Wednesday 19 April 2017

13 Reasons Why 13 Reasons Why Is Difficult to Watch


Warning for those who haven't seen the show, there may be some SPOILERS.

I don't usually indulge in TV posts (unless they are about Agents of SHIELD, so expect one of those soon) but 13 Reasons Why really got to me. As I get older I find it harder to watch certain things. My sister has said a few times she can't watch something because its too violent and made fun of her. I shouldn't have. There are things I can't watch because they are straight up terrifying but I've never liked horror films. But is depressing or desparetely sad stories that I try to avoid now. 13 Reasons Why looked interesting from the promo trailers but once it was released I couldn't watch it. I waited until I rewatched a film that always cheers me up and then started. I found it difficult to get through and I wondered if this was just me.

1. When it comes to 'teen dramas' they are usually taken the same way a 'teen comedy' is viewed, its either a coming of age story or its a coming of age comedy. As this is not a typical 'teen' show, you get the feeling from the start its

2. High School is everything to people. Having gone through school, Secondary and College I don't feel that they were everything. Well, College was actually really fun and I met some of my best friends there but Seconadry school? I hated school. I really hated school. So I find it hard to understand how it means everything to people. Maybe its translation thing? But I do understand the loneliness that the charcters go through. We've all felt that during school at some point. I certainly felt that way from 12-14 years old. When you see you own pain mirrored, even in a minor way, you don't want to relive it.

3. The unreliable narrator. I usually don't mind this storytelling device but unlike having Mary Alice's ghost narrate a story, watching over her friends as they try to work out why she died, this was a whole lot more painful. Hannah's voice looms in on the tapes an everytime you hear her, you know its never anything good. Having her being unreliable makes the story interesting with small twists like Zach not throwing away the note, makes it clear that as Tony points out this is Hannah's truth. But I think the fact she is dead and her voice is still around, makes everything seem like the truth and nothing but the truth.

4. It's a difficult subject, but then again, anything covering or exploring a difficult subject is going to be hard to watch.

5. Mr Porter useless mumbly voice and his non reactions to anything.

6. This is more of a future thought for the possible second season, but the hint about Tyler and the possible storyline there makes me uncomfortable and something I don't think should be explored.

7. The scene with Hannah's parents where they find her.

8. Everyone is helpless. Throughout the show there is a rare moment of happiness and I find that really hard to watch. I had to watch clips from Parks and Recreation in between just so I didn't get too bogged down.

9. No justice, or there doesn't feel like there is any justice. This probably links into number 13.

10. Despite the subject matter, the series is very serious. There is literally no downtime from the story, not one character can joke around, not even for a second, which is a shame. With the dark you need, even just a shimmer of light.

11. It's too long and drawn out. I feel that Clay could have got through the tapes in half the time with enough to grieve too.

12. Hannah + Clay and what could have been.


13. As I didn't watch the show straight away, when I looked up the show, just for info nor for spoilers, when I saw there was second series planned, I got annoyed. Why does everything have to have a sequel? With that thought looming over the series, made me think the whole way through, what the hell is the point of a second series? I know there are questions left open about the other characters but Hannah's story is well and truely over. Unless, she doesn return in a Mary Alice type role...I think that would be even more painful.