REASONS TO BE fearful
Can the Liberty High teens keep their DEADLY SECRETS as the net closes in?
The new series of 13 Reasons Why
13 Reasons Why Genre: Drama Available: Friday 5June Season: 4 Episodes: 10 Runs: 55min
TVSW says: Get set for a highly charged ending
WHEN 13 Reasons Why made its debut in 2017, the teen drama became a big word-of-mouth hit as viewers were gripped by the events leading up to the suicide of high-school student Hannah Baker.
Since then, the show has continued to follow the Liberty High School friends as they try to deal with the fallout from Hannah’s death, including the dramatic murder of rapist Bryce Walker in season three.
Although Alex (Miles Heizer) was responsible for Bryce’s death, the friends pinned the murder on
Monty after the teenager was killed in prison, where he was in jail for a different offence.
However, Winston (Deaken Bluman) revealed that he knew Monty wasn’t guilty because they were together at the time – and the storyline looks set to reach a shattering climax in the show’s fourth and final season.
SEEKING THE TRUTH
‘The series has always delved into the secrets that every teenager keeps,’ explains showrunner Brian Yorkey.
‘The inciting incident of the whole series has been Hannah’s death and the tapes she left behind. We’ve wanted to follow that to its logical conclusion and that’s what we do in season four.’
The new season finds Winston trying to discover what really happened to Bryce, and hoping to get some justice for Monty.
‘We saw at the end of season three that Winston is upset at the way Monty was used by these kids,’ says Yorkey.
‘Also, there are other people, including Sheriff Diaz [Benito Martinez], who are wondering if the story that got told is really the true story – so there is the threat that the secret will come out.’
As the pressure builds, some of the group start to crack, including Clay (Dylan Minnette), who has sessions with a therapist, played by CSI: NY star Gary Sinise, who joins the cast.
‘Clay’s mental health is central to some of the mysteries that crop up,’ reveals Yorkey. ‘How is he going to process everything he’s been through and the secrets he’s keeping? Can he find some way back to balance and to health?’
Yorkey admits he will be sad to say goodbye to the drama, but reckons the series is ending at the right time.
‘I’m always a bit suspicious of high school shows that go beyond four seasons because high school is four years long,’ he smiles. ‘Bringing these characters to their graduation and the next stage in life felt like the logical ending point.’
But is there any chance that we could catch up with the characters again in the future?
‘I’d be very interested to see how some of them do at college,’ says Yorkey. ‘But I also love the idea of leaving that to people’s imaginations.’