Netflix uses '13 Reasons Why' meme to troll Hulu

The Wrap
April 27, 2017 at 2:54AM

Netflix responded to a trolling tweet from Hulu on Monday with a pointed "13 Reasons Why" reference.

On Friday, Hulu shared a promo touting the streaming service's exclusive content in a tweet taking a shot at one of its biggest competitors. "Streaming only on Hulu. Not on Netflix," the tweet read.

After taking the weekend to sleep on it, Netflix apparently couldn't let the insult stand and responded on Monday afternoon with a tweet of its own. "Welcome to your tape," the Netflix account wrote, linking to Hulu's tweet.

The tweet is a reference to the popular Netflix series "13 Reasons Why," in which a teenage girl commits suicide after recording 13 cassette tapes explaining why her classmates are responsible for her death. On the recordings, Hannah Baker greets each person with the same phrase.

"Welcome to your tape" has been turned into a meme by fans of the show, used on social media to express outrage and despair in response to minor slights. Some have criticized the meme for making light of teen suicide, essentially mocking the character for overreacting.

Though Netflix's tweet is positioned as a sassy response, it reads more like a cry for help given that Hannah only says the words after she's decided to kill herself. Is Netflix so upset about Hulu's bullying that it's threatening to shut down?

Read the tweets below and decide for yourself:

Streaming only on Hulu. Not on Netflix. Try your free trial today! https://t.co/zSLJeqPY6e pic.twitter.com/4Edc7TqoaQ

— hulu (@hulu) April 14, 2017

Welcome to your tape https://t.co/juAMcd0jjU

— Netflix US (@netflix) April 18, 2017

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