Binge watching has gone from a trend to a lifestyle. With Netflix releasing seasons in their entirety, the streaming service provides new shows every month or so for audiences to devour. The latest of these is the controversial 13 Reasons Why, adapted from the novel of the same name. 13 Reasons has made headlines for its graphic depiction of teen suicide and sexual assault, while also becoming pop culture royalty and achieving viral meme status. Fans have been hoping for a second season, and now it appears more likely than ever.
We previously reported that 13 Reasons Why actor Ross Butler recently left his supporting role in The CW's Riverdale. Butler will depart his role as Reggie on the drama, with sources like TV Line reporting schedule issues as the explanation for why he won't be able to film Season 2. So what other project could prevent him from Riverdale? Smart money says 13 Reasons Why's second season.
TV schedules are pretty grueling, so it makes a great deal of sense that Ross Butler couldn't film more than one at a time. And with 13 Reasons Why becoming far more popular than the CW's drama, he likely picked the role with the largest following.
Since it's release, 13 Reasons Why has been heavily rumored for a second season. All of the actors seem to be eager to reprise their roles, and the season finale left a ton of cliffhangers to be explored in Season 2. Hannah's parents just got ahold of the tapes, and will be processing their daughter's death in a new way. Alex seems to have attempted suicide, Justin has gone missing, and Tyler seems to be planning a school shooting. Long story short: the narrative isn't finished for 13 Reasons Why.
Ross Butler plays Zach Dempsey in 13 Reasons. One of the more likable characters, his way of isolating Hannah seemed to pale in comparison to the true atrocities she endured in her short life. The finale saw Zach confessing to being unkind to Hannah, hopefully signaling that he was a good guy after all.
Riverdale will be recasting the role of Reggie for Riverdale's second season, with plans to expand the role of Archie's rival. But now we're going to get one of those Fresh Prince situations where actors are switched without acknowledgement. What would Aunt Viv think?
While Netflix audiences are eager awaiting the return of 13 Reasons Why, a second (inevitable) won't be without its challenges. The original novel doesn't have a sequel, so new stories will have to be crafted from scratch. Hopefully they'll pull in author Jay Asher to help plan each characters' trajectory moving forward, but we may not be so lucky. And with Hannah's mystery now seemingly solved, it's unclear how a second season would function. There aren't even any more tapes, so the entire structure would have to be adjusted.
You can catch 13 Reasons Why on Netflix now. Check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
