Episode 1: The First Polaroid
1.
Clay even mentions that at the beginning ofthis season premiere.
Tyler is the first to take the stand, and his voiceover pervades the entire episode.
Credit: Beth Dubber/Netflix
What do we know about Skye?
So what do we know about her?
The fate of Alex
At the end of last season, it looked like Alex had attempted suicide.
We didn’t get any visual confirmation, but a phone call and a stretcher certainly planted the idea.
What’s changed is that nobody is allowed to talk about suicide or the Hannah situation.
What stays the same?
Well, Liberty High is still a place filled with cruel, nasty people.
Ireallyhope he gets what’s coming to him.
Now, he has no memory of the month leading up to that suicide attempt.
Tyler certainly won’t be the last to get threatening messages this season.
The Bakers' marriage
Hannah’s mom is in a slightly better place at the start of this season.
What’s missing though?
Just at odds with each other?
All we know is that she couldn’t convince him to come to the first day of the trial.
How deep does the disgusting, criminal behavior of the jocks go?
The season had been clearly building him up as the one who truly did something wrong to Hannah.
Clay finds a Polaroid in his locker.
What is Tony’s role in all of this?
Tony is still a very mysterious character.
It’s all very strange, and it would seem that Tony is hiding something pretty significant.
13.Ghost Hannah
It’s a bit of a goofy gimmick, but Clay is seeing Hannah everywhere.
This is nothing new for Clay, but the final scene of the episode brings about a change.
“So you talk now?
“Apparently,” she replies.
Kyle Fowle
Episode Grade: C+
Episode 2: Two Girls Kissing
1.
What works though is the focus on Courtney, as she’s finally able to tell her story.
This time around, it’s Jessica who gets the messages to keep her mouth shut.
Jessica, as the only living victim that we know of, is the clearest threat to Bryce.
Jessica’s parents worry that she’s going to put herself through something too traumatic to handle.
It really did take a suicide for all of these parents to finally get a little more involved.
The relevant part is that Tommy was an athlete, part of the baseball team.
Everything seems to be coming back to the student-athletes.
He befriends Cyrus, a punk rock-looking kid in his class who he sees making sketches.
They bond over their shared creative impulses, even if Tyler seems like the least punk rock guy ever.
However, it turns out that he lied to Zach.
Late in the episode, he opens up a subpoena, staring at it with worry in his eyes.
He knows the walls are closing in.
Anyways, am I the only one that finds it all a little…silly?
Sheri is back
Specifically, she’s back at school, and everyone is staring at her.
Clay and Skye’s crumbling relationship
Oh man, Clay hasno ideawhat he’s doing.
Clay is such a teenage boy.
He never says the right thing, and he has little to no self-awareness.
It looks like she’s hurt herself again, probably from cutting.
Episode Grade: B
Episode 3: The Drunk Slut
1.
Jessica’s turn
This feels like an important early-season episode because this is Jessica’s testimony.
The first two episodes, while focusing on other characters, were building to this moment.
Clay is still a mess
He actually sums it up rather nicely at the beginning of the episode.
Arriving at home bloody and battered at 5 a.m., his parents want to know what’s going on.
It’s a powerful description.
Welcome to the club
Oh my god, Ryan, you are so embarrassing and yet strangely supportive.
The Outsiders
Speaking of finding your community, Tyler seems to have found his own.
He’s joined in the library by his new punk rock buddy Cyrus and a few of his friends.
Those pictures are posted in the classroom with the words “Who will believe the drunken slut?”
It’s another instance of someone trying to intimidate a key witness in the trial.
Jessica’s testimony
This is one of the harder ones to watch.
So yeah, this is a tough one.
Will we see more of Skye?
Skye has been moved to some sort of rehabilitation facility, and Clay never got to say goodbye.
He calls her again and again, but she doesn’t pick up.
Is this the last we’ve seen of her?
They find him in Oakland, living on the streets.
Clay convinces him to come back by saying that Jessica wants him back.
It could also give Jessica the witness she needs to tell the truth about Bryce.
Why should we care about Marcus?
Seriously, what is his story right now?
There’s not much there.
Rewarded for being a really bad teenager
Clay’s parents buy him a car.
Let me repeat that: Clay’s parents buy him a car, and a new Prius at that.
After all the secrets and cursing and the rule-breaking, the kid gets a car.
I can’t decide who’s more ridiculous, the parents in13 Reasons Whyor the parents inRiverdale.
There’s no way his return to this town, and his eventual interaction with Jessica will go well.
Episode 4: The Second Polaroid
1.
Marcus, as slimy as the rest
2.
Detoxing Justin
Yes, Justin is back, but he’s in rough shape.
As always, Clay goes to Tony for things that are beyond his understanding.
Tony can’t help personally though, because of his probation, but he sends Sheri.
A larger role for Nora Walker
Nora Walker, Bryce’s mother, knows something.
Of course, because this is Clay, he doesn’t realize how selfish he’s being.
It’s actually really beautiful and leads to them kissing.
Marcus is ready to be a politician
Why?
Because he lies, and lies, and then lies again.
Then he says that Hannah used the date to try and get Marcus to hook her up with Bryce.
He’s spinning one lie after another, and it comessoeasily to him.
At least Porter gives him a small dose of real talk.
Revenge of the Outsiders
It’s not just us thinking that Marcus deserves some sort of comeuppance.
Tyler thinks the same thing.
He goes outside, opens the bag, and is hit with a splash of pink paint.
Tyler and Cyrus laugh and then take off.
There’s no way this doesn’t escalate into something much, much worse than a paint bomb.
Update on the Bakers' marriage
It’s not going well.
The whole scene quickly devolves into an argument, the same one they’ve been having since season one.
We also learn that he’s seeing someone else, but isn’t living with her yet.
Where does Zach stand?
But it’s clear that Zach is feeling conflicted about his group of friends.
Another Polaroid
So, this one is a lot more disturbing and incriminating.
It shows Bryce raping an unconscious girl at a party.
Alex gets the tapes
Clay finally giving Alex the tapes is an interesting development.
He even gives Skye as an example of what happens when he stops protecting people from the truth.
She dismisses Lainie’s attempts to talk to her about the motivations of teenagers and leaves the room.
What will she do with it?
I’m excited to find out.
All of the flashbacks with Hannah are great, and they add a lot to her story.
Episode Grade: B-
Episode 5: The Chalk Machine
1.
Tyler lies, saying that Cyrus simply wanted to try out his BB gun.
Even if his behavior doesn’t worry her, it really should.
3.Ryan can’t separate the art from the artist…
… but hecanseparate himself from the case.
Why would a girl who swore off Justin write such doting poems about him?
At that, Ryan flashes back to his time spent with Hannah crafting her poems.
months after their fallout.
He’s hot, you know?
Even Ryan can’t deny that.
But of course, he can’t fully explain why Hannah stayed in contact with Justin.
(As we see, Justin reallydidjust show up to see her, as she said he did.)
This incident, to the best of my memory, wasn’t shown in season 1.
Could Tony’s fight have something to do with the threats?
(Ugh, like father, like son.)
Chloe explains that they came from cheerleading, which is very likely, but Bryce’s mother looks concerned.
She probably has her own suspicions of how violent her son can be…
6.Justin takes a shower
Hooray!
He’s just about clean!
(Going to States matters alotto the baseball coach.)
Ghost Hannah, rightly, shrugs sadly at him.
“We don’t choose who we fall for,” she says.
And he of all people knows that to be true.
But Justin’s done waiting; later that night, when Clay’s asleep, he sneaks out.
13.Ryan understands
Sort of.
Shirley Li
Episode 6: The Smile at the End of the Dock
1.
Hannah and…Zach?!
Does it drag the story a little bit?
But did I feel for Zach by the end?
Absolutelythough I’m sure your mileage may vary.
After all, Zach struggles to explain what happened.
That relationship eventually turned sexual, as Hannah felt comfortable enough to ask Zach to take her virginity.
Sheri puts the pieces together.
Andy versus Olivia
The Bakers are cracking under the pressure of the trial and their own impending divorce.
Bryce torments Zach
He just can’t help himself.
Could he have used that relationship to his advantage in other situations, say, with Bryce and Company?
I’ve got a bad feeling about the coachanyone else?
Tyler grins gleefully and suggests they use the video against Marcus.
He’s just happy his dick works.
Who was the intruder, and what did they take?
After all, they’ve all learned new things about Hannah that they’d perhaps rather forget.
Jessica tells her story
Not on the stand, but in group therapy.
Nina later wonders if Jess wants to talk about Bryce openly because it’s her story to tell.
Hannah’s no slut, Justin says, but Clay’s a “dumbass” for thinking it.
Let that sink in, Clayand good for you, Justin.
Neither of them told each other how they feltand that just made everything worse.
Episode grade: B
Episode 7: The Third Polaroid
1.
To infinity and beyond
Clay and Hannah are tripping.
It’s an inventive, cool way of opening an episode.
I’m on board.
Clay’s turn
As we learned from the last episode, it’s time for Clay to testify.
Someone’s written the words “HANNAH LIED” across the pages, and Clay’s unnerved.
Things only get worse from there.
Clay tells the truth: He is.
(How do they know about that night?
And let loose he does.
Jeff notices Clay and Hannah touching hands, and so he leaves.
The room eventually empties until Hannah and Clay are left alone, talking about love and infinity and destiny.
It riles Alex up, and as Bryce walks away, he loses it.
“Why would you do that?”
Needless to say, it puts a real damper on Alex’s festivities.
Alex has a breakthrough
Still, at least some good came from a disastrous party.
(He even causes his mother to cry!)
Jess, just as angry, yells at him for what he’s doing.
She points out that everyone there loves him, and that what he did was selfish.
At that, Alex finally stops ranting, and tries to apologize.
Tony’s still keeping secrets
It’s what he does best.
This time, he wants to target Zach.
Marcus gets blackmailed
By Tyler and Cyrus, who have the clip of him in the clubhouse.
Tyler and Cyrus are pissed, and Tyler insists that they do something bigger.
Again: Uh oh.
There, Olivia breaks down, and Andy comforts her.
The two start kissing and decide to get dinner together.
“I see,” Olivia responds coldly.
“I don’t let what happened to me define me,” Nina explains.
Is that what Jess wants to do, too?
A new Polaroid
When Clay leaves Alex’s party, he spies a third Polaroid on his windshield.
This time, the back is labeled “The Clubhouse.”
“What’s the point of anything?”
Hannah asks the group.
Like, ‘I just want to die?'”
Out of everyone, Clay hears her, and they make eye contact, but Clay does nothing.
He thinks it’s just the drugs, but now, he regrets his reaction more than ever.
The flashbacks felt organic, as did Jess and Alex’s arcs.
And besides: It’s never a bad choice to bring Jeff Atkins back.
Episode Grade: B+
Episode 8: The Little Girl
1.
When Chloe overhears girls talking about what her boyfriend said on said tape, she’s noticeably upset.
Maybe there’s hope she’ll see the light after all, but probably not right now.
In short, she’s good for Tyler who desperately needs someone to feel close to.
Tyler gets carried away and celebrates his upcoming date by shooting a crow.
He’s very interested in the fact it was just alive and now it’s not.
Justin is unfazed and ready to go ahead with the court appearance.
Hannah’s dad had an affair when she was still alive
And she knew about it.
He tries to explain it to her by saying he loves her mother but marriage is complicated.
Hannah feels patronized and tells him he must end it and tell her mom or she will.
Bryce wants to make a statement
But his parents say it’s not the time.
Zach has had enough
He doesn’t even hang around for the opening of the new field.
His mom is naive and wants Zach to stand by his friend Bryce, but he’s over it.
He grabs his sister and gets out of there.
Someone is blackmailing Marcus
That someone is Tyler and Goth kid Cyrus.
When Bryce catches up to Marcus later, he threatens him telling him he’s made a big mistake.
Skye is doing much better
The mental health facility has really worked for her.
She hasn’t had phone privileges until recently so wasn’t receiving Clay’s calls/messages.
Skye is diagnosed as bipolar and is responding well to the medication they have her on for now.
She’ll always love him.
Listen up, Clay.
Then Justin starts choking on his own vomit and Alex struggles to roll him over because of his injuries.
Alex is madder with Clay about the tapes than Justin for OD-ing.
He asks for their help.
Tony gets sketchy and makes a quick exit when Lucas seems to recognize him…
13.
Clay’s parents fight
And it’s enough to drive Justin out of their house.
Ruth Kinane
Grade: B
Episode 9: The Missing Page
1.
He takes to the stand in this episode for a heartbreaking interrogation.
He knows he could’ve stopped her from walking out the door.
He knows he let her go.
It wasn’t her fault.
They need to get her some help.
It isn’t too late.
Mr. Porter breaks down in tears in the stand.
He thinks protocol needs to change, but more importantly he needs to change.
He didn’t mean to let Hannah down and he’s truly sorry.
The school won’t like it, but he has some peace at least.
Clay, probably inspired by Skye’s leaving, wants to move to a new town and start over.
He doesn’t want to go to Liberty anymore.
Mrs. Walker doesn’t know what to believe
The Walkers have gathered for Sunday brunch at their home.
Chloe is invited but doesn’t show up.
When Bryce goes out to call her, his mom expresses doubts about her son’s innocence.
Chloe kind of buys it, for now.
His invitation to spend the summer in Italy with his family helps.
When Zach approaches her later, she tells him she believes Bryce and that he has a good heart.
He and Caleb get into a physical fight but end up making up and making out.
He leaves Mackenzie at the theater, saying he has a family emergency…
7.
He tells her he’s getting out of there and that she should too.
Mrs. Bradley takes to the stand
She doesn’t think she did anything wrong.
In a conversation between Principal Bolan and Clay, the show seems to point to this very criticism.
“Kids get talking about Hannah, maybe even admiring what she did.
Clay gets the s kicked out of him and makes a big discovery
Yes, again.
In the locker room, some guys throw a bag over his head and kick him repeatedly.
They burn the word “rapists” into the grass and graffiti the surroundings.
He texts Justin, who’s on his way out of town, ‘I need you.
She winds up making out with one of her guy friends but freezes up mid-kiss.
Her dad sees her and is not impressed.
He’s worried about Nina not being a good influence.
(He’s black.)
They both agree not to tell her mom about it.
Guess, we’ll find out more about that next episode.
GRADE: A-
Episode 10: Smile, Bitches
1.
Hannah encourages Tony to ask him out and so he does.
Yes, the same guy Tony has been avoiding at the boxing gym recently.
She hides him in the back when the cops come looking for him.
Tony fails to mention the note’s existence in court.
Clay’s angry all the time
He has been since Hannah’s death and can’t tell anyone.
He tries to kiss the ghost but can’t.
Turns out Hannah and her former friends at her previous high school bullied Sarah at Ridgeview High.
Sarah later dropped out of school.
The defense lawyer is practically gleeful about this revelation, painting Hannah as troubled and cruel.
Clay and Justin have a plan to get into the clubhouse
But Sheri has a better plan.
When she tells Justin and Clay about it, they make a plan to steal it.
Mr. Porter’s job is under review
Principal Bolan is not pleased with the guidance counselor’s testimony.
Porter tells Justin he can help him graduate on time and wants to know what his long-term plan is.
He tells Justin things are going to be hard, and he has to let people help him.
Nina isn’t pleased about being called out and accuses Jess of still being in love with Justin.
Jessica does not deny it.
Someone puts a bullet in Alex’s locker
BECAUSE THESE KIDS ARE TERRIBLE.
Meanwhile, Clay and Justin are rummaging through the clubhouse when Zach barges in.
But fear not, he’s here to help.
Turns out it was Zach leaving the photos in Clay’s locker all along.
He was just too much of a coward to talk to him about it directly.
Jackie leaves Mrs. Baker
With a note, Mrs. Baker’s emotional support is gone.
It seems the story about Hannah being a bully in her old school was too much for her.
They’ve not seen each other since the disastrous date.
Cyrus overhears and yells at Tyler that no one talks to his sister like that and to get out.
Poor lonely Tyler can’t catch a break.
Tyler is inundated with texts from people looking to hook up.
We suspect it’s the same troublemakers targeting everyone else.
We’ll see how that pans out next episode.
GRADE: B+
Episode 11: Bryce and Chloe
1.
They have a pleasant back-and-forth that includes a concussion joke (don’t tell Will Smith).
Then, as she leaves, Bryce says in voiceover that she pursued him.
“Can’t he just be those things?”
Fair question, but probably too late for that.
He says it never became more than that because Hannah wasn’t girlfriend material.
“I wanted to be with him forever,” Ghost Hannah whispers in his ear.
“I was in love with him.”
First, Jess shares Nina’s clubhouse photo with her, and then does the same with Chloe.
“Why would he do this?”
she asks upon seeing the photos of Bryce having sex with her as she lay unconscious.
But, these new photos have her ready to switch sides and testify for the Bakers.
Zach’s transition is complete
Welcome to the non-jock side, Zach.
I don’t know your name, Mr.
Jerk Baseball Coach, but you sir, are no Coach Taylor.
(To be fair, who can be?).
Heck, even Mr. Porter and the coach go at it after initially attempting to break things up.
One person who didn’t throw any punches is Scottie, who we often see accompanying Bryce.
“I play baseball, that doesn’t make me a fing rapist,” he declares to Clay.
“We are fed,” opines Clay.
Chloe doesn’t stick to the script
Maybe not!
Okay Clay, you were right.
Guns for everyone
A disappointing day in court has left Clay a mess (again).
Tyler attempts to comfort him, offering to show him what real power feels like.
They go shooting in the woods and they’re both way too into it.
It gets even worse as Tyler suggests putting a name to the targets.
Clay doesn’t, but Hannah does, whispering Bryce’s name as he pulls the trigger.
When the approaching sirens break up the pal around, they split up, with Clay keeping the gun.
This jogs Alex’s memory of playing a shooting video game with Monty as Bryce raped Hannah nearby.
He tells a dark and graphic account, admitting to raping her.
“Is that what you want to hear?”
he says, prompting his mom to slap him.
“She won’t stop,” cries Clay, pointing the gun at his own head.
At this moment, Bryce walks out, sharing the appropriate reaction: “What the f?”
Derek Lawrence
Episode 12: The Box of Polaroids
1.
“I’ve got nothing left to lose,” Justin tells his former friend.
“And that makes me the dangerous one.”
He will definitely be a very dangerous witness as he’s officially set to take the stand.
But don’t worry Zach, because Alex knows who has been messing with them.
Awwww, look at these adorable new BFFs.
Okay, I’m officially all in on Justin.
It started well with Justin’s sweet story of his one innocent night spent at Hannah’s.
He deserves to be in trouble since he narc’d on himself by sharing photos of it on Facebook.
Principal Bolan is referring Tyler to a diversionary program and, upon completion, he’ll be welcomed back.
- Who the hell is Monty?
We finally know who was threatening everyone!
It was Monty!!
Goodbye, Mr. Porter
Speaking of going away, Mr. Porter is officially out at Liberty.
Porter tells the principal that he’ll take the blame this time, but what about the next time?
And whose picture do we see at the top of the stack?
He thinks that trust is well-earned, declaring, “I’m a good person.”
“We stand by you,” says Clay.
“We believe you.”
Like Hannah, he insists that Jess’ story deserves to be told.
No, it definitely needs to change.
Despite the outcome, Olivia delivers a powerful speech afterward.
“My daughter wasn’t the perfect victim… there’s no such thing,” she says.
“I don’t know a single woman who hasn’t faced sexual assault, abuse, or worst.
My daughter didn’t, and that’s not her fault.”
On a show dominated by teenagers, Kate Walsh has delivered as good a performance as anyone this season.
Tough ruling, but at least Bryce is going to pay!
There is good news for Olivia and Jess: Bryce is arrested.
“You’re making a big fing mistake,” he tells Jess as he does the perp walk.
Happy ending, right?
Oh wait, Justin too.
Justin is also arrested, charged with being an accessory.
He’s much nicer to Jess, saying that it’s okay.
Jess is crying and asks Olivia what they’re going to do.
“We keep fighting,” declares Olivia, who embraces her daughter’s former BFF.
Episode 13: Bye
1.
She closes by imploring the judge to prove that their stories matter too.
Another disappointing verdict
And we’re officially two-for-two in bad rulings.
Clay’s mom, who now works with Dennis, rightfully flips out.
But they’ll actually see each other even sooner as Bryce is accompanying Chloe to the dance.
“Loyalty,” Bryce says.
“It’s a thing, huh?”
Also making their big return to Liberty is Tyler, who seems to be doing really well.
He’s got a new haircut and a new attitude.
After seeing the new guidance counselor (Dr. Neela!
), Tyler tracks down Mackenzie and asks her to the dance.
Unfortunately, she’s dating a guy named Eric.
There’s always an Eric.
On the day of the service, Andy and Olivia speak before giving way to Clay.
She then gets up and walks into the light at the back of the church.
Goodbye forever, Hannah Baker?
But before Olivia leaves, she has something important to show Clay: Hannah’s Reasons Why.
Olivia found the list of reasons to stay alive on her daughter’s computer.
“She came up just short,” notes Olivia.
“But she left so many out, you know that, don’t you?
No matter how many reasons there might be why, there are always more why not.”
They share a warm embrace.
Justin and Nina’s secrets
Life should be good for Justin.
Also harboring a secret, albeit not as dark, is Nina.
She’s the one who stole the clubhouse pictures, subsequently burning them all.
- Who doesn’t love a classic Hollywood high school dance?
The trials and lawsuits and everything are over, so it’s time to dance your problems away.
What a close group of unlikely friends they have all become.
It turns out, she’s pregnant with Bryce’s child.
Tyler’s breaking point
Tyler tried; he really did.
As his classmates enjoy the dance and each other, Tyler looks to be preparing for war.
With a large collection of guns in tow, the troubled teenager heads for the school.
But before he arrives, he gives Mackenzie a heads up, hoping she’ll leave.
Instead, she shares the info with Clay who decides that he will venture to talk Tyler down.
After instructing the others to lock the doors and start inside, Clay meets a fully armed Tyler outside.
“I hurt too,” admits Clay.
Tyler gets spooked when Jess and Justin make an appearance, soon followed by sirens.
We’ll figure this out.”
Clay is eventually successful, helping Tyler lower the gun just as Tony pulls up.
Tyler gets in and Tony speeds off.
One problem, for some reason, Clay kept Tyler’s huge assault rifle.
Yes, yes it is.
Well, great question, J.
