13 Reasons Why
Netflix, from Friday 31 March
Netflix’s new 13-parter does for young adult drama what it did for political conspiracy sagas with original breakout hit House Of Cards. That is, it feels like a cinematic, uncompromisingly feisty piece of entertainment. Adapted from a classic YA novel, executive produced by Selena Gomez, and with the opening episodes directed by Oscar-winner Tom Mccarthy
(Spotlight), the series follows teenager Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) as he tries to work out why his high-school friend Hannah (Katherine Langford) committed suicide two weeks earlier. She’s left him 13 tapes explaining that there are 13 reasons why she decided to end her life. The episodes interweave Hannah’s narration of her issues with those of Clay and their fellow high-schoolers to create a believable portrait of what it’s like to be a teen in the age of social media, and there are no holds barred in the swearing and sex talk.