5 reasons why I hated 13 Reasons Why · 4:15pm Jun 28th, 2017
(Yes, 5. Because saying 13 is as redundant as this series)
Last weekend I decided to finally take a look at the most recent Internet phenomenon. And, to be honest, I was really interested in this new story, in how could change the people's perspective about this topics. But as time went by, my emotions and expectations were going down and down and down. And just one question was in my mind:
WHY. THE. FUCK. I. AM. NOT. ENJOYING. THIS. SERIES?
Normally I am excited by the idea itself and how it can be told by the perspective of the director or the author, normally I am happy, laughing, sad, feared, interested, disgusted or bored when my experience with said movie or series is over. But here something unusual happened, something that almost never occurred to me and it was more intense:
I. WAS. ANGRY.
I was angry (and every variant of this emotion) while watching this series (and I swear this is very unusual when I'm watching a movie or series). Scene by scene, I was hating every choice taken in here. And for every minute that passed, I was more disappointed than the minute before.
1. The series is extended just to mantain the format.
On more than one occasion I lost my patience with the rhythm and comments like "What tape is Clay on?" This may have been solved by simply sitting down and talking. By this, I mean that there is actually more format than substance, there are many characters saying "Do not believe everything they say" just to say nothing at the end. If they had gone to the point, the series would last from 3 to 5 episodes. And no, a second season will not fix this.
2. Poor representation of adolescents.
It's incredible that, even nowadays, we still have to stereotype teenagers based on how adults believe they act like. It's true that some young people are somewhat outdated in their preferences (I barely use Netflix and still buy movies on DVD, for example), but it seems more that the writers put their tastes and hobbies on them. They don't seem like things a young man would say, they listen to cassettes because "the old school is better" and if you like Star Wars you're a nerd and you have to be brave to accept it. These are not coherent characters in a contemporary context.
3. There are situations that are almost absurd.
Is there a bully taking photos outside your home? Kiss with your lesbian friend (Because that's today's fad?!)! Is someone raping your best friend? Stay hidden and don't say anything! Your friend knocked down a traffic sign? Careful, that will kill someone else in a matter of minutes! Do you feel emotionally empty? Go to the house of the guy who raped your friend and get in the jacuzzi! At one point I thought I was watching "A Series of Unfortunate Events." However, at least that one has likeable characters you want you to care about and it only takes itself seriously when it needs to, which leads us to...
4. Hannah Baker.
The purpose of a work of this style is caring about the character and grow a fond to it so that, when the climax comes, we relate to it and make us think about the consequences. But Hannah is a dreadful character. More than looking like she needs help, she's a drama queen. It seems that the world is against her and owes her something. For example, Hannah repeatedly tells others to "leave her alone," only to say later that "she wished they had stayed and since they left, it means that they don't want her." Instead of an attempt to ask for help, seems rather like a capricious attitude to prove that she is a victim in a cruel world. Not to mention that her attitude is rather selfish and vengeful towards others, even her parents (who were attentive and affective throughout the series). She feels a lack of empathy for people, never cares about the truths of others, passes by pointing out possible culprits and when her death comes, it feels empty and seems more like a revenge than a decision taken by a series of circumstances, motivations or even an illness mental. The only good thing I can say about her is that at least she doesn't reach the levels of Bella Swan.
5. Involuntarily glorifies suicide.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST FAULT I FOUND. There's no such theme as controversial as suicide. For some, it's a coward way to solve problems, for others it makes you think since you have to be brave to take your own life. But here, it states that suicide is the only way in which you will get people to realize all the damage they did to you once you are gone and that all your problems will be solved once and for all. Not to mention that it seems to affirm that happiness and even the decision to live depends on someone else. That's just fucking illogical! That's the most retrograde attitude in the world! If you don't love yourself, you will never love anyone else. Even William Shakespeare screwed up with this topic (Rome and Juliet)
More than hate, this series saddens me. But hey, at least I have to say something about it I liked. And honestly: there are various things: A format that, out of curiosity or morbid, keeps the viewer aware of what can happen, trying to solve a mystery (which doesn't really exist, since it's predictable from beginning to end). An excellent soundtrack. And perhaps the most important: it deals with a topic that, in general, many series and movies haven't tried at all: How does it feel like to be the father of a child who killed himself? (If this would've been the primary topic, I'd probably enjoyed it much, much more). Done.
However, a part of me is glad that this series exist because it gives a different approach to this theme. Each one has the freedom to choose the version that most likes and for me is, by far, one of the worst experiences I've ever had to this day.
