At Children's Hospital Colorado, our mental health experts strongly recommend that children and youth not watch 13 Reasons Why, and certainly not alone. If your child does watch the show, our experts recommend watching it with them, if you can, and following the tips below on how to talk to them about the show.
Warning: Graphic Content
First, let's talk about the TV-MA rating of the series. MA stands for mature audiences. This rating means a show is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 17. According to Common Sense Media, the film graphically portrays bullying, rape, sexual assault, and suicide.
Because the series's main plot points are highly triggering and heavy, the series is rated MA, but what age does that translate to? According to Common Sense Media, kids who have seen the series say that 14 is the appropriate age for teens to watch it, whereas parents feel age 16 was more appropriate.
The BBFC classified most of the episodes with a 15 age rating, which means we do not consider these episodes suitable for viewers under the age of 15.
13 Reasons Why is not recommended for any teen struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, or a history of trauma.
Parents need to know that 13 Reasons Why is an intense, dark drama based on Jay Asher's popular young adult novel. The first season explores the motivations that led Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), a troubled teen, to die by suicide. Viewers hear about the bullying, sexual assault, and other traumatic…
The death of Justin Foley. After a long battle against drugs, abuse, and being homeless before being adopted by the Jensens and working to turn his life around, Justin's health takes a turn for the worst and he collapses at prom only to be hospitalised.
“Thirteen” is a cautionary tale, one that ultimately shows the perils of going “bad,” but the film is rated R for a reason. “Thirteen” contains profanity, shoplifting, drug and alcohol use, sexual situations, masochistic scenes of a young girl cutting herself and some nudity.
However, teen suicide, with various bloody dream sequences starts to become more common and graphic, and the fights, which weren't super violent early in the season are more violent and graphic. Most notably, later in the season, there is a very graphic, bloody and disturbing scene which is very hard to watch.
Incendiary language (visual and audio uses of the "N" word, "f--k," "a--hole") as well as discussions of rape and sexual assault add to the impact of the story. Two men are naked as they are dragged by police officers. Provocative and heartbreakingly real, this documentary is recommended for mature teens and up.
RATED 16+ nudity, violence, language, mature themes, substances Excellent and unique script with praise-worthy acting is something that the show is derived from, this Spanish series is a huge success but some scenes that depicts horror and sexual content makes the show a little inappropriate for anyone under 16.
An elementary school in Florida banned the book from campus, even for personal reading, arguing that students weren't mature enough to handle the depiction of suicide, profanity, sexual content, and drug use. The book was also pulled from middle school classrooms in Anderson County, Kentucky.
Gossip Girl is rated appropriate for 15-year-olds, but most of the comments about it are from children in the 10-13 age group—“This show roxs!"; “A little mature, with all the cussing, drug use and sex"; and “Watch with mom". So, where does the new teen fit in?
Content Notes for One of Us is Lying
Recommended for Ages 14 up. Bronwyn and her sister are half-Latino. One character comes out as gay midway through the story. Extreme profanity used with moderate frequency.
We'd stick with 17 and up for the YOU series on Netflix. If you have a teen who digs horror, this will appeal to them as Joe is a hard character to hate (it's true, we're sorry to say it!). But there is quite a bit of nudity and sexual content that may be a stopping issue for your family.
More than two years later, Netflix announced on Tuesday that it made the decision to cut that scene entirely. In a newly edited version of the Season 1 finale that replaced the old version, Hannah (played by Katherine Langford) looks at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
Though the novel isn't based on a true story, Asher did open up about the situations being based “loosely” on situations that happened in real life. “All of the reasons Hannah describes were based, at least loosely, on situations I'd either experienced or heard about, mostly from my wife or close female friends.
14A. Suitable for persons 14 years of age or older. Persons under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Films, videos and downloads rated 18 are not suitable for children. No one younger than 18 can go and see an 18 rated film in the cinema. No one younger than 18 may rent or buy an 18 rated video, DVD or download.
At Children's Hospital Colorado, our mental health experts strongly recommend that children and youth not watch 13 Reasons Why, and certainly not alone.
Tape 7, Side A (9.2)
The season 1 finale is the show's top-rated episode.
Major spoilers for 13 Reasons Why season two ahead.
Flashbacks reveal happier times: We see Hannah and Zach tenderly lose their virginity to each other, explore their sexuality together, date, and lean on each other for emotional support.