The best TV episodes of 2017

13 Reasons Why — 1×1: “Tape 6, Side A”

You can’t have gone through 2017 without hearing about Netflix’s much talked about series and the controversy it sparked upon release.

13 Reasons Why is a drama series that follows teenager Clay Jensen as he discovers why his schoolmate, and crush, Hannah Baker committed suicide after recording the thirteen reasons that led her to it on cassette tapes.

The series is the adaptation of Jay Asher’s novel and addresses the suicide issue through the character of Hannah as she is shown spiraling into despair. Controversy arose when the act itself was shown on screen and got a heated response from the audience saying it could be triggering for some people.

Now,13 Reasons Why was one of my favorite series of 2017 and one may wonder why episode 11 was chosen as the most memorable one when it did not really constitute a turning point. Well, here’s the thing — the lines blurred through the season and it was easy to omit that Clay is the main character. 13 Reasons why is about his journey and quest even though the narration is made by Hannah.

And although their two lives are intricately linked together, a big part of the mystery is built on finding out why Clay is on the tapes, and as the tension grows over the episodes, what it is that he could have possibly done to be partly responsible for her death.

In that way, episode 11 is a major one for more than one reasons. It finally reveals us what Clay has done, and also discloses the real nature of their relationship.

It is an emotional episode in which Clay finally comes to terms with his feelings and admits to being in love with Hannah, the first step he needed to start his grieving process.

As such, episode 11 is a turning point for Clay in coping with his loss but also in the way he will approach the coming revelations in the next episodes.

Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why will be released in early Spring 2018 on Netflix.