The season one finale of the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why included a nearly 3 minute long scene that showed the character Hannah, played by Katherine Langford, ending her life. Netflix has now removed the scene and edited the episode which now shows Hannah looking in the mirror and cutting to her parents reacting to her death.
13 Reasons Why is a show built around the topic of suicide, encouraging the primarily young audience to have important conversations and seek help when needed. This particular episode drew criticism immediately, leading Netflix to add a warningthat it “may not be suitable for younger audiences” and included “graphic depictions of violence and suicide.”
The edits to the scene from season one were only made this week, as Netflix has begun advertising the upcoming premier of season three.
Here’s the statement that Netflix made about the scene in an announcement Tuesday:
“We’ve heard from many young people that 13 Reasons Why encouraged them to start conversations about difficult issues like depression and suicide and get help — often for the first time. As we prepare to launch season three later this summer, we’ve been mindful about the ongoing debate around the show. So on the advice of medical experts, including Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we’ve decided with creator Brian Yorkey and the producers to edit the scene in which Hannah takes her own life from season one.”
While most viewers and critics appreciated the scene being removed, many questioned why it took so long. The decision also prompted a conversation about whether more scenes should be changed or removed, and how the show should handle these extremely sensitive topics and scenes in the future.
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