Netflix's hit show '13 Reasons Why' is highly controversial, and it's getting a season 2

The Netflix series "13 Reasons Why" follows high-school student Clay Jensen and his late classmate Hannah Baker, who killed herself. She left behind cassette tapes laying out 13 reasons she said she took her own life. Each tape is made for someone who she said was responsible for her suicide in some way. Each episode focuses on one of the tapes.

Netflix released all the episodes of the show on March 31, and this past weekend, Netflix announced that the show would return for season two in 2018.

The show has gotten a lot of attention — not all of it positive. It's now facing major controversy.

Many mental-health experts, concerned parents, and teachers are saying it glorifies suicide and could be a dangerous lesson for teens who could be going through the same things as Hannah.

Here's how the Netflix show "13 Reasons Why" became a hit among teens and why experts are calling it "harmful":

The show is based on the 2007 novel "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher.

It got so popular so fast that it's getting a second season.

The show is about a teenager, Hannah Baker, who kills herself.

Before taking her own life, she leaves audiotapes for people she holds responsible. The tapes are an act of revenge and a partial justification of her fatal act.

The show gained an immediate following on Netflix, especially from teens.

But mental-health specialists have expressed concern that the messages the show sends about suicide are dangerous.

They're saying, along with many others on the internet, that the show delivers an extremely problematic take on suicide.

Kristen Douglas, a spokeswoman for the Australian youth mental-health organization Headspace, told BuzzFeed that while she thought "13 Reasons Why" was "raising a really important issue, it's doing it in a really harmful way."

Source: The Washington Post, Vox

Experts, parents, and teachers have said the show and its premise glorify suicide, failing to put in proper context a character's misguided rationalization for suicide. And since teens have a high rate of suicidal thoughts, many question whether this show should have been made at all.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 14 and the second among people ages 15 to 34. And in 2013, 17% of students in grades nine through 12 seriously considered attempting suicide.

Source: The New York Times

But some disagree, saying "13 Reasons" has "artistic merit."

Some critics admire the show for taking huge risks. Selena Gomez, one of the show's coproducers, told the Associated Press: "

Source: Vox

There's also extremely graphic content in the show involving sexual assault and suicide. The creators of the show call the violent scene depicting Hannah's suicide "necessary."

Source: Vanity Fair

A school in Canada banned all references to the show, and some schools have issued statements warning parents about the material.

Source: New York Times

The National Association of School Psychologists has advised teenagers who have or have previously had suicidal thoughts to avoid "13 Reasons Why."

The group also recommends that any teenager who wants to watch the show should do it with a parent who can make it clear that suicide is not a rational solution to problems.

Actress Shannon Purser (Barb from"Stranger Things") issued a warning that people who've experienced depression, suicidal thoughts, or sexual assault should not watch the show.

It isn't until episode nine that a trigger warning appears on the show to caution viewers about what they'll see.

As of this writing, episodes 12 and 13 are the only others with the same warning.

After getting a storm of criticism, Netflix released this statement on May 1. The streaming service said it would add more trigger warnings to the show.

"While many of our members find the show to be a valuable driver for starting an important conversation with their families, we have also heard concern from those who feel the series should carry additional advisories. Currently, the episodes that carry graphic content are identified as such and the series overall carries a TV-MA rating. Moving forward, we will add an additional viewer warning card before the first episode as an extra precaution for those about to start the series and have also strengthened the messaging and resource language in the existing cards for episodes that contain graphic subject matter, including 13ReasonsWhy.info — a global resource center that provides information about professional organizations that support help around the serious matters addressed in the show."

On Sunday, Netflix confirmed that "13 Reasons Why" would return for a second season in 2018.

According to Deadline, the second season will follow the

Netflix released a teaser to break the news. You can watch it below: