13 Reasons Why producers discussed details about the upcoming second season of the smash hit Netflix series during a recent panel discussion.
Showrunner Brian Yorkey and Netflix’s vice president of original series Brian Wright said Jessica Davis’s (played by Alisha Boe) sexual assault would be a major storyline in the second season.
In season one Jessica, one of the main characters and estranged friend of Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), was raped by her classmate Bryce Walker (Justin Prentice) during a party.
Now, her journey from victim to survivor will be played out in the new series to shed light on sexual abuse.
“Jessica in particular, her experience continues to be a central part of season two,” Yorkey said.
“We wanted very much to look at her recovery. To look at what it is to go from being a victim of sexual assault to being a survivor of sexual assault.”
He went on to tell Radio Times: “We look at the ways that sexual assault has been perpetrated over a number of years, has been in fact documented.
“Also the ways in which the institutions, the athletics department, Liberty High School itself, are in some ways complicit in letting that happen.”
Showrunner Wright revealed that Mr Porter will feel remorse over his treatment of Hannah in the days leading up to her suicide.
“Mr. Porter, in particular, will be coming to terms with the mistakes that he made, with the ways that he let her down,” he said.
“[He] will be, I think, very determined not to let any kids down in the future.”
He continued: “In fact, I think that his story is, I think, one of the most compelling to me in season two.
“We’ll see a man who is determined to reach every kid who needs to be reached and help every kid who needs to be helped. Whatever it takes.”
Netflix is yet to share a release date for season 2, however, Katherine confirmed last year that the show will premiere later this year.
In December, she tweeted: “Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why is officially finished filming! It will be out next year.”
Meanwhile, Miles Heizer – who plays Alex Standall in the teen drama – teased the upcoming series.
He told Us Weekly: “I will say we took the issues that were present in season one and made sure that they are present in season two.
“We really went head first into all of these things that people thought were taboo and talked about them anyway.
Miles added: “If anything, we’re even more open about the taboo topics from season one and we dive in deeper.”
