Shuvrajit Das Biswas
’13 Reasons Why’ Season 3 Episode 10 brings us to the final stretch of the season. As is habitual for whodunnits, the episode throws us a curveball that we have to deal with. Hannah’s mother is back in town and seems to have the motive and opportunity to kill Bryce.
Meanwhile, the cops keep focusing on Clay who looks to be a prime suspect in Bryce’s death. Unfortunately for our purported hero, he does not have a strong enough alibi for the night of Bryce’s death. That being said, Episode 10 is also one of the most significant episodes in all the three seasons because Bryce finally listens to Hannah’s tapes, indirectly taking responsibility for his actions. However, the plot becomes murkier as there are inklings that Tony might have had something to do with Bryce’s death as well. Titled, “The World Closing In”, the episode explores how Bryce’s case seems to be drawing to a close with the law enforcement agents focusing on the most likely suspect.
13 Reasons Why Season 3 Episode 10 Recap:
Episode 10 of ’13 Reasons Why’ turns all eyes to Hannah’s mother, Olivia, who was in town during Bryce’s death. She has to go down to the police station to give her statement but ends up accusing the sheriff of dedicating more resources to get justice for a rapist than they did for the victims of the said rapist. Meanwhile, she also seems to have exchanged some incriminating voice calls with Clay.
With Olivia back in town, we must also focus on Tony, who was shown to have a wonderful relationship with her last season. Tony, strangely, lies about not meeting Mrs. Baker though the flashback shows him telling her about his family’s deportation. Meanwhile, Tony’s motive for killing Bryce becomes stronger as Mrs. Baker reveals that the Walker family might be responsible for Tony’s family being deported. He confronts Bryce about it but the latter says he has no clue. However, Bryce comes back with information that his father was responsible for Tony’s family being deported. Obviously, Tony lashes out at Bryce telling him that it is all his fault. If he had not raped Hannah, none of this would have happened. It results in one of the most touching sequences in the show when Bryce finally decides to listen to the tapes.
Upon hearing Hannah’s tapes, he breaks down in tears and wishes he had died instead of her. It really seems as though we are seeing a different Bryce in the third season. He also offers to apologize to Mrs. Baker, which does not go over well. In the present, Clay meets Mrs. Baker and later we are made privy to the voicemail she sent Clay. She threatens to kill Bryce. Naturally, she was drunk and upset at the time, but the timing is unfortunate since she sent the voicemail on the night of the homecoming game. Justin and Clay share a moment after Jessica and Justin patch things up, with the former telling him that she would not give up on him because of his drug problems. However, Clay and Justin’s moment is ruined as the police burst in with a warrant to search the premises and confiscate Clay’s cell phone. Undoubtedly, the next episode will see Clay deal with all the incriminating messages on his phone.
13 Reasons Why Season 3 Episode 10 Review:
Episode 10 is an explosive episode in terms of Bryce owning up to all he did. Perhaps Hannah’s words have gotten through to him and we see a Bryce Walker who genuinely wanted to change. However, it might be too little too late as Mrs. Baker insinuates. The law enforcement agents are squarely focusing on Clay, believing that he is tied up somehow to Bryce’s death, but the list of suspects seems murkier than before. Undoubtedly, the next few episodes will clear it for us.
