We all have those moments when we hastily binge-watch a show after we check it out on a whim or hear the hype in some crevice of the internet. Despite the fast-pace-large-intake, marathoning TV shows is a great way to fully immerse yourself in the world and realise exactly what works and what doesn't in the plot, characters and universe. So I thought I'd start a new series called "Marathon TV", for intensive overviews of all my thoughts on the show, predictions for any future seasons (and to curb my withdrawal symptoms of not being able to immediately watch the next episode).
The first instalment is The 100 (produced by Jason Rothenberg), a science-fiction teenage drama that takes place in a post-apocalyptic universe. There have been two seasons so far, airing on the CW or E4 in England and can be compared to the extremely popular series Lost mixed with The Hunger Games. The premise itself is intriguing: the earth has currently been unpopulated for nearly 100 years due to a nuclear war where radiation which has left it unsurvivable for human beings. Cue the creation of 'The Ark', a large space station that now houses the remainder of the human race. However, The Ark is beginning to run out of air and rapid action needs to be taken. This leads the Ark's council and governmental system to decide to send down a group of 100 teenage delinquents and criminals, a large enough but expendable population to go back down to earth to assess its conditions and whether the human race can move back there for good. Once The 100 land, all seems well at first. But lingering radiation has had its effects on the ground, and the teenagers are not alone.
In A Nutshell
The 100 is a solid, fast-paced action drama with a good amount of slower, close characterisation and thrilling, emotional action. Although the show deals carefully with important themes such as morality, decision-making, war, group mentality, family and survival, it does take a while before it becomes stripped down and brutal. The earlier episodes are a little over-dramatised and if I dare say "dumbed down" for the teenage audience despite the access and facilities to some complex television. Thankfully, it does pick up quickly and the acting, dialogue, pacing, plot twists and character development improves at a great rate and really makes this a fantastic drama. It has definitely surpassed my initial expectations and has fully surprised me multiple times with some of the brave decisions the producers made. The 100 is definitely making a mark on modern television and has its own unique space, diverging from clichés and templates. Overall, I would recommend it albeit a step down from Lost, a counterpart that cannot really be matched.
Read ahead for more in-depth thoughts on each season and the strengths and weaknesses of the show. Riddled with spoilers though!
Season 1
The Pilot:
So the first episode really catered to all my expectations of what I thought this show was going to be. Admittedly, pilots are always about 40% of what the episodes end up being once confirmed but my thoughts were quite low after getting past the first episode. Though the premise itself really interested me and the ending was exciting plot-wise, the characters were frustratingly stereotypical for a situation with a group of teenagers. Octavia and Bellamy were presented as your average bad boy/spoilt girl duo, not to mention Finn's overconfident display to impress the main character, Clarke. Nevertheless, the cinematography was stunning - especially the scene with the glow-in-the-dark plants - and the plot was promising so I kept with it.
So the first episode really catered to all my expectations of what I thought this show was going to be. Admittedly, pilots are always about 40% of what the episodes end up being once confirmed but my thoughts were quite low after getting past the first episode. Though the premise itself really interested me and the ending was exciting plot-wise, the characters were frustratingly stereotypical for a situation with a group of teenagers. Octavia and Bellamy were presented as your average bad boy/spoilt girl duo, not to mention Finn's overconfident display to impress the main character, Clarke. Nevertheless, the cinematography was stunning - especially the scene with the glow-in-the-dark plants - and the plot was promising so I kept with it.
Setting and Civilisation:
After getting past the pilot (which retrospectively I'm so glad I did) the quality rose insurmountably. I really liked the self-contained nature of some of the themes they brought up in each episode of a new challenge that they would have to overcome to create a civilisation (e.g. how to get food, punishment and law, and virus' and illness). Because the writers kept the development of their society and politics slow, everything fell naturally and the whole situation felt believable and unforced. Likewise, the characters became a lot more bearable and intricate with time as their back stories were revealed through flashbacks.
After getting past the pilot (which retrospectively I'm so glad I did) the quality rose insurmountably. I really liked the self-contained nature of some of the themes they brought up in each episode of a new challenge that they would have to overcome to create a civilisation (e.g. how to get food, punishment and law, and virus' and illness). Because the writers kept the development of their society and politics slow, everything fell naturally and the whole situation felt believable and unforced. Likewise, the characters became a lot more bearable and intricate with time as their back stories were revealed through flashbacks.
The Grounders:
I think the show also dealt with the element of the "other" very well. The Grounders are introduced slowly but their community is easy to understand and is also believable under the circumstances. Of course, I did find myself suspending disbelief for a while at how any of them had been able to survive this long (despite their explanation of radiation immunity), but once the particulars are swept aside, they make an interesting antagonist. I found that although the writers were able to make us root for the 100, they still developed the Grounders enough to feel sympathy towards their motives for survival, just like the teenagers.
Pacing and Characterisation:
The pacing was also delightfully consistent and fast; every episode felt useful and significant and there were no dead, filler scenes. Allowing action to move so fast created such a dynamic range of themes for the show to touch on in thirteen episodes, keeping things fresh. I particularly liked the arc with Raven building a shuttle and returning to earth, missed communication with the Ark and the production of bombs. Leading on from that, I like how most members of the cast fills a role in their community based on their lives on the Ark. Although this is somewhat unrealistic, it makes for tense watching as each potential death takes a hit to not to their quickly depleting population, but to their community and survival as a whole.
The pacing was also delightfully consistent and fast; every episode felt useful and significant and there were no dead, filler scenes. Allowing action to move so fast created such a dynamic range of themes for the show to touch on in thirteen episodes, keeping things fresh. I particularly liked the arc with Raven building a shuttle and returning to earth, missed communication with the Ark and the production of bombs. Leading on from that, I like how most members of the cast fills a role in their community based on their lives on the Ark. Although this is somewhat unrealistic, it makes for tense watching as each potential death takes a hit to not to their quickly depleting population, but to their community and survival as a whole.
I also have to commend the season finale. The two part conclusive battle was filled with tension and the producers weren't afraid to make it heavily violent. The very end where Clarke wakes up in a white room may seem stereotypical in the perspective of TV and film, but in this universe, the situation is unexpected and exciting, really drawing me into the next season.
Favourite episode: I Am Become Death (1x10)
Favourite character of the season: Raven Reyes
Favourite episode: I Am Become Death (1x10)
Favourite character of the season: Raven Reyes
Season 2
Mount Weather:
This season starts off incredibly well, establishing this new aspect of the world: Mount Weather. I adored everything they did with Mt. Weather: the set design, the morality of the leaders, the hard interplay between the innocent civilians and the innocent 47. Specifically, the entire storyline surrounding their medical breakthrough and their complex but secretive system of capturing the Grounders for blood was fascinating. It makes sense that radiation would still be harmful for them and this danger of the outside, both from the environment itself and their enemies with both the Ark and the Grounders, made some great ultimatums occur. The scene where Clarke discovers the cages upon cages of Grounders and then the later arc with Lincoln becoming a Reaper completely took me by surprise. It did become clear that Mt. Weather was too good to be true, but the extremely dark hidden secrets of the place was really clever. A small sidenote, but I really appreciate that they didn't go with the stereotypical "evil old man" trope and made Dante the better of the two leaders. The entire plot point of having Bellamy as an inside man was my favourite part of the season and his storyline was incredibly tense to watch but greatly satisfying to see him develop into a heroic figure.
Romance:
Another positive development compared to the first season is how the romantic relationships were dealt with. They became a lot more sincere and credible, with attractions happening at a believable rate. Last season felt, at times, like relationships-for-the-fans, but this time around, they made sense within the context of the plot and the nature of the characters. I particularly liked the blooming romance between Raven and Wick, which offered some lighter relief after Finn's storyline. Similarly, Jasper and Maya were a nice dynamic that operated well within Mt Weather, serving as both a way to drive the plot forwards and create motivations for the characters, but it was also lovely to see Jasper finally getting a break (though not for long!).
Clarke, Lexa and Bellamy:
Leading on from this, the alliance / potential relationship between Clarke and Lexa was an interesting move to make; I definitely wasn't expecting it. I'm really glad that the writers set up the possibility of exploring a homosexual relationship though I'm even more relieved that they haven't made anything actually come from it yet. Clarke's emotional state is extremely fragile at the moment and it makes sense that nothing romantic can happen with her for a while - in the same way that I'm glad Bellamy and Clarke (though very promising) haven't progressed to a romantic level yet. Their relationship is something I really value at the moment and is a real asset to the show, two people that simply understand each other and have one anothers' backs and have both done violent things to protect others. I also really like how Bellamy and Clarke have essentially switched roles by the end of the season, having both turned 180s. Clarke has become a brutal leader, killing those she has to out of protection whilst Bellamy is becoming more sensitive, thinking of the innocent and what is right.
Character development:
Possibly the best thing about this entire season is how far all the characters have come from the beginning. I was initially sceptical that all the characters were quite cookie-cutter and predictable in the first season but they're all now infinitely more fleshed out and complex. Take Octavia who has gone in a direction I would have never thought of, becoming the bridge between the Grounders and those from the Ark. Likewise with Murphy who takes an almost Sawyer from Lost turn, both endearing and anxiously unpredictable. I also really appreciated what they did with Finn. It would seem too idealistic if they kept him as a peace-maker, and seeing the debates over his justice made for a complex and gripping comment on morality.
Jaha and the expedition to the City of Light:
One of the only things that deathly annoyed and bored me throughout the season. I really dislike Jaha's character anyway (I mean Thelonius? Even his name sounds like a caricature), but this whole arc with his extremely biblical, Lockian need to follow destiny and fate was frustrating. Although it did set up an interesting direction for Season Three, the entire journey there was a slow and torturous one, save Murphy's comic relief.
Favourite episode: Coup De Grace (2x11)
Favourite character(s) of the season: Bellamy Blake, Jasper and Monty (just let them eat their chocolate cake), and John Murphy (it was too hard to choose what with the fantastic character development!)
One of the only things that deathly annoyed and bored me throughout the season. I really dislike Jaha's character anyway (I mean Thelonius? Even his name sounds like a caricature), but this whole arc with his extremely biblical, Lockian need to follow destiny and fate was frustrating. Although it did set up an interesting direction for Season Three, the entire journey there was a slow and torturous one, save Murphy's comic relief.
Favourite episode: Coup De Grace (2x11)
Favourite character(s) of the season: Bellamy Blake, Jasper and Monty (just let them eat their chocolate cake), and John Murphy (it was too hard to choose what with the fantastic character development!)
Strengths:
- Representation: the ethnic range of the cast as well as representation of bisexuality in the latter half of Season Two was refreshing.
- The character development undeniably.
- Realism and not holding back on violence
- Divergences: especially in Season 2, the writers were not afraid to keep things unexpected and diverging from the neat, satisfying and planned conclusions e.g. Anya's death and Lexa's breaking of the alliance last minute.
- Divergences: especially in Season 2, the writers were not afraid to keep things unexpected and diverging from the neat, satisfying and planned conclusions e.g. Anya's death and Lexa's breaking of the alliance last minute.
Weaknesses:
- I did find myself having to suspend disbelief quite a lot in certain areas of the world.
- Whether due to the demographic or not, the writers were definitely a lot better at writing the scenes involving the teenagers whereas the adults were much flatter with scenes on the Ark paling in comparison.
- There were quite a lot of parallels to Lost which were interesting to see but also made certain parts quite tired and recycled.
- I did find myself having to suspend disbelief quite a lot in certain areas of the world.
- Whether due to the demographic or not, the writers were definitely a lot better at writing the scenes involving the teenagers whereas the adults were much flatter with scenes on the Ark paling in comparison.
- There were quite a lot of parallels to Lost which were interesting to see but also made certain parts quite tired and recycled.
Predictions
- More backstory on the origins and cause of the nuclear war.
- Jaha following the A.I. which leads to disastrous consequences.
- Some kind of redemption in terms of the alliance. I don't think the Grounders would leave the Ark people as they are, whether that be Lexa apologising (verbally or through an act of solidarity), or the escaped Grounders from Mt. Weather providing help for the Arkers e.g. the Grounder that was beside Bellamy in the cages.
- Perhaps Abby will send out a search party to find Clarke, leaving Bellamy and Kane to lead the camp.
- They go out searching for the other Ark stations now that the radios are unjammed.
- I also really want Raven and/or Wick to find the City of Light to try and stop the expected round two of the nuclear war with the A.I. and Jaha's missile with their mechanical magic.
- A potential development in Clarke and Bellamy's relationship?
Overall, The 100 was a gripping show, and I'll definitely be checking in for Season 3 which won't air for another half year or so (which kills me inside a little). Definitely check it out if you like sci-fi, romance, thrillers and war dramas. Here's to waiting a long time and if the quality remains at the same level, this show has some great promise. May we meet again.
- More backstory on the origins and cause of the nuclear war.
- Jaha following the A.I. which leads to disastrous consequences.
- Some kind of redemption in terms of the alliance. I don't think the Grounders would leave the Ark people as they are, whether that be Lexa apologising (verbally or through an act of solidarity), or the escaped Grounders from Mt. Weather providing help for the Arkers e.g. the Grounder that was beside Bellamy in the cages.
- Perhaps Abby will send out a search party to find Clarke, leaving Bellamy and Kane to lead the camp.
- They go out searching for the other Ark stations now that the radios are unjammed.
- I also really want Raven and/or Wick to find the City of Light to try and stop the expected round two of the nuclear war with the A.I. and Jaha's missile with their mechanical magic.
- A potential development in Clarke and Bellamy's relationship?
Overall, The 100 was a gripping show, and I'll definitely be checking in for Season 3 which won't air for another half year or so (which kills me inside a little). Definitely check it out if you like sci-fi, romance, thrillers and war dramas. Here's to waiting a long time and if the quality remains at the same level, this show has some great promise. May we meet again.
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