TV Review: The 100 – The Complete Second Season
2 min read
Based on Kass Morgan’s book The 100, the television series follows the lives of the citizens who survived the nuclear Armageddon almost 100 years ago, living aboard the Ark in space. As the system is no longer sustainable, the leaders aboard designate 100 juvenile prisoners to be sent back down to Earth to determine whether it is liveable and ready for re-colonisation.
In the second season of The 100, the residences of the Ark are sent back to Earth, an environment surrounded by survivors and vultures alike. After being captured by the people of Mount Weather, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) discovers a large group of humans who have survived but haven’t developed an immune resistance to radiation, therefore they are unable to withstand the outside world.
A born leader, Clarke deals with issues of command and serving justice for the community as well as for herself, an undertaking the is made difficult by opposition within her own company. As the leading character, Clarke continues to grow with a surprising and noteworthy development that is groundbreaking for the TV network. Likewise, Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) proceeds to evolve into a strong and resilient fighter that will be an interesting watch to see in the next season.
A rare feat nowadays, especially for a series catered to young adults, the series focuses on the atypical issues of colonisation, survival, nobility and even cannabalism. Dissimilar to YA shows, The 100 raises philosophical issues and delves into the human psyche through personal morality and social justice.
Amongst the latest sci-fi-adventure-drama in television nowadays, The 100 is an undeniable standout. Unlike other genre similar series, the CW young adult series surprisingly adheres to its thematic principles. Hardly does it ever does it stray from the sci-fi context of its origin, primarily focusing on the arduous journey of survival and endeavours to re-colonise Earth. Whilst it doesn’t disregard the typical romances of young adulthood, the show emphasises the post-apocalyptic themes and amplifies the story through fast narrative pace. Moreover, disregarding a few storylines here and there, The 100 continues to evolve with surprising character development and unexpected twists.
