Netflix decides to add some new disclaimers before episodes of 13 Reasons Why

By Sam Barsanti | March 22, 2018 | 1:59am

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Netflix decides to add some new disclaimers before episodes of 13 Reasons Why

Netflix’s YA book adaptation 13 Reasons Why generated a lot of buzz in its first season, but its slight romanticization and depiction of teen suicide—the character played by Katherine Langford cuts her wrists in the season finale—was unsurprisingly controversial. Jay Asher, the author of the original book, argued that 13 Reasons Why wanted to show suicide as “horrific as it actually is” by making it look “painful,” and multiple schools in Canada took steps to either ban kids from talking about the show or educate parents on how to talk to their kids about mental health issues and suicidal thoughts.

With 13 Reasons Why getting another season this year, Netflix has apparently decided that it should get in front of this whole controversy by producing a new disclaimer that will air before the first episode of both seasons. As reported by Deadline, the short video features the young stars of the show addressing 13 Reasons Why’s attempt to “start a conversation” by “shedding a light on these difficult topics,” and it directs people to seek help if they feel a need to.