Daniel Katleman

WARNING, SPOILERS: Maybe an unpopular opinion, but this has been one of my absolute favorite shows of recent years. That said, I would not recommend it to someone that is depressed, triggered by sensitive topics, or not in a good place to view. The first season centers around Hannah Baker and the reasons of her passing, leaving each character feeling guilty, which reminds people just how important it is to practice self-awareness and be kind to others. The second, third, and fourth seasons all tackle overcoming of grief, and ultimately, forgiveness of others as well as self-forgiveness. The second to last episode of the fourth season had an especially profound impact on me. Alex Standall, following being the murderer of Bryce Walker, learns about his sexuality during this season and is ultimately crowned prom king alongside his new quarterback boyfriend. Jessica Davis gives him the award and tells him that he deserves to be happy. This moment shows that doing bad things of course is wrong, and it is natural to feel guilt and shame. But the course of your life is so much longer than one or two actions. The past will always be there, but if you are a good person and know that, you can still find love and use your experiences to channel into a better future. At least that’s the message I got from that. The final episode of the series ties everything back to Hannah, and while Justin’s passing was a bit too much, I think the episode still brings in a lot of closure and features amazing cinematography.