MovieChat Forums > 13 Reasons Why (2017) Discussion > Was Alex miscast or us there more to the...

Was Alex miscast or us there more to the character

posted 7 years ago by Eddym123 (156)
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When I was watching this show and immediately when they introduced Alex i immediately thought he batted for the other team. When it was revealed that he was dating Jessica, I was totally thrown and thought I missed something. There were several references that alluded to me assuming such, but was it intentionally in the story.I It went beyond stereotype as I didn't buy his relationship with Jessica. It felt so forced and his pleading with her at the dance was cringe-worthy.

Also, I did not buy him hanging out with zach, bryce and the other jocks. I know darn well that he would have been picked on soley because of his appearance. But they pegged Clay as gay and not Alex? Was this an aspect added on purpose or was it the actor? I theorized that the list was something he did in an effort to appear straight.

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[–] winslow (1318) 7 years ago

He was a misfit in general, the reason the jocks were hanging out with him was because he attracted Jessica and they didn't understand why (I think it is episode 3 where this is revealed). Probably the reason he got Jessica- she was a new girl and didn't know many people, and she and Alex spent a lot of time talking outside of the school environment.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

But, wasn't there a point before they dated that he left the trio for the jock friends and then at some point Jessica and Alex started dating? I always had the impression that there was a time he was independant of both Jessica and Hannah after leaving the trio.

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[–] Sentient Meat (1509) 7 years ago

I agree Alex seemed pretty gay... perhaps the actor is... but I'd also say these days kids are a lot more fluid about their sexuality so I had no big problem buying him as straight or bi. If anything the Courtney plotline made no sense... I guess there are self hating people of different minority groups so there could be self hating kids from gay parents too... but that was more of a reach to me than Alex and Jessica hooking up.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

I would say he was distractingly gay as everytime he come on screen he reminded me. I also surmised it was the actor, but then again the people who picked him should have seen the incongruity of his character. Courtney, i can see it as if she is embarrassed or not wanting to have to face the crap her parents did. They are in a small town so i do not see a large acceptance. Also, she seemed so perfectionist and obsessed with her persona that she likely viewed it as an imperfection. Yes, her dads are gay but she didn't have to wholeheartedly accept it from them or herself. Lesbianism didn't fuse well with the persona she was trying to cultivate.idk perhaps I am wrong.

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[–] Sentient Meat (1509) 7 years ago

Yeah that explanation makes sense about Courtney... but I was just saying that between the two... that story seemed more far fetched than Alex. Also Alex's father if I remember correctly was one of those ultra military Chris Cooper in American Beauty type dads... so his femininity might have been a revolt against his father's whole vibe.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

Yeah true, oddly I found his father was not as bad as he led us to believe.

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[–] winslow (1318) 7 years ago

That's where the list comes in. He left the trio and they split up a bit after that. Those circumstances are a bit unclear, because Hannah's version doesn't match Jessica's version. But without Jessica, he needed to do something to stay in the group, so he said he broke up with Jessica because she wouldn't have sex with him. Then he made the list. It's all dumb high school drama, but the real Alex could see above that and knew those guys weren't worth it, which is why he felt so guilty over it, especially after learning how it affected Hannah.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

I keep seeing the lists but never bothered to look lest it throws a wrench into how i perceived everything.. Im set in my ways.jk

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[–] winslow (1318) 7 years ago

it ranked girls by their features, like one girl was ranked "Best Lips". She seemed to be proud of it, then one day she just disappeared and the word on the street was that her parents transferred her to a girls' Catholic school. "Best Ass" was Hannah and "Worst Ass" was Jessica. Alex said he did that to get back at Jessica.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

I misread your last post. I thought that you were talking about a timeline list that is out there.

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[–] Kewl_Kat (226) 7 years ago

If Alex decides to transition is season 2, I will support his decision.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

Lol, it would not be shocking.

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[–] JR-TV (102) 7 years ago

I agree. I always thought Alex was a closet gay. I had no idea that Tony was until the makers of the show threw it in our faces. I really don't understand this. Nothing in his character made me think he was gay. It had nothing to do with the plot. I really think they were just trying to make a political statement that there can be "good" gay people after having multiple gay characters that are very bad people (Ryan & Courtney). All in all just too many gay characters in this show. Also, too many interracial relationships. Both are just too unrealistic. That is not real life. Less than ten percent of the population engages in one of these two things and yet nearly half of the characters in this show do.

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[–] Eddym123 (156) 7 years ago

You are absolutely right, it was pointless that Tony was gay. It added absolutely nothing to the show or his character.Alex on the other hand, I don't know what they were trying to do. I was confident he was closeted. When they showed him with Jessica, it was very awkward to see and very unconvincing. It would only make sense for him to have been gay and it the reason for writing the list could have been a result of him attempting to cover himself and to keep his jock friends. That would have made more sense than him writing it to make Jessica angry.It also could have been the point of contention between him and his dad. He was making comments that alluded to it yet his father seemed to be a decent father and nothing like we are made to believe. It would have made his suicidal behavior make more sense. I am more than positive that the actor is and it was brought into the character. Its like someone casting Samual l Jackson as a Chinese person.

Also, it would have made more sense than Courtney being closeted. If they had given her straight parents and kept everything else about the character it would have made sense. Courtney would be straight, however she and Hannah got drunk and kissed. She has the same reaction because she does not want her reputation destroyed and does not want her parents to know she got drunk and kissed another girl. She would freak out in the same way and she would have made up the same rumor about Hannah. That would make sense as nothing about her even suggested lesbianism aside from her saying it.

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[–] Area Man (34) 7 years ago

There are two black girls, both dating white dudes. That's two relationships out of what, eight, nine, ten? Not nearly half. Besides, the dating pool seems to be predominately white so the two black girls date from that pool. Nothing wrong with dating out of your race. I don't know where you live, but its more common than you think.

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[–] JR-TV (102) 7 years ago

It's really not that common in real life.
On the show however the following happens throughout the show:
Hannah (white) dates Marcus (Black)
Clay (White) dates Sheri (Black)
Alex (White) dates Jessica (Black)
Justin (White) dates Jessica (Black)
Mr. Davis (Black) is married to Mrs. Davies (White)

That's quite a few interracial relationships. There's probably even more than that. But that all I can think of right off. It seems like shows do that a lot. It's like they want to tell the audience that these white characters are not racist because they will date black characters.

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[–] Area Man (34) 7 years ago

Like I said, I don't know where you live, but its common, ie not unusual like it was in the 70s, to see interracial couples. It could be more common in their circle of friends because of the 7 people, three are black. Regardless, who cares. Does it hurt anyone?

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[–] vicky_lc2001 (1907) 6 years ago

I figured him to be gay too, them finally someone who was in the closet still.

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[–] Thunderbird (8) 6 years ago

After what happened in season 2 they may be alluding to his possible homosexual tendencies. They can easily duck out of Alex being in love with Jessica in a romantic sense and have him just have been scared to admit he was gay to himself and the world which confused him into thinking he was romantically in love with Jessica and sexually attracted to her. I'd honestly love to see that be a secret between him and Jessica after the ending of season 2. It wouldn't make me dislike her as much then.

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