First season went around just well as any other viral trend but second season took it too far hitting back back home even for us and our “perfect lives” at the Columbus School. This past may 18, Netflix released the continuation of their controversial show, 13 Reasons Why. This time, covering the case against liberty high with kids both on and off the tapes taking the stand in their interrogations.

The problem doesn’t stand with the case, suicide, bullying or Hannah herself; it comes with how explicit, not necessarily graphic but simply too real and close to home the issues covered are this time, having any Columbus kid be able to identify at least once.

Non-Spoilers: 

“I think it as a necessary continuation to the first season after too many untied ends but we never expected it to be like that… we knew about the trial but a lot of things that happened were never expected, still being a slow season it was way too shocking,” said Isabel Arias, Junior and fan of the show.  The first season was already a handful, but people praised it and developed a fandom that was abruptly knocked out of their system with the crude reality that is portrayed in the new continuation. Bullying shown in the episodes covering the tapes is something we couldn’t really relate to as Colombian teens; it is an extension of the American bullying, not something we can get to see here in Colombia, much less around TCS hallways. “Bullying here is about exclusion and being left out, not invited to a party or hangout, and you might get a comment, but not the dimensions of physical and mental abuse that goes down at Liberty High,”said Camila Escorcia, Junior at TCS. Season 1 covers bullying through Hanna’s eyes and tapes but with her passing and the chronological development and unwinding of the case, now there is almost one episode designed to each character. The individual voice with each statements and confession turns to be the unveiling of a new reality that people can identify to more and more.

As said by Refinery 29, pop culture analyst blog , “More than just fixing what was possibly broken. Season 2 also reveals the true ethos of the show. We shouldn’t just feel empathy towards Hannah, but towards everyone.” The issue of having each character tell their story is that we learn that everyone, even those who show off the perfect life have their burden and cross to carry. Even Brice the all around jock and popular kid reveals how messed up he is inside. For Columbus kids it is a hard pill to swallow as we are often called rich kids and we appear to have great smooth lives, but by watching the show it is as if our secret could be out and people will know everyone is messed up somehow. “Teens are like sponges that take in and absorb everything surrounding the, problems at home or with friends or something they see can all affect them but they might keep it in, but a show like this for someone who has possibly been lying to themselves is too much to take in with high chances of feeling related or identified,” analysed Pedro Velez Pardo, psychologist at CES.

SPOILERS!!!

The show’s purpose was always to raise awareness and educate on teenage struggles without glorifying suicide, with an illustration of reality but they not only took the “reality” part too far but the illustration and graphics as well. First season viewers had complained about Hannah’s suicide scene being too explicit and graphic but this time with episode 13 minute 38-40, “graphic” stays short. “I was already warned about it, I knew it was coming but it was more than I could ever imagine, there really was no reason to include that,” shockingly said Andrea Restrepo, TCS Sophomore.  This time rape is illustrated much more visual than Jessica’s or Hannah’s scene, this time Monty, beat up tyler as he was locked up in the bathroom, banging his head against the sink and then raping him with a broomstick that is further shown covered with blood and he is left crying after screaming in the pictorial scene.

Too much is just too much, if the show is targeted for a young audience, especially teenagers who have gone through a lot, the idea of telling Hannah’s story is a great project to raise awareness, but exposing every flaw of a community that everyone can relate too is just insensible. Teenagers don’t have the strength to feel as if their problems have been exposed, and feel identified with messed up lives. Issues such as dysfunctional families, sexuality, peer pressure, family expectations and bullying induced gun violence is not content the world is ready to see.