Unnecessary Sequel

"No matter how many reasons why, there's always more reasons why not." — Olivia Baker, "13 Reasons Why"

It's a common thing in entertainment that if you're successful, the studios always want to duplicate that success. Even if it doesn't end up making sense and waters down the original product. We see it in movies, with the unnecessary sequel. Often, they have you eventually forgetting why you loved the first one so much to begin with.

But TV shows aren't immune. I remember a few years ago watching "Broadchurch." It was an incredible story, incredibly well told. And the finale was an emotional gut punch. It was my second favorite show of the year. Then it was renewed for a second season. That second season (and the eventual third) wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first season. It couldn't be. And in some ways it took away from my appreciation of what that first season would have been if it remained a closed, complete story.

Which leads me to "13 Reasons Why." If you are a fan of this blog, you know that I was sucked into the original run. It was 13 powerful, emotional, and often difficult episodes that told a complete story. It came from the perspective of Hannah (Katherine Langford), and it chronicled the painful journey that led her to take her own life. There were some rough things to see, and it certainly wasn't a series for everyone, but I thought it was powerful and handled in an engrossing manner.

It had a great cast and drew a lot of attention for Netflix. Soon, they ordered a season two (now a third has been ordered), which dropped May 18. I was profoundly bummed when a season two was ordered. It was the kind of story that couldn't get better with more episodes, I thought, and after having seen the second 13 installments, I know that's certainly true.

In fact, much like other unnecessary sequels it ends up diminishing some of the original run. It changes some elements of the story, arguably expanding perspective, but it makes you think about Hannah and her journey differently. While that might serve a purpose, to me it was a bit of a shame.

Like other unnecessary sequels, too, there are some interesting things about this second season. It fleshes out some stories, and it offers some more powerful emotional journeys. There were times when I was drawn to the narrative, and times when I was turned off.

This is a show that traffics in misery. I don't know if that's the intent (though it's hard to believe it's not), but that's certainly how it comes off. We live in a time when much of what's on TV is dark. In fact, one of the most lauded shows last year, "The Handmaid's Tale," is also one of the most punishing series to watch. And that's the world that "13 Reasons Why" inhabits.

For Netflix, it brings a lot of attention and, presumably, eyeballs. But it's a deeply sad and difficult show to watch. The first season asked some hard questions, but it felt to me the primary purpose of the second season was to wallow in misery and grab on to some hot topics — like the MeToo movement and school shootings. But it does that without having much new to say about the topic.

There will be fans of the show. And, again, the acting and cast is great, and there are some profound emotional moments that work. But it's a season that doesn't need to exist and, in fact, diminishes the impact of the first season. And that's a shame.