It’s now official – 13 Reasons Why, Netflix’s adaption of the bestselling 2007 YA book by Jay Asher, has been renewed for a 13-episode second season to premiere in 2018. Season 2 will pick up in the aftermath of Hannah Baker’s death and the start of the characters’ complicated journeys toward healing and recovery.
Executive produced by Selena Gomez, 13 Reasons Why has been a breakout. It was well received by critics and has gotten a lot of attention on social media. Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Brian Yorkey, who wrote the adaptation and serves as an executive producer on the series, will take the reins as showrunner in Season 2. He succeeds in the role Diana Son, who was executive producer/showrunner on the drama’s first season. Season 1 follows teenager Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) as he returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker (newcomer Katherine Langford) — his classmate and crush — who tragically committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Kate Walsh, Brian D’Arcy James, Derek Luke, Brandon Flynn, Justin Prentice, Alisha Boe, Christian Navarro and Tommy Dorfman also star.
The series, which deals with teen suicide, bullying, drunk driving and rape in graphic detail, has been the subject of active discussion, drawing criticism by some mental health experts who say the show could pose health risks for certain young people, especially those with suicidal thoughts. In response, Netflix amped up its content warnings.
13 Reasons Why is directed by Oscar winner Tom McCarthy, written by Yorkey, and executive produced by Gomez, Joy Gorman, Michael Sugar, Steve Golin and Brian Yorkey from Anonymous Content, Kristel Laiblin and Mandy Teefey. The series is produced for Netflix by Paramount Television.
This article originally appeared on People
