One of the stars from Netflix's series 13 Reasons Why thinks that the controversial suicide scene from season 1 received undue hatred. The show, which is based on the novel of the same name by Jay Asher, told the story of a teenager named Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) who investigates the suicide of his classmate, Hannah (Katherine Langford), by listening to 13 different tapes that she left behind. Season 1 turned out to be a massive hit for the streaming platform, and it was promptly renewed for season 2. Even though season 2 was reviewed as more lackluster then its predecessor, the series is currently heading into season 3 and has already been renewed for season 4.
One of the most-talked-about parts of season 1 of 13 Reasons Why was Hannah's suicide in the very last episode. Recently, Netflix took to editing out the scene nearly two years after its premiere. The streaming service wanted to be mindful of the debate around the show and decided, upon consulting with psychologists and medical experts, that the best decision was just to take it out. Now, the scene just features Hannah looking at herself in the mirror before cutting to her parents' reaction. It was an interesting move on Netflix's part to take it out several years later, and now some cast members are vocalizing their opinions on the edit.
Christian Navarro, who plays Tony Padilla in the show, took to Twitter to express his opinions on Netflix's decision. He explained that, "we at 13 have worked so diligently to speak to our young people and inspire positive change," adding in that, "because of one scene, our show was vilified, all of the detractors shot arrows at our labor of love." He continues on to say that, "since our show has debuted, a myriad of other shows [...] have come out and tackled the high school experience," remarking that it seems, "the vitriol seems to only come our way." He concluded by asking his followers to, "go back and re-watch and step back from the hate." Check out the full thread here:
The other risky show that Navarro is bringing into question could very well be HBO's provocative new series, Euphoria. That series also follows a group of teenagers but was far more risque with the content that they put forth regarding the high school experience for a select group of teens. It was met with critical acclaim and was quick to find its audience, but not without its own controversial bumps in the road. Regardless of the content within it, Euphoria has already been renewed for season 2, proving that these shows are clearly striking a chord for the right reasons.
As far as Navarro's tweets go, his truth is valid regarding the scene from season 1, and he's entitled to express how he feels about the whole situation. Everyone reacted very differently to that scene, which sparked a very important conversation amongst viewers. In the end, Netflix's decision is final, but Navarro's words do carry a message of love and respect for what he and his cast members are working on in 13 Reasons Why. The creators wanted nothing more than to create a series that would encourage people to talk about mental health, and they've definitely accomplished that.
Source: Christian Navarro