Season 2 of '13 Reasons Why' hints at a mass school shooting, but audiences may not be ready to allow reality in
The most tweeted about show in 2017 was also the most controversial one. Netflix's '13 Reasons Why' opened up a conversation on suicide while at the same time heating up a debate among the health experts who thought the show would do more harm than good. Two fifteen-year-old teens death who committed suicide just days after watching the show became extremely contentious but the show continued with high ratings. Now returning with season two, there could be more reasons why the show will become even more controversial than it did last year.
Season two of '13 Reasons Why' aka the suicide show is bound to stream on Netflix on May 18 and the official teaser released on May 8 hints at a mass school shooting. At the end of season finale we had spotted Tyler Down examining a secret box of guns and ammunition before going to school. Tyler Down is a social outcast at school and a victim of bullying. He is a troubled kid and in season one itself, we see him as Hannah Baker's stalker and one of the reasons why she slit her wrist and killed herself in the bathtub.
The first season was on audiotapes Hannah Baker left for 13 individuals who caused her to take the extreme step. Hannah was subjected to negative attention that objectified her and drove her to suicide. Tyler Down, in almost the same manner, is a victim of bullying, who is arming himself with ammunition as a payback to his classmates.
We know that season two is going to be different but the theme will be as disturbing. Audio tapes will be done and dusted and polaroids will tell an even more disturbing story. Tyler, the school photographer, who hasn't yet received help just like the way Hannah hadn't may turn out to be the shooter of the school, Liberty High.
If that happens, then the show's controversy will skyrocket.
The country has still not recovered from the fresh wounds of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida that killed 17 students. The 19-year-old suspect, Nikolas Cruz was a former student at Stoneman Douglas, who took an Uber to the school on February 15, 2018 and open fire, armed with an AR-15 rifle. While the filming of the show was done prior, there are still fewer chances of the audience being ready to face the school shooting reality in the United States.
'13 Reasons Why' have immensely reasoned the need to talk about suicide, which is the third leading cause of death in the US, and despite the reasoning, people have opposed the glamorization of the act. If the school shooting scene materializes and Tyler plays the leading role, then chances of more controversy may turn troublesome, but the producers including Selena Gomez, know how to tackle such dangers. We hope this show will see the silver lining missing in Hannah Baker's story and Tyler finds the help he needs.
