13 Reasons Why has been hailed as the next big hit often praised for the realistic portrayal of high school life for millennials. But how the Netflix show takes on the reality of Jessica’s rape in season 2 will truly put the series to the test.
Showrunner Brian Yorkey recently discussed what fans can expect from season 2 with EW and addressed the fallout from Jessica learning the truth that yes, she had in fact been raped by Bryce. Yorkey said,
“When people intimate that Jessica’s story is done, I find that a horrific thought because Jessica is just beginning the process of recovering from her rape, and we have a rapist who has not in any way been brought to justice. To leave those two things hanging out there in the world would be upsetting. I want to see how that at least starts to play out and I want to do Jessica’s story the deserved justice of following her as she goes back to school, as she tries to begin to recover from what happened to her, because it’s something that millions of young women go through. And also [I want to] see somebody punch Bryce in the face.”
But for a show that prides itself on a realistic portray of high school life, it will be interested to see how they portray the consequences of the rape onscreen. While it sounds like Yorkey would like some kind of closure on the issue, the truth is that closure is not only an option. Rape survivors aren’t always able to bring their rapists to justice. And dealing with your own sexual assault will take more than one television season.
13 Reasons Why first gained attention with Selena Gomez attached as an executive producer, but once the first season released on Netflix, it quickly garnered praise on its own merit. The cast as nearly become teen celebrities overnight — so much so that star Ross Butler left his other role on Riverdale.
Based on the book of the same name, 13 Reasons Why has been hailed for its accurate portrayal of teen suicide, bullying, and complex relationships. We can’t wait to see what the cast and crew have in store for season 2.
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