When 13 Reasons Why was first released on Netflix two years ago, a particular scene created a wave of controversy in the media. Now, it has been removed from the show.
Netflix stated that the scene was removed “on the advice of medical experts”. For those of you who haven’t seen the show, it revolves around a girl who recorded thirteen tapes all listing reasons why she killed herself. In one of the final episodes, viewers then saw a graphic depiction of the girl named Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) commiting suicide.
Instead of showing the actual act, the show now skips straight to a scene of her body being discovered.
Samaritans have ‘welcomed’ the decision made by Netflix and are now working closely with the company to advise them on how to safely portray suicide scenes if needed.
Lorna Fraser from the charity says, “While covering difficult topics in drama can help to increase understanding and encourage people to seek help, it’s important this is done in a responsible way.”
Moving forward, Netflix have promised to be more mindful about what their viewers have to say and will actively listen to the debates that follow. Series three is due to be released at the end of 2019 to follow the story of the remaining students and friends that Hannah left behind. Even though there has been controversy from the show, there has also been praise for it has helped to raise awareness for other issues such as bullying, self-harm and rape.
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