13 Reasons Why

Original story with original characters; nothing swapped from established source.

No flawless girlboss archetype or messaging that diminishes men; the cast of teens is flawed across genders.

Features named LGBTQ+ supporting characters and storylines, including gay and bisexual teens, woven into the ensemble.

• Tony is an openly gay character
• Courtney struggles with hiding her sexuality
• Later seasons explore Alex's sexuality and other queer relationships

Diverse contemporary high-school ensemble that fits a modern American school setting plausibly.

• Multiethnic student body reflecting a typical present-day high school

The show is heavily issue-driven, frequently pausing to address suicide, sexual assault, and bullying, and added explicit content warnings/PSAs.

• Episodes structured around 'reasons' as cautionary lessons
• Cast-delivered warning segments and resource messaging appended to the show
• Storylines centered on consent and the aftermath of assault

Depicts toxic male behavior (assault, entitlement) critically, though framed as individual antagonists rather than a sweeping anti-masculinity thesis.

• Bryce written as a serial predator embodying privileged male aggression
• Jock culture portrayed as enabling abuse

Adapted from a novel; expansions and changes are creative/plot choices, not identity-driven rewrites of established characters.

• Series expands well beyond the single-book plot into multiple seasons