13 Reasons Why is a Netflix Original television show based on the novel by Jay Asher. The book, which chronicles the life of a young girl who made a series of tapes detailing her abuse and betrayal by friends and peers, was a big hit, receiving applause from readers and critics alike. . It was later adapted into a television show which debuted on March 31, 2017. The show, like the book, also received several accolades from critics and viewers. It has two seasons so far and a third is expected in 2019.
Along with praise for the on-screen portrayal of the social issue of sexual assault and suicide, the series has also drawn controversy from various quarters due to its graphic content. The show has been accused of sensational suicide. However, whatever the divergence between the methods of the series, it is clear that it has raised awareness of an important social problem.
Synopsis
The TV show tells the story of a young boy, ClayJensen receives a set of tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his late friend, who committed suicide after being sexually assaulted and gossiped about in high school. The tapes, 13 in number, detailed each of the reasons why she had decided to end her life.
The show tells each strip through Clay Jensen’s eyes and how his death affected everyone connected to him.
Cast and characters
13 Reasons Why is a TV show with a robust history and rich cast. The performances of the various actors and actresses have been described as a compelling and emotional portrayal of a touchy subject. The show features a lot of unpopular names that deliver stunning performances in their portrayal of their characters. This is one of the show’s strongest assets and it has been widely praised. Some of these actors and characters from 13 Reasons Why include:
Dylan Minnette
Dylan plays one of the main characters, ClayJensen, through whom the story unfolds to the audience. Clay was Hannah’s close friend and love interest. Dylan’s portrayal of Clay’s pain is a garish performance that connects the viewer to the emotional stakes of the story.
Katherine Langford
Another main character in 13 Reasons Why is played by newcomer Katherine Langford. She plays Hannah Baker, the girl whose death led to the events of the series. While she spends most of her screen time narrating the contents of the tapes to audiences, her visual performance has been described as a tremendous display of subtlety in expressing pain and sadness. Her brilliant performance alongside Dylan is hailed as one of the highlights of the TV show.
Christian Navaro
Christian plays Clay’s gay best friend on the show, Tony Padilla. Tony was the first person to hear the tapes and Hannah gave him instructions on how to use them. He spends the series helping Clay deal with Hannah’s death.
Alisha Boe
Alisha, plays Jessica Davis, one of the high freedom students Hannah Baker High School attended. She had a complicated relationship with Hannah while she was alive and also put her on the tapes. At one point, she was best friends with Hannah, but they had a falling out and had a big impact on Hannah’s story.
Brandon Flynn
Brandon plays Justin Foley, a fellow Liberty High student. Justin is in a relationship with Jessica and he comes from an abusive home. He talks about it on the tapes after spreading false rumors about Hannah.
Justin Prentice
Justin plays Bryce Walker, one of the main reasons Hannah Baker took her own life. Bryce is also a Liberty High student and the captain of the football team.
Derek Luke
One of the few established actors on the show is Derek Luke, the Captain America: First Avenger star playing Kevin Porter, a guidance counselor at Liberty High.
How to Watch 13 Reasons Why Online for Free
The show is a Netflix original show, so it is available on Netflix for subscribers to stream. However, if you don’t have a Netflix account, there are various streaming websites that allow you to watch some of your favorite shows for free. A good example is couchtuner.cloud. Another way to watch the show for free is to download the Showbox app, a video on demand app to stream or download any movie or TV show.