Teen Drama '13 Reasons Why' Takes Over Martinez Streets

MARTINEZ (KPIX 5) – Some streets in Martinez were shut down Wednesday as crews filmed scenes from the second season of the Netflix teen drama "13 Reasons Why."

It wasn't too much of a stretch for Martinez to play the part of small-town America Wednesday morning.  A production crew for "13 Reasons Why" took over a block of downtown, filling it with equipment, technicians and lots of background extras.

"There's so many people involved for every little aspect, you know?" said curious local resident Jessica Robinson, who came down to watch the filming. "It's fascinating to see how much it takes."

The filming was for Season 2 for the controversial series that features a teenage girl who commits suicide and leaves behind tapes to shame those who tormented her.

Some have criticized the dark story, saying it could lead to real-life suicides. But among spectators, the feelings were mixed.

"I think it really is the most realistic portrayal of high school today," said Linda Childers, a fan of the show. "I mean, the issues that kids are dealing with."

Cassidy Woodworth, another fan of the show, agreed with some hesitation.

"I kinda go back and forth, because I think it has some really important themes," said Woodworth. "And just maybe the way they went about it sometimes could be a little bit triggering."

No one from Paramount, the production company behind the show, would talk on camera Wednesday. Some crew members even made a half-hearted attempt to block KPIX 5 cameras from capturing the filming

Wednesday's scene involved a staged protest on the steps of Martinez's stately old courthouse building, complete with traffic, pedestrians and fake news reporters.

Woodworth thought it was cool, even if things moved pretty slowly.

"I thought there'd be more action," said Woodworth.

Additional location filming occurs in Vallejo as well, but for Martinez, this week's shoot is just one of nine planned throughout the year.