I’m one episode in of 13 Reasons Why and it’s not that I’m not hooked, but if it wasn’t for the idea of, ‘what is it?’ and ‘how did it happen?’, it’s only hype that is keeping me from stopping at the pilot. I also feel a very strong message is being driven here in the Selena Gomez produced drama, and it’s a powerful one. Stop bullying!

Within a day, social media was talking about this new show and how hard hitting it is. I really love an emotional roller coaster, but you don’t get that first up. I guess, I’ll need to stick to it to find out how everybody got those feels.

We immediately meet Clay (Dylan Minnette), as he goes threw his locker. Not too far from him is Hannah’s (Katherine Langford) locker, which is decorated with tributes of messages and photos. It’s obvious that the young girl has died. We don’t know much about what happened to her, but that fact isn’t too far from revelation. It starts to get interesting when Clay receives a box with his name on it at his door step. Inside is a collection of tapes and a map. He begins to listen and it is Hannah who is speaking from the dead. She asks that the listener, as it becomes evident that there is and will be more, should listen carefully and follow the map, because she is about to tell them the story of her life and give them the opportunity of walking in her shoes. She mentions that this is the story of her life, and that the names she discloses on these tapes are the reasons why she chose to commit suicide. Hence, 13 Reasons Why.

The concept is strong. It is one that you will probably need to hang on to patiently to see what happens next. Whose names are on the tapes? What did they do to cause Hannah so much pain? Why is Clay such an important figure? Episode one leaves us with many questions that will hopefully be answered throughout the series. It’s a welcoming technique of going back and forth from past to present. We get to see how Hannah lived those moments she mentions beyond the grave, while going forward into the present where we witness Clay handling the information that was given to him from the tapes.

Critics so far are calling it an emotional journey, and that’s what I am looking forward to. I will be watching passed episode one because social media told me so. And, if this is going in the direction I think it will go in, every teen should watch this. Better yet, any bully out there should watch this.

It is not the most hard-hitting pilot. There are no massive bombshells early on, and no twist which lays the foundation for the motions to come. I believe Clay receiving the tapes and getting the idea that his name will be mentioned, therefore making him one of the 13 causes of her suicide, is supposed to be that big impact, but it isn’t a gob-smacking moment when it is revealed.

My interest peaks the most when Hannah speaks. I am expecting some thought-provoking admissions. They are usually more light-hearted in the most devastating way, than something to get overly emotional about. I really want it to make me get teary, but it just hasn’t yet.

Clay is supposed to be one of the many people on the tapes. When we meet and get to know Clay during episode one, we see that he is socially awkward, and very much an introvert. So, there is a wonder how he may have caused the girl to take her life. She also mentions that once the person who is listening to the tapes is done, they must rewind them back and give the box of tapes to the next person. Whether the next person is another whose name is mentioned on the tapes, it’s not completely clear. But with Clay being an intricate character so far, I don’t believe we will be seeing much passed what Clay has install for us as he listens to the tapes.

One thing I do have a feeling for sure about, there is something about Tony (Christian Navarro). I feel he knows something beyond the tapes or was involved in a way that isn’t very clear yet. Tony, though full of tattoos and looks like he could be 30, is a student of the same school Clay and Hannah go to, and drives a red Mustang. Just the look in his eyes make him suspicious.

I guess we will see with this one. There is hope, considering the hype so far, that it will become shocking and possibly unbearably emotional, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.

I’m one episode in 13 Reasons Why, and despite a slow start, let’s see where this journey may take us.