The Atlantic

Why That <em>13 Reasons Why</em> Scene Took Two Years to Cut

Inside the decision to edit the controversial series
Source: Netflix

If you are having thoughts of suicide, please know that you are not alone. If you are in danger of acting on suicidal thoughts, call 911. For support and resources, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.

When the first season of the Netflix teen drama was released, in March 2017, the instantaneous clamor of viewers reacting to it online was followed by responses from mental-health experts expressing concerns about the show’s portrayal of suicide. The series, based on a young-adult book of the same name by Jay Asher, is framed around one teenager’s decision to end her own life, and the various people she sees as having contributed to her crisis. In the book, the act of the central character Hannah’s suicide is mentioned only fleetingly. In

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