I hope you're ready, because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening to these tapes, you're one of the reasons why." Netflix's new series is possibly its most courageous. The story of how a school environment drove a girl to suicide is harrowing and painful to watch, but it's very close to the truth. Bullying is considered commonplace in schools, but regardless of how harmless people think it is, there's no denying its affect on those targeted. 13 Reasons Why has touched on that perfectly, but in its first half of episodes, it has failed, in my view, to be consistent.
The plot itself is fascinating, and while it may not be original, it holds well for the countless characters that we're introduced to. The amount of thought that's gone into weaving these many plot threads is astounding, and it's great to see later episodes revisit old ones to reinforce the emotions and feelings of its characters. This is the first step for the audience to start empathising with our main character, and understand why she made this terrible choice. With regards to filmmaking, whilst simplistic at times, is enriched by its use of dark and light, and is comparable to a lot of other Netflix series in that respect. Transitions between timelines are handled extremely well, sometimes as easy as the sweep of camera in the right direction. But, at the same time, it also manages to bring our steering character into past scenes to be in Hannah's perspective. These are momentous decisions and help to follow Clay's character properly, without the need for exposition. On to the characters. Now, with so many, it's difficult to discuss all of them, but in some way, the characters discussed on the tapes are all connected anyway. They each have a guilty thread that connects them to this tragic event. Justin, for instance, is a drastically flawed character, who is the stereotypical bully in the school, who has wronged Hannah in one of the worst ways possible. The fact that four characters have already done something similar to Hannah since then, it gets a bit repetitive, but it hits home the message that the series is conveying. However, there are some inconsistencies in the portrayal of Hannah, and it's not the actress' fault. Between tapes, it seems her attitude reverts back to sarcastic and calm, which at this point makes me feel as though everything that's happened to her is petty. Even more so, it clashes with Clay's development, who is rapidly spiralling into an abyss of despair. This disparity makes episodes (especially 5 to 7), a bit frustrating to watch. The lack of closure is quite draining and you feel absolutely no justice for these characters. Inconsequently, the acting is impressive. Dylan Minnette especially, gives a multi-layered performance that is enhanced as the series progresses. Katherine Langford is just as good, with a genuine portrayal of a person who's been hurt many times, and is unable to communicate her troubles. The whole host of other cast are just as engaging, but I must highlight Kate Walsh for her exhausting performance as Hannah's mourning mother. Without her desperate and unforgiving nature, the sincerity of this show would not have held together. So far, I have been captured by the storyline and its characters, but at the same time, there's a frustration there that makes me question the integrity of these tapes and some of the far-fetched stories that they tell. Nevertheless, if they remain consistent in the second and final half, there's no doubt that this could be essential viewing with an overarching message for the whole world to hear. Bullying is not a fact of life, it is the scourge of life. 7.5/10
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AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
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