Netflix CEO Responds To ’13 Reasons Why’ Controversy Saying “Nobody Has To Watch It”

**Spoilers ahead for season 2 of “13 Reasons Why”**

Normally, when Netflix announces a new season of one of their TV series, no one bats an eye. Nowadays, it seems like the streaming service has a new season of some show premiering every week. However, when they announced a new season of the controversial TV series “13 Reasons Why” yesterday, there was a strong contingent of viewers who begged Netflix to just outright cancel the teen drama.

For those that aren’t aware of the subject matter in “13 Reasons Why,” the series follows a group of high school students as they deal with the impact of the suicide of one of their fellow students. As if that wasn’t enough to be controversial, the series has used sexual assault and the threat of a school shooting to further the drama. Needless to say, there’s a lot of content in the series that some people might find objectionable.

READ MORE: Bingeworthy Breakdown: ’13 Reasons Why’ Season 2 Is Frustrating At Times But Ultimately Worthwhile

The advocacy group, Parents Television Council, has been one of the leading voices asking Netflix to cancel the series. And when it was announced that ’13 Reasons’ would return for its third season in 2019, the PTC didn’t hold back from voicing their disapproval.

“We condemn Netflix for renewing its teen-targeted suicide drama ‘13 Reasons Why.’ The company already potentially has the blood of children on their hands from keeping this series – with its graphic suicide scene, its sodomization of a teen boy and a potential school shooting, among other adult content – on its platform for children to view,” PTC president Tim Winter said in a statement (via Deadline).

Of course, just because the PTC and people on social media are opposed to the show, ’13 Reasons’ continues to be one of the more popular series on the streaming service. That means that no matter what people think about the content, Netflix sees the series as a money-maker. And after the outcry of people asking Netflix to not renew the series, the streaming giant responded.

In a conference call to investors, CEO Reed Hastings said, “’13 Reasons Why’ has been enormously popular and successful. It’s engaging content. It is controversial. But nobody has to watch it.”

We’ll have to see if this latest controversy affects the show when season 3 of “13 Reasons Why” premieres in 2019.