The CW's "The 100" kicked off a new season on Wednesday night and, as usual, it didn't disappoint. If you haven't seen "The 100" yet, you're missing out. Here's 12 spoiler-free reason to start binge-watching "The 100" immediately.
1. The books.
Frankly, after watching the first action-packed season, I found the books underwhelming. No disrespect to Kass Morgan, but the show has transcended the books. That doesn't always happen with book-to-show adaptations, and I think the fact "The 100" functions so well as a stand-alone show is impressive.
2. The mythology.
The culture "The 100" has cultivated is astonishing. The people on the ground--Grounders, as the main protagonists call them--live in clans bound together by a revolutionary coalition under one ruler-- Heda, the Commander. When the main characters--the Sky People--land on Earth, the peace of the coalition is threatened.
3. The language.
Blood must have blood. The language of the 12 clans adds to the immersive culture of the "The 100." That language is known as Trigedasleng, and David Peterson is responsible for creating it. Trigedasleng sounds a lot like muddled English, which makes sense because "The 100" takes place in post-apocalyptic Virginia. David Peterson is also responsible for creating the languages of the Dothraki and High Valeria of "Game of Thrones."
4. The social commentary.
"The 100" is built on the "us vs. them" trope. There is a strong prejudice between the Grounders and the Sky People that stems from a lack of understanding. Often, it reflects race relations in America and the history of colonization. Also, many of the events that happen throughout the seasons have a historical relevance. There's Grounder internment, prisoner experimentations, and senseless massacres.
5. The moral complexity.
In "The 100" there's no such thing as heroes and villains. We all know that's not the way the world works, and "The 100" doesn't even bother trying to make their characters look like they have the moral high ground. What's right and wrong is in the eyes of the beholder, and it often puts people at odds. It can also forge unlikely alliances.
6. The representation.
There is a wealth of diversity in the show and that always deserves to be mentioned. Openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters. Also, there are a lot of black, Latino, and Asian actors. The best part: race and sexuality are never questioned or discriminated against.
7. The strong female characters.
There is not one weak female character in this show. The whole cast is full of strong-willed, intelligent women that often save the day. Aside from, Clarke, the main protagonist, Raven and Octavia seriously kick ass. And they all work together and build each other up instead of being petty and dramatic--as many women are in television these days.
8. The blend of genres.
SciFi or post-apocalyptic? Why not have both? "The 100" takes the best parts of SciFi--space age technology, a creative ruling class system--and blends it with all the raw survivalism of the post-apocalyptic, dystopian genre.
9. The character growth.
From fresh-faced, naive teens to calculating warlords. Each character changes so drastically by the choices they have made that they're almost unrecognizable from the pilot episode, which is great because who needs happy-go-lucky characters? Look at how much Clarke has changed from the pilot to the middle of season three. I've got one word for you: Wanheda.
10. The 'ships.
Clexa. Bellarke. Linctavia. "The 100" fandom goes nuts for these couples. The best part: romance is on the back burner. It's so refreshing to have a show on the CW in which who's sleeping with who isn't main source of drama. Survival is the only goal, companionship just happens along the way.
11. The pacing.
There's not a dull moment in "The 100." Even the light, tender moments are tinged with the threat of war and death. Every episode holds some major happening. There are fast paced fight scenes and suspenseful strategy meetings. Everything matters.
12. The fact that it's all on Netflix.
Binge away, folks! I promise you won't be disappointed.
