Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for seasons one and two of “13 Reasons Why.” The review will also briefly talk about many of the triggering topics discussed in the series such as suicide, gun violence and rape.

Taking a dramatic shift from the story of the suicide of Hannah Baker, played by Katherine Langford, “13 Reasons Why” becomes a murder mystery focusing on the death of former classmate and rapist Bryce Walker, played by Justin Prentice.

After the events of season two, Bryce Walker is forced to move schools and Clay, played by Dylan Minnette, stops Tyler, played by Devin Druid, from shooting up a school dance. Just when things were looking up for the main characters, Bryce is declared missing and later dead. This puts all of the characters, most specifically Clay, under the suspicion of both local authorities and Bryce’s grieving mother, played by Brenda Strong. It is up to Clay, along with the help of his new friend Ani, played by Grace Saif, to discover Bryce’s true killer.

To start off, this season does many things right. Moving away from the suicide storyline was probably the best move the show could’ve made. Previous seasons were seen as exploiting and triggering the survivors of rape and suicide. So, changing it to a murder story, though cliche, was a great decision. What sets this mystery apart from others is the victim itself. Bryce is probably one of the most hated characters on the show, both on the show and in real life. Every character has some motive to kill Bryce so trying to figure out who could’ve done it adds a lot to what could’ve been predictable.

Another great aspect of this season is the performances. Almost every actor works their hardest to provide very real and convincing emotions that their characters are going through. The major standouts of this season are Minnette, Druid and Prentice. Minnette’s take on Clay this season provides the viewer with a new way of looking at him. With Hannah completely off his mind, he transitions into being the protector of all of his friends though it comes at the cost of making himself look guilty a lot. He is also shown to have a very jealous and almost controlling side of himself only slightly hinted at in previous seasons. Druid provides one of the most heart-wrenching performances of the entire cast. Tyler has gone through a lot the past seasons. From being bullied relentlessly to being sexually assaulted with a broom handle, he has been pushed to his absolute limit. To protect him, each of the characters take watch over him and spend time helping him. Through this, we see Tyler grow as a character and begin to open up to others.

Finally, there is Justin Prentice’s performance of Bryce. In season three, we spend more time with Bryce than ever before. It provides a deeply-complex look at the character. On one hand, he actively wants to change for the better and move past his mistakes. On the other hand, his destructive behavior still shines through questioning if he could ever truly change. This provides the biggest dilemma for both the characters and the viewers: Can Bryce change? Though he obviously won’t due to being dead, the show asks everyone to question whether a person can change for the better after literally destroying so many lives.

Though there are many things I like about this season, it is not without its flaws. One of the major ones being the character of Ani. Through the first five or six episodes, I actually liked Ani’s character. She, as the series’ new narrator, provides a different look on characters we have grown to care for. She starts going to Liberty after Tyler’s almost shooting and also has a connection with Bryce due to her mother being the nurse of his grandfather. However, a revelation shown in episode seven completely changed my views of the character. After that episode, everything she does seems hypocritical. She demands her classmates to start telling the truth. However, at the same time, she lies to both her supposed friends and her mother. The secret she holds, in fact, would not only change the dynamic of her friendships but more than likely destroy them.

Another fault of the show is the ridiculousness of the plot. If you are a fan of shows like “Riverdale,” this season starts to reach those levels of insanity. Though things that happen in the show are not completely unrealistic, events like high school students hiring prostitutes border on the line of believability.

All in all, “13 Reasons Why: Season Three” is a very good and entertaining show. It provides enough drama, mystery and great performances for any viewer. Though, it also does become unbelievable at points with some unlikable characters.

Rating: 8 out of 10