"The 100" and Its Impact on Television

The 100 is the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi show it feels like the television world has been waiting for. The show focuses on one hundred space-born teenagers sent to Earth to test if it’s survivable years after the apocalypse. The plot follows the journey of these teens as they explore an unknown world and navigate the obstacles and enemies they encounter. 

*Note before continuing: there are spoilers ahead.* 

It feels fresh—a world we are familiar with being explored for the first time by characters who are not only likable, but relatable as well. The show makes notable first steps regarding representation beginning with the first episode that introduces a driven female doctor, a decisive black leader in charge, and a diverse group of teens whose journeys we get to see.

One of the largest steps forward in terms of representation on The 100 is likely the protagonist, a bisexual woman named Clarke Griffin, played by Eliza Taylor. She is not only a strong, well-rounded character the audience wants to root for; she’s The CW’s first bisexual lead character. 

In this post-apocalyptic world, sexuality is not a matter of concern in any way, and people are free to love whom they choose without any judgement. Clarke is shown to have romances with both men and women, all of which demonstrate her love for and commitment to her partner at the time. Clarke’s portrayal of bisexuality squashes stereotypes of bisexuals “being confused” or “likely to cheat,” and all of her relationships progress in compelling ways that leave viewers wanting more. 

Alongside Eliza Taylor as Clarke Griffin, Filipino-Austrailian actor Bob Morley stars as Bellamy Blake. This is another huge step forward for representation, as the show focuses on not only a bisexual female, but a Filipino male, allowing different viewers to see themselves represented onscreen. Bellamy is yet another captivating character who, as the show progresses, smashes stereotypes of masculinity through being vulnerable and following his heart over his head.

Simply introducing these two characters would have a huge impact on television, but the show goes much further with yet another main character, Raven Reyes, played by Lindsey Morgan. Raven is a disabled woman of color, and, arguably, one of the most intelligent characters on the show. Raven is shown solving a lot of the problems the main characters face and performing tasks involving coding, mechanics, and even rocket science. She represents many girls who are interested and talented in scientific fields. Along with this, an injury she faced in season one left her with chronic pain. The audience gets to see her persist and accomplish amazing things without being magically healed somehow. She does so because her physical disability is only one part of her, and she is an extremely powerful person. 

The show has inspired me, as I’m sure it has with many others, showing a large variety of characters that represent many different things. There are incredible men and women of color, LGBT+ relationships both in the background and as a central focus, and plotlines that spotlight everyone. 

However, while we recognize the groundbreaking steps The 100 has taken and the large effect this has had on viewers and television, we must also examine the harmful ways the show has portrayed some characters. 

The show has had a positive impact in many ways, but has also left many fans confused and upset. Here’s where the major spoilers come in: The 100 killed off a lesbian character, Lexa, whom many fans connected to, and they did so immediately after she was romantically intimate with a woman. People were angry, and it was a sad day for television and the LGBT+ community as a prominent lesbian character was no longer apart of the show. This is something known as the “kill your gays” trope, in which LGBT+ characters in shows or films are killed off for no apparent reason. Online, her death sparked multiple movements, asking for her character’s return, boycotting The 100, and more. It even led to fans of other shows referring to an LGBT+ death in various media by the episode number in which Lexa was killed, just to warn people that another LGBT+ character would be killed off in that particular program. The show lost hundreds of viewers and was a warning not to repeat the mistake. 

Other possible sources of problems include how or why the writers shrug off a possible romantic interracial relationship between Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake, the two leads, why there is such a poor mistreatment of many of the characters of color on the show, and why they never delve into the topic of mental illness. These topics have all been discussed by fans and other spectators of the show, urging The 100 writers and showrunners to try and fix their mistakes or to develop their representation further. 

The 100 has its issues and has a long way to go before we can say its representation is one of the best. However, they have made significant strides in inclusivity when comparing it to many other young-adult television shows. Perhaps in the future, they can explore more about mental health or include more leads of color. Or, maybe another show will get to it first. Regardless, the show has had a huge impact on television in terms of representing groups that aren’t normally represented—they just have to make sure their portrayals don’t end up hurting their supporters.