tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post646261461878011558..comments2024-03-07T20:15:45.996-08:00Comments on The Bitter Script Reader: Clay's downward spiral on 13 REASONS WHY makes for an Emmy-worthy arc for Dylan MinnetteThe Bitter Script Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-73183250658952794562018-05-29T14:25:47.793-07:002018-05-29T14:25:47.793-07:00That's a decent stab at explaining the Zach th...That's a decent stab at explaining the Zach thing, but it still leaves the hole of why this isn't even hinted at on Zach's tape. I came away feeling this revelation made Zach look WORSE than S1 did and making him way more "tape-worthy."<br /><br />Weirdly there's a faction of fans who have embraced Zach/Hannah as the True Love of the series and I can't wrap my brain around that either. I don't think we're supposed to feel Hannah felt much affection for him at the end either, as he doesn't appear on her "Reasons Why Not" list while Clay does twice.<br /><br />As for Clay's mental status, his parents seem to double-down on all the bad parenting of season 1. They raise issues with him, but never lay down the law and never probe too deeply. I get that Clay shuts down and that has to be frustrating, but after season 1 put a lot of this stuff into the light it's frustrating to see them miss warning sign after warning sign.<br /><br />On the friend front, you do make some solid points and there's a definite sense a lot of friendships hit the pause button in the interregnum. Alex was in recovery, Tony was dealing with his legal issues, Jess was... somewhere. I'm completely with you on the notion that everyone got closer this season but we DO see that a lot of them are at least friendly and having shared the tapes last year, it would have been nice to see SOMEONE show some insight into "Okay, Clay's REALLY on a dark path."<br /><br />Zach has a few moments that could have prepared for that. He clearly feels bad about how he knows Clay will take his testimony and he also picked him to receive the polaroids so there must have been some... respect, maybe... for him.<br /><br />But just having Jess or Sheri get a scene like "You okay?" would have gone a long way to showing someone learned from Hannah's tapes.The Bitter Script Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-40369327336449969382018-05-29T12:10:50.269-07:002018-05-29T12:10:50.269-07:00I'll offer a small defense of the summer roman...I'll offer a small defense of the summer romance plotline in that it does end in a significant emotional wound for Hannah, since Zach, whom she had come to know as a sensitive, good guy, ends up rejecting and denying her when he reunites with his jock friends as school starts. It reinforces that 'all men are pigs' and just want one thing from women, even the supposedly "good guys." So at the party, when she and Clay are about to do that one thing, she fears that the sensitive, good guy she knows Clay to be, will similarly be revealed to just be yet another jerk. (Of course that ultimately happens anyway through Clay's unknowing actions.) That and her other wounds combine in the emotional reaction to push him away. <br /><br />Regarding Clay's psychological issues and spiraling condition, his family seems to have been aware and tried to help since, IIRC, there are references to meds and therapy from his parents in S2E1, but I'm curious as to what friends you're referring to? By the end of S2, several members of the tape group bonded with Clay, but as evidenced in S1, Tony is his closest and perhaps only real friend and Clay doesn't even realize he's gay. Beyond Tony there's Hannah and that's about it. He and Skye were estranged and while it appears several of the tape group mostly liked Clay prior to the tapes, they didn't seem to be close friends and were all adversaries to varying degrees while he held the tapes. Alex is probably the closest to him of that group, and with him recovering from TBI resulting from his suicide attempt, he's hardly in a position to identify Clay's difficulties. Justin, from living with him, is able to see the signs that Clay can hide from everyone else, so you're left with the recovering homeless addict to intervene. In fact, S2's biggest character arc may be the progression of the group from adversaries to grudging allies, to foxhole buddies - friends born from the experience shared in a battle, that against Bryce and the jock rape culture. They've learned they're all flawed, they're all hurting in some way, and they'll all share lifetime scars from the experience. <br />Jay G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09150920045601838111noreply@blogger.com