HYDERABAD: It may sound far-fetched, but 13 Reasons Why, the American TV series on Netflix (also available in parts on Facebook) seems to be having a profound effect on Hyderabadi teens. The show based on a novel by the same name written by Jay Asher in 2007 is highly controversial and has amassed more than 11 million tweets since its launch on March 30.
The show revolves around a 17 -year-old girl, Hannah Baker, who kills herself. Before taking her life, she leaves 13 audio tapes for people who she believes are responsible. The show gained an immediate following on Netflix, especially from teenagers.
There is also extremely graphic content in the show involving sexual assault and suicide. It is not until episode nine that a trigger warning appears on the show to caution viewers about what they will see. The story does not end here as in 2018, Season 2 will pick up in the aftermath of Hannah Baker’s death and the start of the characters’ complicated journey toward healing and recovery.
Dr Diana Monterio, counselling psychologist and Director of Hyderabad
Academy of Psychology, talks about the impact of these kinds of shows on teenagers. “The show is dangerous, especially for people who are having a problem and are not able to resolve it.
These kinds of shows create a bad impression and encourage people to think worse. By watching the show, they end up thinking that this is a good idea and as they already go through a lot of things,they tend to adopt it. I would suggest not to encourage anyone to watch these kinds of shows.Everyone should find reasons to live, as suicide is completely preventable if we know the warning signs.”
What do Hyderabadis think about the show?
“The show is not a typical high-school drama. I am positive it will open up discussions at home regarding several issues every teenager faces.
More importantly, the show discusses the importance of consent and sexual assault. Overall,it describes how fragile adolescence can be and a mid-fault can direct one to addiction, abuse and suicide,” says Dr Lalith Nag Mora, Dentist, AP Super Specialty Hospital.
“It was nervy, disturbing, edgy and shook my world a bit. The drama and the suspense just made the performances very matured and intense. My inter-personal relationships will never be the same”, added Malik Raja, an IT professional.
“It is a dark story about complexities of relationships in teenagers.This series evidently shows how the teenagers of our generation are not good at communicating. The premise was extremely intriguing and profound. If only Hannah would have communicated with her friends and family, the chances of her killing herself would decrease”, says Anushree Loya, a CA student.