10/10 sci-fi shows are incredibly rare, but one CW series got very close to being a masterpiece — and The 100 could have been if it hadn’t betrayed its audience on multiple occasions. The 100 made its debut back in 2014, and while it initially seemed like your average teen dystopian show, it quickly evolved into so much more.
The series became one of the rare TV adaptations to surpass the books it was based on, and it tackled heavy topics in interesting ways. It was easily one of The CW’s best original shows, but a few key choices prevented it from becoming a full-blown sci-fi masterpiece. Two of them even alienated audiences, pushing many to quit the series altogether.
The 100 Was An Incredible Sci-Fi Show, Especially By Network TV Standards
The Series Wasn’t Afraid To Lean Into Its Difficult Themes
The 100 had many of the hallmarks of a standard CW show, but it was a great sci-fi story, even by network TV standards. It can be difficult to tackle genre television on network TV, as there tend to be more constraints when it comes to budgets and content. Despite this, The 100 managed to deliver a story that was thoughtful and often hard-hitting. And it didn’t look all that cheap, either.
As the series progressed, it benefited from impressive acting and choreography, which helped bring its survival story to life nicely. The early seasons of The 100 asked hard but necessary questions about how far people will go to survive — and whether tribalism and the cycle of violence are ever things we can be free of.
It could have developed into a masterpiece over time, but things began to go downhill as the series neared its ending.
Despite airing on The CW, those outings also leaned into the brutal nature of the show’s world, which helped The 100 stand out on the network’s roster. It could have developed into a masterpiece over time, but things began to go downhill as the series neared its ending.
The 100 Could Have Been A Masterpiece, But It Had Some Glaring Issues
These Problems Contributed To Its Two Biggest Betrayals
The 100 has one of the most controversial TV endings of all time, but its problems began earlier than season 7 — and they contributed to the two betrayals that ensured the series’ legacy could never be a 10/10. Addressing these problems head-on may have saved the series from its two biggest fan betrayals, and it would have been a net positive for the show overall.
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The 100’s Best Character Death Sold Me On The Show, But It Laid The Groundwork For Its Later Problems
The 100’s best death was a double-edged sword, as it sold viewers on the ruthless world of the CW series but led to some of its later problems.
For one, The 100 often struggled when it came to diversity and sensitive subject matter. Despite being a series that boasted a diverse cast of characters, it didn’t always treat these players with the respect they deserved. There’s been discussion of the series failing its BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters, and its approach to topics like mental health also proved questionable at times.
The show is also criticized for its plot holes, with its leads acting out of character during later outings and its science not quite being up to snuff. That’s inevitable to a certain extent in science-fiction, but it’s much easier to overlook before the series’ final two outings.
These flaws hurt The 100‘s legacy repeatedly, but they’re most noticeable in The CW’s show’s two biggest missteps.
These flaws hurt The 100‘s legacy repeatedly, but they’re most noticeable in The CW’s show’s two biggest missteps. No matter what else the series had going for it, it could never quite come back from its worst two character deaths.
The CW Show Betrayed Its Audience By Killing Lexa In Season 3
Lexa’s Death Has Gone Down As One Of Its Worst Mistakes
Even before The 100‘s storytelling issues began to drag the sci-fi drama down, the series betrayed its audience, ensuring its legacy would be tainted forever. This happened in The 100 season 3, which was otherwise a strong chapter of television. However, the writers killing off Lexa understandably sparked controversy — and it caused many to quit The 100 for good.
Although Alycia Debnam-Carey leaving the show was partly responsible for Lexa being written off, The 100‘s creators could have gone about this with far more care. Instead, Lexa’s death wound up leaning into Hollywood’s harmful “bury your gays” trope.
It’s a terrible way for Lexa’s character to go, and even the later attempts at giving her a better send-off fall flat afterward.
Not only does the series kill off a strong and beloved lesbian character, but it does so at the hands of a trusted parental figure who disapproves of her relationship with the series’ lead — and right after they finally get together, no less. It’s a terrible way for Lexa’s character to go, and even the later attempts at giving her a better send-off fall flat afterward.
The 100 Repeated Its Betrayal With Bellamy’s Death In The Final Season
This Was The Final Nail In The Coffin For Many Viewers
As if Lexa’s death wasn’t enough to hurt The 100‘s legacy, the series followed it with another huge betrayal, four seasons later. Bellamy Blake’s death was nearly as controversial among viewers, albeit for different reasons. Bellamy’s fate leaned into the inconsistencies and shoddy sci-fi writing of the final season, leaving many scratching their heads as they screamed at their televisions.
A series of bizarre and underdeveloped circumstances lead Bellamy to becoming a villain of sorts in The 100 season 7, willing to betray the people he loves most — both Clarke and Octavia — in favor of beliefs that were totally out of line with his character. Both the lead-up to his shift and his behavior came out of left field, but this wasn’t the only problem.
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The 100 may have come and gone, but there’s another epic twist-filled sci-fi show available to fill the void that’s just as bingeworthy.
Eventually, Clarke kills Bellamy to protect Madi. And it’s a choice that also feels out of character for Clarke, despite her willingness to do anything for her people. But with Bellamy being one of her people — the heart to her head — for six seasons prior, it’s unbelievable she’d go this far, especially to achieve next to nothing in the end.
The 100 failed Bellamy, and after failing Lexa, this was the final nail in the coffin for many viewers. The series may have had some of the best sci-fi moments, especially on network television, but its missteps on these fronts are impossible to ignore. Along with its two weakest seasons, these moments kept it from reaching its full potential.
The 100
7/10
- Release Date
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2014 – 2020-00-00
- Showrunner
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Jason Rothenberg
- Writers
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Jason Rothenberg, Mallory Kass
