Season 3 has some great moments, but still stumbles in some places.
By: Jacob Politte, Online Editor
Note: The following article does contain some spoilers.
Thirteen Reasons Why isn’t the greatest television program. Despite its incredibly talented cast, one could argue that everything that has came following its standout first season was not necessary. The show’s second season curated a lot of detractors for that reason, and the third season does nothing to change the tide. While it’s an interesting ride and really fun to watch at many points, it just doesn’t feel like it’s necessary television.
Let’s start with the good. The show shifts it’s focus away from suicide, and instead turns into a murder mystery. If the show was to continue, it had to evolve and move away from Hannah Baker; there’s only so much story you can tell there. A ‘whodunit’ story isn’t a bad way to go.
The cast is so incredibly talented, and everyone involved plays their part well. In particular, Devin Druid (Tyler Down) and Justin Prentice (Bryce Walker) really stood out this season, giving absolutely gut-wrenching performances. One of the shows greatest strengths was how well it develops its characters, and that continues this year. For example, in the scenes that they have together, the duo of Dylan Minnette (Justin Foley) and Brandon Flynn (Justin Foley) really shines; Justin’s adoption into Clay’s family continues to be one of the series’ best arcs. There is a ton of potential in these stories, but the show often has made questionable choices in how it chooses to tell them.
This season did have questionable choices, too. One of those questionable choices was making Bryce, and to a much smaller extent Montgomery “Monty” de la Cruz, the series greatest villains, into somewhat sympathetic figures. While it’s probably realistic to expect positive change from someone in their position, no one is watching this show to feel sorry for them. They’re rapists after all. It completely undercuts the story that the show has spent two seasons telling, even if Justin Prentice succeeded in making me upset about Bryce’s ultimate fate.
Jessica exploring her sexuality was fine, but I’m not sure I needed to see that vibrator scene. The revelation of who murdered Bryce was kind of a letdown. In the end, that person got away with it (at least for the moment) even though everyone knows, and now pretty much everyone is an accomplice.
Monty is framed for the murder, and is seemingly killed off-screen. The only problem with framing Monty is that he has an alibi: his secret gay hook-up. The revelation of Monty’s sexuality isn’t much of a surprise; his intense homophobia made it sort of obvious that he was closeted. Another potential wrinkle: I’m not entirely sure that Monty was really killed, despite the police confirming it. The combination of his alibi and his possible survival create two big messes to tidy up in the show’s next and final season.
And now we get to the ugly. We have to talk about Ani.
The problem with Ani is not the actress (Grace Saif), who has been getting a lot of unjust hate. The problem is that she is the season’s central character, surpassing even Clay, despite coming literally from out of nowhere. Longtime fan favorite characters from previous seasons are shoved aside because of it, and Ani gets more screen-time than any other character. That just rubs people the wrong way, and rightfully so. Not to mention her detective-like demeanor is very off-putting and unintentionally comical, even if the story is centered around a murder. While it might have been necessary to have an outside character give her perspective on things, Ani as a character just does not work. If she is the show’s voice, then the show should find a different one.
Thirteen Reasons Why is not a show that is going to get a lot of love, especially from critics. It’s legacy would have been more revered had it ended at the end of the first season. That being said, this third season is still a mostly enjoyable affair, as long as you don’t think too much about some of the choices the show decides to make.
