“Can I play you a tape?”
Some shows live or die on their premises alone – look how bad The Walking Dead has gotten now that walkers have taken a back seat to the proceedings – but Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, based on a 2007 young adult novel by Jay Asher, manages to equal and even rise above its admittedly intriguing conceit. It’s helped along by an incredibly solid cast and smart, intuitive directing (and a propulsive, ominous score courtesy of Eskmo, who also works on Billions).
Hannah Baker is dead. That’s no surprise; in fact it’s the driving force of the show, established in a great opening shot of Hannah’s former locker, shown while we hear her in voiceover. It’s a brilliant choice by director Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), and it’s a good way to show the audience how 13 Reasons will treat Hannah’s presence: as though she’s here and gone at the same time. Throughout “Tape 1” – and, presumably, the series – Hannah is an active, evolving character, seen in expertly-triggered flashbacks and played to perfection by newcomer Katherine Langford.
But the strength of 13 Reasons Why lies in its ensemble, chiefly. It’s anchored by Dylan Minnette (Don’t Breathe), who turns in a charming, believably awkward performance as Clay Jensen, Hannah’s friend and recipient of the titular tapes. (The whole cast is realistic, and is a nice break from the hyper-literate, witty “teens” of Riverdale, Scream, Gossip Girl, or any number of shows aimed at young adults where all the kids read Proust and watch obscure Audrey Hepburn films.) On these tapes, Hannah goes through the thirteen reasons why she took her own life, and each tape is dedicated to a different person. It’s a great hook: all of Clay and Hannah’s interactions have been funny and sweet, so how did he play a part in her suicide? And how did Hannah go from a sarcastic, winsome teenager to someone so suicidal, and, ultimately, vindictive? She promises that if the tapes aren’t listened to and passed on to each person on the list, they’ll be made public.
And therein lies the show’s greatest source of tension and momentum. The mystery at the show’s core elevates it above teen melodrama, but is also a powerful statement about bullying and suicide. It’s almost never caused by one single element, but rather an amalgamation of several, and Hannah is no exception. It’s something you can contribute to through negligence, not malice, and that’s what 13 Reasons Why is promising through its unique structure.
McCarthy utilizes a terrific editing structure to show Hannah’s simultaneous involvement in the story. Clay will zone out, looking at Hannah’s locker or desk, then suddenly she’s there, and just as suddenly she’s gone, and Clay is back in the present, where Hannah will never be again. It’s jarring every time, in a good way, and a great display of McCarthy’s ingenuity: Hannah is here, and then she’s not.
The performances across the board are uniformly solid. Minnette and Langford are able and engaging, and the supporting cast has already made itself known. I’m personally a fan of Christian Navarro’s Tony, who has a pompadour and drives a muscle car and somehow doesn’t come off as a douchebag. Kate Walsh, in her brief screentime, does solid work as Hannah’s mother.
But it’s Brandon Flynn, as Justin Foley, who gets the most room to stretch here. When we first meet him, he’s accosting Clay in the hallway, telling him, “You’re not that innocent, Jensen; I don’t give a shit what she says.” But when Hannah falls for him, we see a different, more charming side to what could have been a stock high school bully character. Justin is the subject of the first side of the first tape, and 13 Reasons shows why its structure is perfectly suited to developing a cast of potentially fourteen characters (Hannah plus everyone who has a tape about them).
This would all be well and good – like I’ve said, the acting and directing are damn good – but it’s the mystery that will keep me coming back. The show’s best reveal comes courtesy of Tony, who finds Clay at a park, “watching” Hannah and Justin have their first kiss (that the timelines never get confusing is a testament to McCarthy’s surety behind the camera). “Eisenhower Park,” Tony says. “You’re about for side two.” It’s a great twist, and 13 Reasons Why is smart to play part of its hand so early; it tells the audience that answers will be given, and the mystery is more than just a hook.
A Few Thoughts
- Hannah tricking Justin into riding away on the bus (destination unknown) was the funniest part of the episode, and really made me root for the two of them.
- That’s Devin Druid as Tyler, who was so great in Louie . (I’ve also heard great things about Louder Than Bombs, but I haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet.) I’m looking forward to seeing more of him.
- There were a lot of nice touches that established the characters’ ages. I’m thinking of Clay dumping his dad’s boombox on the floor because he’s not used to music players being plugged in, or Kat telling Clay, “I’ve known you this entire century.”
4.5/5
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