"The 100" Review
- Nov 17, 2020
- 4 min read
(This review is in two parts; the first part is a synopsis and the second part is a series rant that includes spoilers for season 7. If you have not watched the 100 yet, I advise you to stop reading as soon as you get to the asterisks**)
After a nuclear war destroys Earth, one hundred juvenile delinquents are delivered from a space ark to test the planet’s habitability. There, it becomes survival of the fittest as the group faces dangerous threats.
“The 100” is a post-apocalyptic, dystopian show based on the book series by Kass Morgan and directed by Jason Rothenberg on the CW Network. It first aired in 2014 before officially ending in September 2020, with seven seasons total.
Jason Rothenberg took “The 100” in a completely different direction than the original book series. The show revolves around violence, and it becomes apparent that the characters will do anything to survive despite the moral repercussions. There is still tragedy in the books, but it’s not nearly as dark as its counterpart.
Throughout the show, there was a lot of character development and different plotlines for each season that consistently kept viewers on their toes and emotionally invested. A couple of the scientific topics explored were human experimentation and mind drives that allow other people to live in your brain and take over your body.
If you are a fan of the dystopian genre such as “Divergent” or “The Giver,” you will most likely enjoy “The 100.” Just make sure you have a box of tissues next to you at all times as you never know which of the main characters may die next.
Youtube Trailer:
**** (Warning: Season 7 spoilers are beyond) ****
Out of all of the seasons of “The 100”, season 7 had to be the worst one. All of the time differences amongst the planets (5 years passing in Sky Ring but only being a few days in Sanctum) confused me. I didn't like how the characters were in different places for most of the season either; they only reunited as a whole group for the final episodes. Also, I’m not sure how I feel about all of the religious references this season with the shepherd, disciples, worshipping of false gods, and transcendence.
On top of that, Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin deserved better! Since the first season, I have been a Bellarke shipper, and to see Jason Rothenberg take all of the emotional development and chemistry between these two characters and throw it down a drain was beyond me.
Bellamy has been through so much throughout the seasons, and for him to die by Clarke is ridiculous. Not only that, but he died for nothing because guess what? He was right, and the enemies ended up with Madi’s sketchbook anyway. So what was the whole point of Bellamy’s death when, in the end, he could have transcended or stayed behind with his sister and friends? Maybe he would have broken up with Echo so that he can be with Clarke because, let’s face it, they love each other, and no, they are not just “best friends.” And to all the people who think otherwise, please watch this Bellarke video because, quite frankly, you are wrong.
As for Clarke, she has sacrificed everything for the people she loves regardless of the consequences of her actions. She has been that strong character who will do whatever it takes no matter what, and for her to not be able to transcend in the end is heartbreaking to me. Yes, she killed Cadogan during a humanity test, but he made her adopted daughter become brain dead and left her there all by herself, so what else was she supposed to do? If it weren’t for the fact that her friends chose to be with her on earth, she would have been alone for the rest of her life, and that is the worst possible outcome for everything that she has done.
Now, I’ll get into some of the other main characters: Murphy, Octavia, and Raven. Murphy’s development from the first season is astounding. He went from being this selfish “roach” who only cared about himself to being a semi leader who cared about others and their safety even if it put his life in danger. For example, when he risked his life to make sure that the Sanctum people were well hidden and safe from the Dark Commander and his people. He took a page out of Clarke’s leadership book.
Octavia developed a lot too. Octavia was Bellamy’s little sister who just wanted to breathe in the fresh air and experience life during the first season. Then she became this strong warrior fighting for what she believed in and eventually became “The Red Queen” during season 5. Although her actions were undoubtedly questionable, with her making people fight to the death and then resort to cannibalism as a source for their food, Octavia made sure everyone survived. By season 7, she accepted all of her mistakes and fully understood what proper leadership means. Finally, she appreciated Bellamy and Clarke for everything they have done thus far.
Raven has always been an underestimated character even though she is the engineer, and everyone would have been dead already if it wasn’t for her. She has been through a lot; aside from being tortured, all of her romantic interests die. Every season, there’s someone new that you ship her with, and then by the season finale, they’re dead. I can’t help but feel bad for her character because she deserves happiness, just like the rest.
Even though the last season of “The 100” really upset me, I’m going to continue watching fandom videos and act like there was an alternate ending for some of my favorite characters. I think that’s it for this series rant; if you feel the same way or have different opinions, be sure to comment or use the contact form below. May we meet again :)
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