Season Analysis

13 Reasons Why

Season 4 Analysis

Season Woke Score

out of 10

Season Overview

As graduation approaches, Clay and his friends face agonizing choices when secrets from their past threaten their future.

Season Review

Season 4 concludes the series by shifting focus almost entirely to the internal psychological toll of the characters' secrets while continuing to champion a progressive social agenda. The central narrative is a psychological thriller focused on Clay Jensen's deteriorating mental health as he struggles to maintain the group's cover-up for a murder. This individual psychological chaos is set against a backdrop of institutional corruption, where the local police and school administration are portrayed as oppressive and untrustworthy, justifying the student's extreme actions. The show heavily leans into intersectional identity by saturating the main cast with LGBTQ+ characters and elevating a radical, anti-patriarchy female activist to a position of moral and academic success. While traditional 'woke' tropes are abundant and intense, the show maintains enough traditional thriller elements—paranoia, secrets, and a sense of impending doom—to function as a dramatic narrative alongside its political messaging. The show's primary message is one of institutional distrust, the subjective nature of morality, and the celebration of marginalized identities over traditional structures. A strong focus on police antagonism and a celebratory conclusion for characters who covered up a murder and incited riots solidifies its position as a highly 'woke' piece of media.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics9/10

The narrative frames the local institutions, especially the policing system, as corrupt and willing to obfuscate justice to protect its own, which validates the students' decision to cover up a murder. The season features storylines directly addressing racism, protests, and the policing system. The female lead is rewarded with a college acceptance after writing an essay that mentions 'causing riots' and other disruptive anti-authority actions. The plot exists in large part to reinforce a narrative of systemic injustice that the central, diverse friend group must navigate and ultimately overcome by protecting their own secrets.

Oikophobia8/10

The institutions of Western civilization, specifically the local high school and the police, are portrayed as fundamentally oppressive and hostile toward the students. The school installs extreme, intrusive security measures like GPS tracking and electronic message hacking, turning it into a carceral state. The police are shown actively helping to cover up a murder, subverting justice and establishing law enforcement as an antagonistic force. The show champions a school walkout and student riots as empowering acts against this oppressive authority.

Feminism9/10

The female characters, particularly Jessica, are positioned as strong, morally superior leaders who head up a feminist group named H.O. (Hands Off) and are actively engaged in 'smashing the patriarchy.' The male lead, Clay Jensen, is depicted as severely mentally ill, having disassociative states, paranoia, and being unable to control himself, contrasting starkly with the competent female lead. A major scene involves a character being cheered for proclaiming 'FUCK THE PATRIARCHY!!!' The focus is on female empowerment through activism and the emasculation of the primary male protagonist.

LGBTQ+9/10

Alternative sexual identity is a central, major plot point for multiple characters, notably Alex Standall's journey of self-acceptance and his relationship with Charlie. The season culminates in Alex and Charlie being crowned Prom Kings, with the former jocks cheering them on, positioning alternative sexuality as the celebrated new norm. The cast is heavily saturated with LGBTQ+ characters, including Tony, Courtney, Ryan, Caleb, Winston, and Alex, with commentary noting that the number of same-sex relationships and interests is higher than the straight ones.

Anti-Theism7/10

Moral reality is consistently portrayed as subjective and malleable, dictated by group loyalty and situational ethics. Characters who committed or covered up murder and incited a riot face zero legal or moral repercussions, and in fact achieve prestigious success. The show's core moral framework revolves around the secular pursuit of mental health through therapy, suggesting that an objective, transcendent moral law is irrelevant to the characters' well-being and success. Traditional religion has a minimal presence, appearing only as a pastor at a funeral, immediately deferring to the psychological drama of the main characters.