'13 Reasons Why' Star Brandon Flynn Says the Backlash the Show Faces Makes Him Sad

When the first season of ’13 Reasons Why’ was released on Netflix on March 31st 2016, it became the most talked about show on the site, even passing “Stranger Things”! However, it has also faced a ton of backlash and negativity due to what some people perceive as “glorifying” suicide and depression.

These heavy subjects have caused schools and parents to speak out and ask kids not to watch the show.

Brandon Flynn who stars as Justin Foley on the show, spoke to Damnit Maurie backstage at the MMVAs about the heavy subject matter, and if he understands why people are upset?

“I don’t want to say I fully understand it, I understand it, and it makes me sad, because people put their own agenda on top of things and to say that the show glorifies things or is encouraging people to…everyone talks about suicide, there are multiple things we’re dealing with on the show, we deal with rape, we deal with alcohol and drug abuse AND suicide but as well as depression. All the things that are so common and are existing right now, and it scares me that people chuck it off to saying that we’re doing something wrong, when really we’re potentially saving lives with this show, and I just don’t want anyone to deter that.”

Maurie also asked Brandon about season two and what other story lines we could see?

“All of them could continue, if you think about it all these people have their own individual lives, it’s just plain and simple as that. And they can all continue.” He goes on to say, “I will tell you, we will remain honest and I don’t think anything seams that far fetched this far and it’s gunna be great!”