Netflix has confirmed the renewal of 13 Reasons Why; hardly a surprise, given the huge reaction the show has gotten. Following Hannah Baker and her decision to commit suicide, 13 Reasons Why told her story tactfully, while still confronting taboo issues such as suicide and rape, head on. Arguably, of course, these issues should be being talked about openly, and 13 Reasons Why certainly promotes that. Going forward into season 2, the show not only has the chance to tie up some of the characters' storylines, but it also has the opportunity to raise even more awareness about mental health, sexual assault, and the effect suicide can have on family and friends. Here’s what we’d like to see in 13 Reasons Why, season 2.
Justice Served
Arguably, the single most important storyline we’d like to see fully realized is Bryce facing justice for his rape of Jessica and Hannah. Given the nature of the show, it’s hard to see this not happening, but it probably won't be an easy road to get there. We’d like to see 13 Reasons Why take a closer look at why and how women (particularly teenagers) are often not believed when they report a rape, and how society judges them by assuming they were “asking for it,” or that they “led the rapist on.”
Given the controversy surrounding Hannah’s death, the very real topic of sexual assault in high school has almost fallen by the wayside, but it must be picked up again. The more this subject is shown and discussed, the more empowered victims will feel, and the more likely people will be to report rape in the future.
Jessica Getting the Help She Needs
Tied into Bryce’s storyline, is Jessica’s. She (as far as we know) is the only person alive that can testify against him. Hannah’s tapes and Clay’s confession are damning evidence, but will Clay’s recording be admissible in court? At the end of season 1, we saw the heart-breaking moment that Jessica found the courage to talk to her father. Presumably, the police will now become involved, but perhaps the hardest part of Jessica’s journey starts now.
With her rape made public, she will have to return to high school and face those who were, and possibly still are, friendly with Bryce. She will become the subject of gossip, speculation, and, most likely, some of the degrading bathroom graffiti we saw in season 1. While it would be accurate to show the school and the law failing Jessica, it would perhaps be better to instead show the school learning from its failings with Hannah, and getting Jessica the help she needs to move forward with her life.
A Crisis Being Averted
The last time we saw Tyler, he was in school, with a backpack full of guns and ammo. Scarily reminiscent of many high school shootings, he seemed cool, calm and collected as he spoke with his mother before leaving the house, and then as he worked in the darkroom at school. However, he was disgruntled at his treatment at the hands of his peers, who all dismissed him and didn’t want him in their group. Sadly, that meant Tyler had no one to talk to about Hannah’s tapes, and obviously vulnerable, having no outlet meant that he internalized all of his anger.
Again, with Tyler, it would be good to see him getting the mental health help he so badly needs, and that might mean him leaving the school altogether. While there are probably those who would like to see him attempting to carry out his plans, we can’t help but feel that everyone at Liberty High has been through enough. It would be better instead, to see the trigger that stops Tyler from shooting anyone, and the effect that then has on him. Will others learn of his plans? And, why did he take Alex’s picture down just before he left the Dark Room?
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Alex’s Recovery
First, while it’s assumed (and told) that Alex tried to kill himself, that is not confirmed. It could well turn out that Tyler actually shot him, hence the guns in his backpack. That said, it’s also known that Alex has been struggling with everyone else’s seeming lack of guilt over Hannah’s tapes.
At the end of season 1, Alex is alive, but critical. Once he begins to recover, it’ll be interesting to see what he has to say. If he did try to kill himself, why did he feel that was the only option open to him, especially after seeing the effect Hannah’s suicide had on everyone? If he was shot, though, then a manhunt begins, and Tyler won’t be the only suspect. Bryce is violent, we know that already. Could he have decided to try and shut Alex up? Justin apparently left town, but he was armed. Did he pay Alex a visit before he finally left?
Justin Finds His Feet
None of the characters in 13 Reasons Why really had that great of a time, but the rejection of Justin by his own mom was incredibly sad. No one seemed to care about him at all. It was understandable that Jessica was withdrawn and focused on other things, but no one else really seemed all that bothered for his welfare. In the end, with no place to call home, Justin left town with a gun, some alcohol, and a bit of cash.
We’d like to see him back, and we’d like to see someone out there showing him some affection. At such a vulnerable age, how Justin is treated going forward will have a huge effect on the man he goes on to be. Justin wasn’t blame-free in Hannah’s story, but he seemed genuinely remorseful. It would be nice to see him back in town, finding his feet, and making a future for himself.
Tony Facing the Music
More of Tony is very much needed. Though he featured heavily in season 1, he’s still something of an enigma. He seems like he’s the most grounded and pragmatic of all the characters, but Tony is also feeling some pressure. After all, it was he who gave Hannah the tape recorder, and when he did, he didn’t ask any questions. Not only that, but he listened to the tapes, delivered them to all the recipients, but didn’t alert any adult; Hannah’s parents, his own, or a teacher, to the nature of them.
In the end, we saw Tony putting the cassettes into an audio file and handing them to Mr. and Mrs. Baker, seemingly suggesting that in light of the court case, Tony had realized the importance of them. Going forward, in season 2, we’d like to see Tony showing some cracks in his armor. He needs to come to terms with the fact that he is not blameless in Hannah’s story.
Mr. Porter and the School Making Changes
There is no one person to blame for Hannah’s suicide; ultimately it was a choice she made for herself, but there are plenty of people who failed her, and one is most definitely Mr. Porter. As a guidance counselor, he should have persisted the final time he saw Hannah in his office, when she told him about her rape, and said she was depressed. Human error saw him distracted, but it’s hard to see how he will keep his job now that Hannah’s tapes have come to light; remember, she recorded their conversation.
The school must also face up to the fact that it badly failed one of its pupils, and is failing many others, too. It’s allowing jock culture to rule its halls, and Bryce has assumed the position of King. The fact that Jessica felt she couldn’t report her rape, and couldn’t confide in anyone at school, speaks volumes. It would be a lesson to educational establishments across the globe for Liberty High to be seen taking steps to improve its student welfare and to promote openness and discussion.
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Closure for the Baker Family
No amount of time passed will ever take away the fact that the Bakers have lost their daughter in one of the cruelest ways imaginable, and their struggle that we saw in season 1 was desperate, raw, and emotional. It was also entirely understandable. No one should have to bury their own daughter, and that grief must be crushing when you know they chose to end their own life.
It’s also understandable that Hannah’s parents were looking for someone to blame, and they chose to place the blame with the school, suing them for their daughter’s death. To some, in some countries, this will seem like an alien concept, but the blame game is pretty common in the U.S., so the court case doesn’t seem so out of place. What the outcome of that case will be, remains to be seen, and things could be different now that Tony has handed Hannah’s tapes over. Whatever the result, though, we’d love to see the Bakers getting some closure and finding strength in each other as they move on.
How Others Perceived Hannah
Thanks to showrunner Brian Yorkey, we already know that Hannah will feature in season 2. That’s something of a surprise, given that her story was completed in season 1, but it does pave the way for us to find out exactly what others thought of Hannah. We know how Clay felt, but do you remember Tony describing her as “a drama?” Is that how people thought of her, as a girl who was always in the middle of some crisis or another? Or did some have a more favorable opinion and merely think she was a person who had bad luck in life?
We’d love to know exactly what Jessica and Courtney thought; did they perceive their friendships and fallings out in the same way as Hannah did? Did Jessica miss Hannah once they’d gone their separate ways? There are so many questions concerning other character’s perception of Hannah, and we can’t wait to find out some answers.
A Happy Ending for Clay
Looking to the end of 13 Reasons Why season 2, it’s hard to imagine there could be a third (never say never, of course). If we had one wish, it’d be to see Clay get a happy ending. Whether that’s through finding love, getting into a great college, or getting the closure he needs on Hannah’s death, we want to see him happy before heading off into the sunset.
Clay was the most likable character in season 1; a geeky, sweet, kind guy, who was tortured by the tapes that Hannah left, and the thought that he could, possibly, have stopped her. Though Hannah went out of her way to say how lovely he was, Clay felt a huge amount of guilt, and it’d be good to see him work past that to focus on himself and his own personal happiness, instead.
13 Reasons Why season 1 is available for streaming on Netflix. There is currently no release date set for season 2.