Suicide Scene From Season One of 13 REASONS WHY Has Finally Been Edited

The first season of 13 Reasons Why opened to some pretty major controversy. The series centers around a main character who has committed suicide. She is the narrator of sorts in a series of 13 cassette tapes that she has pre-recorded and left to the people she has deemed responsible for her death. When making the series, the creators consulted a board of mental health experts, who ultimately had some major concerns about the portrayal of the actual suicide scene at the end of the first season. They warned that the moments of the character graphically showing the way she killed herself were harmful and risky to those who may be suicidal. But the series went AMA, and did exactly that.

The series has been credited for helping teens open up about depression and suicidal ideology, but there has continued to be a bit of a stain on the creators for not listening to the advice that they sought out to begin with. So now that fans are close to getting the third season of 13 Reasons Why, Netflix has announced that they will now be editing down the infamous scene, and fans are wondering if it’s too little, too late.

Here’s what Netflix had to say about their choice:

We’ve heard from many young people that 13 Reasons Why encouraged them to start conversations about difficult issues like depression and suicide and get help — often for the first time. As we prepare to launch season three later this summer, we’ve been mindful about the ongoing debate around the show. So on the advice of medical experts, including Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we’ve decided with creator Brian Yorkey and the producers to edit the scene in which Hannah takes her own life from season one.

If you’re wondering what the graphic scene entails, it sees Hannah get inside her bathtub, and slowly, graphically, slit her wrist. It’s extremely hard to watch, with a lot of blood, and pain on the face of the actress, and a look of shock and fear that you could almost construe for regret just a bit too late. The new edit will go straight from Hannah’s face at the beginning of the ordeal to her parents discovering her.

I have watched the series so far, and I did enjoy it, but I am not the demographic at risk that wasn’t so carefully considered when making the series. I am glad they ultimately decided to edit it, but I think it was irresponsible for them to release it against the advice of the mental health professionals in the first place.

What do you think? Good for them, or too little, too late?