I heard many students and friends talking about this new show, 13 Reasons Why, on Netflix. It was the first time I’ve ever heard it mentioned before. I didn’t know there was a book or a show until I noticed the topic arise in my classes as well. So, I decided to take a gander at this myself and soon found myself indulging in the show.

The story itself is what captivated me. I was told that it was about a teen girl who commits suicide and leaves behind 13 cassette tapes to speak of the 13 reasons why she killed herself. The plot to me is quite unique and interesting and leaves you wondering what exactly were those reasons and why someone would go to the extent of making these tapes if you knew that you’d be dead afterwards.

I have to say that it has to be one of my favorite and one of the best shows Netflix has made so far. This show definitely ranks among Stranger Things in quality and distinct plot. I haven’t finished the show so far, but I can say that I am fully obsessed without a doubt.  The characters have been well developed in how they contribute to the entirety of the protagonist’s life, Hannah Baker, and they are all interconnected.

I asked a few students about the show and how they felt about it.

Q: How did you find out about the show?

A: I read the book freshman year, so some friends who had also read the book mentioned that it was coming out as a show, so they said I should watch it.- Cassidy Renninger (’18)

Q: So far, do you think that the show matches up to the book?

A: I think the main plot does but the main character is a little different than I had imagined from the book. She’s a little more gutsy and more outgoing. I thought she would be a more shy person. -Renniger

Q: Why did you read the book?

A: A group of friends my freshman year decided we should all read a book together and that’s the book they had chosen. I think somebody had read it in middle school, and they really liked it so they thought we should all read it. -Renninger.

Q: What’s your favorite aspect of the show?

A: The fact that the main guy is not an out-there, popular social guy. I feel like they capture social awkwardness a lot more, considering the fact that it’s not zero communication- he actually tries to talk to people. The characters feel a lot more real than your average show. It makes more sense for a regular sophomore kid to be the main character than some jock or some cheerleader. -Lujain Bashir (’18)

Q: What’s your opinion on the show overall?

A: I love it- like it’s so good. You can somehow relate to the main character, Hannah. It’s a high school setting, so everyone’s involved. The people watching it should be in high school, so they can relate. -Trinity Williams (’18)

Q: How does this show compare to others?

A: I can’t really compare it. It’s not your usual TV series. It’s different because you don’t hear a lot about shows about a girl who commits suicide and tapes the reasons why she commits suicide. -Williams

Q: Would you recommend the show to others? Why or why not?

A: I would recommend the show because it’s very suspenseful and keeps you on your toes. It’s not your average boring show and I feel that it captures the high school experience a lot more, considering the fact that it’s always about jocks and stuff like that, but at the same time the main character is a socially awkward boy. – Bashir

It’s been said that the author, Jay Asher, is planning a second season, but fans are split on this. Some think it’s a bad idea because the plot should end with all 13 tapes as it is the end of Hannah’s story, but many argue that the show should continue to tell Clay’s story and what happens after her death in the town. So, the audience must wait and see what Asher has in store next for this hit series.