 741741 (Crisis Text Line).

By: Vivian Wan

Recently, I decided to revisit a TV show I haven’t thought about in years: 13 Reasons Why. The series follows Hannah Baker, a high school student who dies by suicide and leaves behind 13 tapes explaining the people and events that contributed to her death. I sat on my bed, opened my laptop, and pressed play on the first episode, expecting to feel indifferent like I had years ago when I first watched it. But within a few minutes, I was hooked. I was drawn into the mystery, the secrets, and all the twists and turns of the story.

There’s something almost hypnotic about the way 13 Reasons Why unfolds. I like how each episode is structured around one of Hannah’s tapes, with every tape revealing another person and another reason for her death. Each episode feels like discovering a new piece of the puzzle, and we get to solve it alongside Clay Jensen, one of Hannah’s friends who she left the tapes to.

The show also shows how everything is connected. Hannah’s story isn’t just about one bad person or one terrible moment. It’s about how many small, hurtful things can pile up over time until it becomes unbearable. This show portrays high school life in a brutally honest way. The popular kids protect each other. The adults ignore teen problems or dismiss them as just “drama.” Victims of bullying or assault are often blamed and disregarded. It also shows how everyone becomes part of the problem when they don’t speak up. 13 Reasons Why reveals the darker and more realistic side of teenage life that many experience.

Of course, the show caused major controversy. Many parents, teachers, and mental health experts were alarmed by how the show portrayed suicide. Some argued that it romanticized Hannah’s death, while others worried it could trigger painful emotions in teens. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, after the show was released, the suicide rate among teens rose higher than in any single month over the previous five years. Many blamed the show for influencing their decisions. Some schools even banned discussions about 13 Reasons Why, saying it was too disturbing.

But I think the controversy missed the point. Some people criticize the show, saying that Hannah making tapes that blame people for her death teaches kids that suicide is a way to get revenge and that it even romanticizes her death. But did they really watch the whole story? Hannah dies, and nothing gets better. Her parents are devastated. Clay struggles to cope, Jessica is emotionally broken, and even Alex attempts suicide. It shows how her death hurts everyone around her, and it allows people to think about bullying, mental health, assault, and how we treat each other. The show can be uncomfortable to watch, but that’s the point. It’s meant to make us pay attention and talk about these issues instead of ignoring them.

13 Reasons Why was hard to watch. Hannah’s assault was brutal. Her suicide was graphic, and everything was dark and intense. And people hated that. But should teen shows always be comfortable? The shows that actually matter, the ones that stick with you and change how you see the world, are the ones that make you uncomfortable. This show should make us realize that even small actions can hurt someone, and how easy it is to miss someone drowning right in front of us.

The research on suicide contagion is real, and some mental health experts had valid concerns, especially about the graphic depiction of Hannah’s death. But I think the problem isn’t that the show existed. The problem is that most teens don't have adequate mental health support to process difficult content. Schools often have too few counselors, and mental health care is expensive.

Should we just never depict suicide in media aimed at young people? Should we pretend it doesn’t happen? I’d argue that’s more dangerous. You can’t help kids with problems they think they’re not allowed to talk about. 

Even years later, I still think 13 Reasons Why did something important. It told teens their pain is real and that what they’re going through isn’t “just drama.” It showed that small actions can have huge consequences and that everyone deserves to be heard. It also told adults to do better, listen, take kids seriously, and create spaces where teens can ask for help without feeling judged. This show may have made people uncomfortable. But maybe that’s what we needed to start taking mental health seriously. So call it controversial. But I am still going to argue that 13 Reasons Why mattered more than people want to admit.

Editor’s Note: If you are feeling suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, you are not alone, and there is support available. You can always reach out to a trusted faculty member at school or contact the following numbers for help: 988 (Crisis Hotline) or 741741 (Crisis Text Line).