“13 Reasons Why” is teen drama series developed for Netflix by Brian Yorkey, based on the 2007 novel Jay Asher, “Thirteen Reasons Why.”
The show’s new season, season three, definitely has high and low points. It also is a season the writer could’ve kept.
The show’s first season told the story of Hannah Baker, a 16-year-old girl who committed suicide, and recorded 13 cassette tapes for all of her classmates who contributed to her death. Even though the show seemed a little gloomy, you couldn’t take your eyes off it.
After an emotional season one, the series kept it going with an even more thrilling season two. This season almost caused the show not to have a season three, due to the fact that it ended with a very graphic rape scene, which led to what almost was a school shooting.
You would think that with season two ending the way it did, season three would revolve around it, but it doesn’t. Which is the big disappointment.
Season three is all about “who killed Bryce walker?” I know, you’re expecting him to die because he raped Hannah Baker, right? Wrong.
Though most of the main cast had a reason to want Bryce dead, his death has nothing to do with the reason with which the show began, even though the writer leads you to believe it does.
It’s narrated by a new character, Ani, whose mom was a live-in nurse for Bryce’s grandfather. She also lived with Bryce and was just about friends with everyone on the show but somehow was never introduced to us until this season. Did I mention, she somehow knows everyone’s secrets, but nobody knows hers?
The entire season three is nothing but a drag. It’s nothing but hour-long episodes of depressed teenagers trying to figure out who killed Bryce before things hit the fan. All while trying to hide their own secrets that they believe could have contributed to Bryce’s murder.
When you finally reach episode 13 and the killer is revealed … actually, before the final episode you’ll probably have already guessed who the killer was, because it becomes pretty obvious after so long. Believe me: You’ll be very disappointed.
Spoiler alert, the episode ends with Alex, a main cast member, being the killer and the rest of the cast framing Monte, another main cast member, for the killing of Bryce. While Monte is in jail he’s suddenly murdered in his cell, but nobody knows why.
I wonder if that would be used as a reason to bring back a fourth season? I hope not, because the story is pretty much over at this point.
Sorry, but Brain Yorkey failed the people with this one.