Skip to main content
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • MTV Play
  • TV Guide
Home
  • News
    • MTV News
    • Trending News
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Taylor Swift
    • Kim Kardashian
  • Music
    • Music Highlights
    • Music Videos
    • Charts
    • Playlists
    • EMAs
    • MTV PUSH
    • Artists
  • Shows
    • Latest Shows
    • The Charlotte Show
    • Geordie Shore
    • Ex on the Beach
    • Just Tattoo Of Us
    • Teen Mom UK
    • The Royal World
  • Movies
    • Movies Highlights
    • New Movies Coming Soon
    • Videos & Interviews
    • Trailers
    • Moana
  • Travel
    • Videos
  • Style
  • Life
    • Life
    • MTV Breaks
    • Sex
    • WTF
    • SRS
    • Travel
    • Fitness
    • Generation Change
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Search

13 Reasons Why

  • Main
  • Videos
  • Pictures
  • News

13 Reasons Why Creator Brian Yorkey Addresses That Season 2 Rape Scene

"We’re committed on this show to telling truthful stories about things that young people go through in as unflinching a way as we can."

  • Share to Facebook
  • Tweet to Twitter
  • Share to Google plus
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - 15:10

*Warning: This post contains 13 Reasons Why season 2 spoilers*

When 13 Reasons Why creators decided to show Hannah Baker’s graphic suicide in season one, a huge debate was sparked as to whether it was entirely necessary considering the show’s young audience.

But creator Brian Yorkey and several writers defended their decision at the time, arguing that such detail was required to educate people on the reality of taking your own life and that it’s not as peaceful as it so often described.

We recently spoke to Katherine Langford about what it was like to film Hannah's suicide >>>

However a similar conversation has been sparked yet again, this time surrounding the show’s second season finale which sees Tyler Down being brutally raped by three athletes. 

After trying several de-escalation techniques when his classmates confront him, they go ahead and smash his head against a sink, beat him up and sodomize him with a mop handle. The entire time the camera is on Tyler’s face, much like Hannah’s scene with Bryce from season one, making for an extremely uncomfortable viewing experience.

However Yorkey has now explained why they chose to include this in the first place, following a call for the show to be removed entirely as many hail the storyline 'unncessecary'. Speaking as via statement via Vulture:

“We’re committed on this show to telling truthful stories about things that young people go through in as unflinching a way as we can. We fully understand that that means some of the scenes in the show will be difficult to watch. I think Netflix has helped provide viewers with lots of resources for understanding that this may not be the show for everybody, and also resources for people who do watch it and are troubled and need help.”

“But the fact is that, as intense as that scene is, and as strong as are our reactions to it may be, it doesn’t even come close to the pain experienced by the people who actually go through these things,” Yorkey continued. “When we talk about something being ‘disgusting’ or hard to watch, often that means we are attaching shame to the experience. We would rather not be confronted with it. We would rather it stay out of our consciousness. This is why these kinds of assaults are underreported. This is why victims have a hard time seeking help. We believe that talking about it is so much better than silence.”

He goes on to add that the scene wasn't simply written from pure imagination, but in fact is based on real life events that people have gone through during high school.

“When we dug into that research, I think we were all astounded to find how many times this happened, this disturbingly similar story of a male high-school athlete violating a weaker boy with some sort of instrument, like a mop handle or a pool cue,” he said.

“If there’s a greater sense of backlash about this scene, especially it being hard to watch, ‘disgusting,’ or inappropriate, that goes to the point that we need to be talking about the fact that things like this happen. The fact that this would be somehow more disgusting than what happened to Hannah and Jessica, I’m shocked but not surprised.”

If you’ve been affected by any of the topics mentioned in this article, please head to 13reasonswhy.info for more resources. 

Latest News

Get To Know - M-22
Get To Know: M-22
Get To Know - ENNY
Get To Know: ENNY
Get To Know - James Smith
Get To Know: James Smith
Dua Lipa
2021 BRITs Nominations: Dua Lipa, Arlo Parks, Celeste, BTS & More Up For Awards
Get To Know - Cody Frost
Get To Know: Cody Frost
Get Your Fan Questions In For AJ Tracey!
Get To Know - Sam Fischer
Get To Know: Sam Fischer
Young People Aged 18-24 Are Some Of The Most Affected By Sleep Deprivation In The UK[1]
Get To Know - Master Peace
Get To Know: Master Peace
5 Female Activists Using Their Voice To Fight For Gender Equality
Get To Know - Priya Ragu
Get To Know: Priya Ragu
Get To Know - KIRBY
Get To Know: KIRBY
Get To Know - Boy Pablo
Get To Know: boy pablo
Get To Know - Zoe Wees
Get To Know: Zoe Wees
Get To Know - Joshua Bassett
Get To Know: Joshua Bassett
Nathan Dawe - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Nathan Dawe Wins MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021!
Griff - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Griff Talks “Inspirational” Taylor Swift, Lorde & More
Pa Salieu - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Pa Salieu Won't Be Defined By Genre: ‘I Can Do Whatever I Want’
Bree Runway - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Bree Runway: 'Can You Imagine How Crazy I’m About To Go In 2021?'
Inhaler - MTV PUSH UK & IRE 2021
Inhaler: ‘We Were A Really Bad Heavy Metal Band For A While’

More From 13 Reasons Why

Jacob Elordi Gave 13 Reasons Why Actor Tommy Dorfman A Kiss On Instagram
Fans Think 13 Reasons Why’s Brandon Flynn Might Be Dating Actor Zachary Quinto
13 Reasons Why’s Ross Butler Join The Cast Of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before 2
Noah Centineo And Dylan Minnette Are Starring In A Music Video Together
From Riverdale To The OC: 8 Of The Most Iconic Teen Shows Of All Time
Sam Smith has been spotted kissing Brandon Flynn.
Sam Smith And Brandon Flynn Have Reportedly Split After Nine Months Of Dating
13 Reasons Why Actor Justin Prentice Reveals He Once Experienced Suicidal Thoughts
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018
MTV Movie & TV Awards
13 Reasons Why & More Celebs Reveal Who They Are A Superfan Of | MTV News
Stranger Things
MTV Movie & TV Awards
Stranger Things & 13 Reasons Why Casts Tell Us Which Show Or Movie They Want To Join Next | MTV News
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018
MTV Movie & TV Awards
13 Reasons Why, Stranger Things & More Celebs Play Kiss, Marry, Avoid At The MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018 | MTV News
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018
MTV Movie & TV Awards
13 Reasons Why Star Wants His Character Bryce Walker To Face Jail Time | MTV News
MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018
MTV Movie & TV Awards
13 Reasons Why Cast React To Season 2 At The MTV Movie & TV Awards | MTV News

Trending Articles

Charli D’Amelio Sets The Record Straight About A Fake “Leaked” Picture Online
10 Things Your Heartbroken Friend Needs To Hear
21 Types Of People You'll Find In Every Friendship Group
18 Most Naked Of Naked Moments To Have Ever Hit Geordie Shore
13 Questions You've Always Wanted To Ask A Porn Star
Celebrity
10 Celebrities Who Have Some Seriously Kinky Sex Likes In The Bedroom
sophie ksai
Sophie Kasaei Opens Up About Joel Corry Split And It's Absolutely Brutal
  • Contact Us
  • Access Services
  • Website Terms
  • Mobile Terms
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • MTV Jobs
  • MTV Press
  • Anti-Slavery
  • Global Tax Policy Statement
Hit us with some keywords!