Intense: 13 Reasons Why removes the infamous suicide scene

I still remember that I was almost gagging when I saw it. I was shown the scene by a colleague under the pretense of ‘Jeez, you have to see this,’ even though I hadn't even realized which series I was watching. 13 Reasons what? She had to turn it off for me after half a minute.

Later, I binge-watched 13 Reasons Why and I already knew exactly what was going to happen (spoiler alert): that horrific bathroom scene at the end, in which main character Hannah, well, quite convincingly acts out the end of her life. Including hyperventilation. Including the mother who finds her and screams inconsolably. While I was watching it, I felt the blood drain from my cheeks. Somewhere so un-American to film such intense scenes so explicitly...

Of course, the series – which showcased several issues surrounding bullying and the terrible consequences of it – became a hit. But there was also criticism. Quite a lot, in fact. There was a continuous discussion: is it good to draw attention to a problem in this way? Or do you inspire others who are feeling down to also let the bath fill up? After much deliberation, Netflix has decided to remove the controversial scene. They do this at the recommendation of medical experts. ‘During the preparation for the third season, we were very aware of the ongoing discussion about the series,’ Netflix stated in a statement. ‘So at the recommendation of medical experts, including Christine Moutier and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we, together with creator Brian Yorkey and the producers, decided to scrap the scene in which the character Hannah commits suicide at the end of the first season.’

In the new adaptation, that scene is completely skipped and the episode continues with the reaction of her parents. Creator Yorkey himself has stated that he hoped to achieve the exact opposite with the confronting images. ‘It was our intention to portray the horrific and painful reality as realistically as possible, so that no one would think of doing it themselves.’ Well, if that ultimately proves to be debatable, then this seems to me to be the best solution. Well done, Netflix. I don't find the series any less strong because of it.

Not having nice thoughts yourself? Seek help at 113.nl or call the suicide prevention hotline: 0900-0113.