Television Review: The 100, Series 4

Synopsis: After Lexa’s death, the control of the clans is in turmoil. People want someone to blame for ALIE and war looms as leaders fight for control.

There is a bigger problem; bigger than any one clan. Radiation is coming, and it’s coming fast. Clarke battles between telling people the truth and finding a solution, while Bellamy fights for forgiveness in Octavia’s eyes. But his sister is not to be placated: Octavia gives in to her darkness and Jasper celebrates the end of the world.

Amongst love and loss, the remaining 100 must find a way to survive against the odds.

Programme: The 100, Season 4

Company: Bonanza Productions 

Date: 2017

Rating:  3.5/5

Series 1 | Series 2 | Series 3

Having watched the first three series back-to-back earlier this year, I was ready for this series of The 100, remembering who was who and what had been happening beforehand.

Now we’re onto series four and I feel it has started to run its course. The entire series seemed to be based on betrayal of alliances – to the point every time one was made, you knew it wouldn’t last and there would be an entire episode of threatening war in order to reform it, only for it to happen again.

While it is no surprise that the characters have lost their naivety and innocence of the early series (with some nice reflections back, which was a good touch), there were moments where it was hard to decide who was actually likeable.

Clarke is prepared to do whatever it takes to save her people, although who her people are depends on what episode – sometimes she wants to save everyone, other times, just those from the Arc. We’ve seen her make tough decisions in the past, but this time, it isolated her character. She comes through, however, and by the end, is still the same Clarke that we know.

Octavia is also prepared to give into darkness, torn up over Lincoln’s death. While she is abrupt and explosive for the majority of the series, her final character development at the end is brilliant – and somehow, plausible. She definitely wins the day!

Jasper is annoying with his attitude that has extended the last two series while Monty and Harper’s new romance is sweet and refreshing. Bellamy once again redeems himself as the good guy compared to the last series and Murphy proves that he is not the bad guy any longer, especially not now he has fallen in love himself.

When you look at the characters in the final episodes of this series, it is hard to identify them as the same characters who first landed on the ground in episode one.

The threat of the radiation should have made the characters bond together, but there was just as much tension and threat of violence as there has been all along. From war to conclaves to random attacks, there isn’t an episode that goes by when there isn’t an attack from one direction or another. I lost count of the number of times Bellamy was imprisoned by one side or another throughout the series.

The effects were well-done this series. With the threat of radiation and black rain, the make-up artists must have had their work cut out for them! As did the visual team – the final shots of the radiation closing in on the planet were effective and somewhat awe-inspiring.

It would have been a fitting finale if it wasn’t for the last few moments, when series five was clearly set up. It also had the feeling that the whole story-arc was just going to start again considering the ending.

Enjoyable, but far-fetched. I hope it doesn’t drag out for too many series!

Amazon

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