The Handmaid's Tale isn't the only new TV series to touch a nerve. The Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, exploring a teenage girl's decision to commit suicide, is clearly in that camp as well. One tangible bit of proof? It has become the most tweeted about show of 2017, per a report at Variety. The series, based on a best-selling young-adult novel, includes graphic scenes of rape, violence, and yes, the central suicide. Here's a look at the controversy:
- A main criticism is that it glorifies suicide. "The series clearly communicates that if people in your life hurt you and made you feel bad then taking your life is a tragic, but highly effective, way of returning the favor and making them feel horrible," writes Jack VanNoord in the Chicago Tribune.
- But others say it's forcing a taboo subject into the spotlight. At the Globe and Mail, Andre Pecard faults its handling of the topic but says it's too late to complain about that now. The show is out and being widely consumed by teens, which means parents must watch it, ideally with their kids.