Extant Me, But This Is Terrible.

I really wanted Extant to work. I've lamented before on the uneven quality of recent genre television efforts, but I'll admit, I had high hopes for Extant. Big stars, big budget, big network. What could go wrong?

I suppose its greatest crime is the fact that at heart, Extant is boring, and science fiction should never be boring. On occasion, scifi tv shows might be too violent, overly ambitious, fall back on beloved but well-worn tropes... never just dull, though. Even the horrible mess that is Defiance (terrible, bordering on God-awful), isn't actually dull.

With Extant, it's like the futuristic beige costuming seeped through other layers of the production and beiged my brain.

Beige out.

So I decided to think about why exactly it doesn't work, instead of vaguely slamming it. I mean, the premise is full of promise; an astronaut (Molly, played by Halle Berry) on a solo mission for a year, returns to earth to find herself pregnant. Throw in a robot child, and theoretically, you should be golden (totally wanted to work in some kind of clever reference to PK Dick's novella The Golden Man here, but alas, nothing.)

In an attempt to define why the show falls so flat (and hopefully never replicate the error), I've focused on elements that negatively impacted my viewing experience:

For God's Sake, Hurry Up!

Pacing may be part of the problem. Extant looks like a beautiful movie (especially in terms of production) but it hasn't mastered the faster pacing required in today's television world. Events spread out over the first three or four episodes (and boy do I mean spread out) should have all happened in the pilot. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of slow paced material (Solaris lover, right here), but only if it's literally seething with thematic complexity. This material should be, but it just isn't - the ideas feel dumbed down for mass consumption.

You get the impression Extant underestimates its audience, and the audience can tell.

John's "robots are exactly the same as real people" schtick,
and the fact this is so obviously his fatal character flaw,
gets real old, real fast.

Dramatic Tension and Reveals that Reveal... Not Much I Hadn't Guessed In 20 Seconds

A big issue is the handling of narrative tension. The few times Extant managed to build it, the narrative threads didn't POP like a balloon (ie with a wild crescendo of drama and revelations). Instead, storylines proved to be more like a balloon blown up with an unseen hole in it; the narrative tension just fizzled out, leaving the audience deflated.

Example? Fellow astronaut Harmon, supposedly dead, who appears in Molly's driveway one night, does the whole "trust no one" shtick and then "vanishes". Fantastic, because who doesn't love a good conspiracy? 

I thought he was going to be part of some vast underground network fighting government/corporate (sadly these labels are now almost interchangeable) "baddies", and an intense web of hidden truths would be revealed bit by bit... 

Couple of episodes later, turns out he's "hiding" in an old caravan by itself on the edge of a deserted cliff (cause THAT'S not conspicuous) and his message is basically, yeah, they did something weird to us/something weird happened to us, in space.

Uh huh.

Seriously Harmon that's ALL you've got?!

Obviously Harmon is rebelling. The man's wearing green, for God sake.

Worse, his secret location is so secret that Molly drives there whenever she wants to chat about, you know, crazy space stuff. The guy faked his own death! Top tip Molly: When under surveillance, maybe you shouldn't drive in what is probably the company car, straight to your paranoid supposed-to-be-dead co-worker's door.

This disappointing mess (in regard to reveals) is a recurring issue. Extant borrows a lot of scifi ideas but can't quite figure out how to run with them, or more accurately, how to utilise them in a way that intrigues the viewer (similar to Flash Forward, a show that alluded to potentially thought-provoking notions but couldn't offer a complex enough script to honour said concepts).

Molly's Boring And Epically Self Indulgent Emotional Turmoil

Don't even get me started on this one. 

Soooo much of the first few episodes revolves around Molly's reluctance to tell her husband what is happening to her. Which, let's face it, is REALLY ANNOYING. She disappears for hours at a time, acts vague/distant, he's not happy about it, and this results in constant conflict that is incredibly lame to watch. By the third episode I was so tired of her I kind of didn't care who'd knocked her up.

Maybe Halle Berry's "star power" is the problem, in that too many pointless scenes are dedicated to her character's inner turmoil and personal journey because emoting equals Emmy? Who knows.

Ironically, the alien impersonating Molly's dead human husband
 feels like the most "real" character so far. That can't be good.

Minor Characters With Better Stories Than The Lead, But With Minimal Screen Time

Potentially fascinating narrative threads for interesting minor characters are hinted at, but not really explored, the camera too busy returning to Molly mulling over her internal conflicts, insecurities, and fears (that to reiterate, deserve much less screen time!).

As the current big baddie (from what the audience can tell), Yasumoto feels under-utilised. Researcher Julie's frustrations with her (sort of) surrogate mother relationship to the robot child, and her professional "wife" connection with Molly's husband John, is actually a much more interesting (almost maternal) relationship narrative than the core motherhood plot, but is only hinted at/inferred, rather than focused on.

The lab scenes are actually interesting, hence they're kept to a minimum.

Are the show's creators putting in place storylines for a seven year run and therefore taking their sweet time getting anywhere? Perhaps they should have focused more on engaging the audience during the first season, if they wanted a second one to play with...!

The potentially fascinating shadowy corporate power figure
has already been dulled down a tad.
Continuum, this aint.

High End Suburbs Will Always Be High End Suburbs, Please Go Back To Space

Go back to space Molly. We liked space.

Strangely, the scenes in space, designed to show Molly isolated in a sterile environment, don't feel that different from the scenes at home. If this was intentional, it would be clever, but I think it might be accidental - it's obvious the homely moments are intended to be warm and fuzzy (hence the "warm" lighting, because whoever works on this show follows these kind of rules ad nauseam) but they just manifest as bland. 

Turns out, even in the future, when facing (possible) alien impregnation and dealing (really badly) with The Good Son robot child, yuppies are still kind of boring.

 

The party scene, where some of the future-people wore colour
for early evening drinks in the lounge room
and my eyes nearly died of excitement.

Molly and John Are God Awful Parents

Ironic, given that motherhood, and by extension parenthood, are such major themes here. Molly's interest in robot child Ethan is lacklustre at best, and for John he's an extension of his professional ego.

What's possibly creepier is that the show honestly thinks the occasional pat on the head and five minutes of attention is enough to convince the audience Molly and John are wonderful, loving parents. Yeah, that's reall-y not how it comes across.

Their negligence toward Ethan is astounding. Molly is subconsciously judging and monitoring the kid 24/7, to the point where any time he doesn't act like an extra from Stepford Wives, he's instantly Children of the Corn, and she freaks. John is basically every pushy parent, tenfold. Sending Ethan to school was the cruelest thing I've seen a character do on television this year.

I think the fact their child was upset and had gone to bed during his mother's birthday party, in their own home, and neither parent EVEN NOTICED, pretty much said it all... 

(That the scriptwriters think this is a valid representation/portrayal of great parenting is actually more interesting, and more disturbing, than the material in the actual show.)

Kid, even robots deserve decent parents.

(Just when we all thought Gossip Girl maxed out 

the self-absorbed parents quota with Lily and Rufus.)

Finally, An Overall Disrespect For The Genre

In my mind, science fiction is clever and well thought out, addressing complex societal fears and attempts to comment on difficult issues facing humanity in a way that both entertains and inspires thought/discussion.

At its core, Extant is mundane, something scifi should never be.

Family dinner in the Land of Beige.
(I'm amazed that uber-green salad made it to the table.)

The Chemistry Lottery

"Why do you always have to prove you're the Alpha male?"
"I don't have to prove anything love, I am the Alpha male!"

In Television Land, chemistry is a fickle thing. 

There are many sexy actors who smoulder (onscreen and off), but there's no guarantee personal charisma will automatically transform into great chemistry with another actor. Sometimes two actors just don't connect, no matter how lovingly they gaze at each other.

It's a weird phenomena that drives writers and EPs up the wall. Some production teams make the mistake of forcing a relationship because they feel mentally locked into a particular narrative, but truth is, chemistry-free pairings are bad for ratings.

(Side note: I consider this the difference between writing a tv show and a novel -  if the audience can't "see" any chemistry between an onscreen couple, let go of the storyline. Adapt, and follow the fireworks!)

The flipside of the no-chemistry coin is an actor with Universal Chemistry (capitals warranted). This is pretty interesting, and relatively rare. For those chasing a small screen career, having U.C. is like holding the elusive golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. 

To clarify, it's not about beauty (though that doesn't hurt), it's about an actor's ability to create the illusion of connection; to somehow make the audience see romantic potential between their character and whoever they happen to be sharing a scene with. Nobody knows how it's done, it's just an elusive element certain thespians "bring to the screen".

An actor who creates chemistry with almost any of their onscreen co-stars is the best gift a writing team can get. So many storylines that otherwise wouldn't be viable, are suddenly on the table. 

You can generally spot a U.C. actor by the diverse range of shipping videos they star in on youtube. (For those not in the know, "shipping" is the desire for two characters in a tv show to hook up.) 

A U.C. actor's character is usually "shipped" with everyone, from their onscreen best friend to the extra behind the coffee cart. They smile at someone, and suddenly the audience imagines a romance unfolding.

Here's half a dozen of the best examples of actors with Universal Chemistry currently on the small screen (and by best, I mean ones that have stuck in my mind):

Candice Accola, who plays Caroline in The Vampire Diaries

Caroline and Stefan, a long time coming.
(& no, that is NOT a pun.)

Followers of the show know Candice can sizzle with any co-star. From a bit part as the annoying small town mean girl, she quickly became a fan favourite, partly thanks to her universal chemistry.

Originally the character dated human footballer Matt, with fans wholeheartedly behind the sweet pairing. Then she formed a connection with werewolf Tyler, and audiences began to think this was a great idea instead. After Tyler, came Klaus, the oldest, most psychotic of vampires (a hated villain in the series), who suddenly seemed like boyfriend material.

Personally, I loved her with Klaus (the irredeemable bad boy thing), but now Caroline's spending a lot of (screen)time with... Stefan. Yes, the character whose soul mate love for Elana kickstarted the whole bloody show in the first place. And yet, Accola makes the idea feel believable, rather than a blasphemous 360 away from the show's premise.

Even the program's creators have admitted the actress creates chemistry left, right and centre, making Candice Accola the reigning queen of U.C. 

Here's one of her many touching onscreen moments with a co-star (or two):




Tyler Blackburn, who plays Caleb in Pretty Little Liars

Who knew computer hacking was such a saucy past time?

Tyler Blackburn's character was a committed boyfriend to Hannah on Pretty Little Liars, but any time he shares a screen with another actress, accidental sparks flare. His first few scenes on the show were actually with the character Emily. (I remember because I thought they seemed like a great potential couple, before recalling Emily's gay, and wondering how I could have forgotten that?)

The photo above is of Caleb and Spencer, a totally platonic afternoon of computer hacking that somehow became rife with sexual tension. Then there was a moment talking to Aria where even Aria's mum thought Caleb was her boyfriend. Oh, and the time the character bro-bonded with Tobey (ie getting their detective on), that had recappers suddenly envisioning Hannah's boyfriend and Spencer's boyfriend running off together...

Caleb even visited Hannah's mum in jail at one point, and managed to lace the emotional scene with unintended chemistry. (Seriously, how does this guy do it?!)

Blackburn's universal chemistry scored him his own spin-off show, Ravenswood (as set up in the scene below), but the premise sparked its own problems, and he's now back in the PLL's hood.




Alexander Skarsgard, who plays Eric in True Blood

Eric fantasies. A True Blood staple.

Firstly, the Skarsgard family are all such talents, it's no surprise Alexander's got the U.C. touch. Casting him as seductive vampire Eric was a stroke of genius. 

His character's scenes with Pam always sizzle in a weird way, while Eric's interactions with series lead Sooky are (of course) very seductive. Not forgetting the passive/aggressive sexual tension he brings to clashes with Bill. Even when sharing the screen with characters more than a little afraid of him (like Tara and Lafayette), there's still some sparkage. 

And do I really need to start listing male and female vamps who've smoked up the screen with Skarsgard's character? 

Because of the kind of show this is, the writers usually follow through and have Eric hook up with, let's face it, almost everyone (not really, but sometimes it feels like it!). Even Jason has erotic dreams about his sister's vampire ex.

In a way, Alexander Skarsgard's universal chemistry perfectly captures/channels the supernatural charisma of the character he's playing.




Ksenia Solo, who plays Kenzi in Lost Girl

Torn between two lovers?  Tango it out.
(That totally won't backfire.)

Ksenia Solo, aside from being a serious scene stealer on Lost Girl, also kind of messes with the relationships on the show the writers want you to "ship" by accidentally sizzling with almost everyone.

On a romantic level, the series revolves around bisexual character Bo, her male lover Dyson, and her female lover Lauren. Unfortunately, in an hallucination Bo imagines her straight friend Kenzi kissing Lauren, and fans noted the kiss had more chemistry than four years of the Lauren/Bo romance. (Oops.)

Last season everyone forgot Bo existed for a while (long story) and Dyson dated Kenzi for an episode. There was more sizzle between Kenzi and Dyson in those scenes than the whole Dyson/Bo relationship fans are supposed to "ship".

Basically, after a scene or two with anyone, Ksenia Solo makes the pairing seem like a perfect match. Her romantic relationships on the show, most notably with childhood crush Nate, and later with Hale, all had a true love vibe to them, thanks to the actor's U.C. powers.

(I chose this clip because, hey, it's kind of sweet.)



Eva Green, who plays Vanessa Ives in Penny Dreadful

Eva Green plays fragile and intense, just as
easily as she plays powerful and intense.
Frankly, her range is... intense.

Arguably, Eva Green as Vanessa uses sexual allure to manipulate the men in her sphere - it's how the character's written. What's notable is the way the actress can share just a gaze with a male character, and the audience is drawn into acknowledging the complex romantic possibilities present.

Vanessa began the series verbally sparring with the wounded and mysterious gunslinger Ethan Chandler, before flirting with the mysterious and erotically indulgent Dorian Gray. When she's with Sir Malcolm, it almost seems like shared history is enough to kickstart a complex romantic entanglement, while the way she understands Dr. Frankenstein's motivations highlights an odd potential there, too.

Eva Green has a fabulously intense onscreen presence, and when you throw universal chemistry in the mix, you have an actress who can make a character really come alive in the viewers' minds. (It's important to note she isn't a vapid love interest flung from one male character to the next - Vanessa's in control of each interaction.)

I went for a pretty safe sample here (since a lot of Penny Dreadful scenes are, let's face it, gore porn):



Nathan Fillion, who plays Richard Castle in Castle

Have we been married before?

Oh, Nathan Fillion. The undoubted King of Universal Chemistry (I know, there should be some kind of Game of Thrones pun here.)

What makes this man a master is how he channels the chemistry in any given scene - instead of seeing romantic potential, you're forced to envision the kind of emotional connection the writers/Nathan would prefer you to imagine. 

That's a handy talent.

Kudos, firstly, for the chemistry Fillion creates with Detective Beckett (possibly one of the dullest female characters on tv). Sparks with Beckett's best friend Laney are channelled into a harmless flirtation. Next up is the accidental chemistry with the actors who play his mother and daughter that he manages to keep familial, and the energy with the male cop characters that's determinedly held to a "buddy" vibe.

Fillion really is a consummate small screen performer.

Coming Up...

These twenty new tv shows are worth considering, although I'm not getting excited until at least the third episode mark (ie once they've survived the early cancellation round).

A couple of upcoming shows don't have easily accessible trailers yet, like iZombie (from the creator of Veronica Mars), Battle Creek (from the creator of Breaking Bad), and Messengers (since the CW gave us The 100, I'm looking on the network's scifi efforts favourably). So, not ignoring, just reluctant to comment without seeing at least thirty seconds of footage - regardless of the production team's pedigree or how good the series seems conceptually.

In no particular order:

1. Extant

Plot: An astronaut returns to Earth after a thirteen month solo mission to discover she's pregnant. Also, her husband made them a robot child while she was away... 
My reaction: Movie quality Spielberg entertainment. Conspiracies, complex family themes, probably aliens, all beautifully presented (editing, sound, brilliant actors, etc). CAN'T WAIT.
Cast: Mega-top notch. Halle Berry, Camryn Manheim, and Goran Visnjic, for starters.

2. Madam Secretary
Plot: Former CIA analyst becomes the Secretary of State, at the President's request.
My reaction: She's too... I don't know. Something in this trailer isn't clicking. I want to love it. Maybe the pilot will sell it better?
Cast: Glad to see Tea Leoni in a small screen leading role.

3. State of Affairs

Plot: CIA agent, who dated the president's son before his death, becomes said president's daily briefer.
My reaction: I'm in. I like Katherine Heigl and believe she deserves better than rom-coms. Story-wise, I can take some overly-dramatic/unrealistic moments in the name of good drama. 
Cast: Aside from Heigl, the wonderful Alfre Woodard. And Parker from Buffy! (Adam Kaufman's great).

4. The Leftovers
Plot: Two percent of the world's population mysteriously disappears, and those left aren't handling it well.

My reaction: Come on, it's HBO. That's enough of a reason to give this one a shot; in recent years the network's been hitting it out of the park. 
Cast: Includes Liv Tyler, and that blonde guy who's appeared in many relatively low grade teen shows (Secret Circle, 90210, Twisted, 10 Things I Hate About You). Glad to see he's graduated.

5. Scorpion

Plot: A bunch of geniuses start a company and end up, you know, sort of almost saving the world a lot.
My reaction: Still on the fence here. Could be fun, I love clever characters, but still, might go wrong. Requires cerebral writers, so let's hope the plots hold up.
Cast: The trailer just finished and I've already forgotten them. That's not a good sign, is it?

6. Gotham
Plot:  Focuses on the city of Gotham when Batman was still just a kid. 
My reaction: Oh, so very many fan boys and fan girls waiting for this one. I'm not really into Batman, but I'll see it so I can have a conversation with DC comic-loving friends.
Cast: Donal Logue and Ben McKenzie. Both solid talents.

7. The Flash
Plot: Scientist struck by lightning discovers he can now move superhumanly quickly. (I can't believe I just made The Flash sound so boring!).
My reaction: Superhero shows are fun and they obviously tap into something in the modern psyche (I mean, the number of youtube views on this trailer alone is wild).
Cast: Mostly young and pretty (because hello, this is the CW).

8. Manhattan
Plot: Scientists in New Mexico rush to build the first atomic bomb.
My reaction: Strange that a show about atomic bomb testing somehow seems so poetic and kind of beautiful. Heard some good things, can't wait to view.
Cast: I saw Olivia Williams (most under-rated modern actress) in a promo shot. Not sure how many episodes she's in, but those are the ones I'll be watching!

9. Halt and Catch Fire
Plot: It's the eighties and the computer revolution is happening, man. Or something like that.
My reaction: The energy of this one catches me. Maybe it's just a great trailer, but I don't think that's all it is. Can't wait to watch the pilot, I'm really curious.
Cast: Relative unknowns albeit with extremely cool bios.

10. Outlander
Plot: A married nurse from 1945 is thrown back in time to the 1700s (and also forced to marry).
My reaction: Interested to see if this will work because there's a whole heap of women-oriented time travel fiction out there, basically a (pretty much) untapped market cinematically.
Cast: Generally relative unknowns who look like they're doing a good, possibly great, job.

11. The Whispers
Plot: Imaginary friends turn out to be aliens getting kids to do bad stuff that will help the invisible invaders take over the world (well, I'm guessing that's the end game?).
My reaction: This idea is so fabulous I am angry at myself for a) not thinking of it first and b) not pitching it first. Definitely the kind of scifi I like. 
Cast: Total fan of Autumn Reeser (fantastic in Last Resort), but it kind of looks like she dies in the pilot?? Hopefully not! 

12. Legends
Plot: An undercover operative is having some identity issues. I sense multiple conspiracies! Good times.
My reaction: Glad to see Sean Bean starring in a series. Not only because he's a fantastic talent, but because, theoretically, it should make it harder to kill him off again. Right? RIGHT?
Cast: Ned Stark.

13. The Last Ship
Plot: A virus has wiped out most of the earth's population, but this lot look like they may have found the key to the cure.
My reaction: Michael Bay executive produces (which pretty much means nothing to me). I've listed the series because there are a number of great actors in the mix. Combined, they could probably make a commercial appear deep. Ocean deep. (Yes, I went there.)
Cast: Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra, Adam Baldwin? I want on that boat!

14. Forever

Plot: A kooky medical examiner who can't die works on cases with a widowed no-nonsense cop.

My reaction: Let's face it, Castle isn't going to last forever. This is in the Castle mould (albeit with a supernatural twist), but I think the ABC knows how to make this style of odd couple procedural work.

Cast: Ioan Gruffudd and Alana De La Garza. Solid leads.

15. Secrets and Lies
Plot: A guy who finds the body of a neighbour's kid while jogging becomes the lead suspect in the murder.
My reaction: This is a remake of an Aussie series, but it looks way better than the Down Under effort. I don't watch (that many) procedurals, but this looks fab.
Cast: Juliette Lewis and Ryane Phillippe face off. Both under-appreciated. Should be brilliant.

16. Gracepoint

Plot: A small town is shaken when a boy is murdered and (almost) everyone becomes a possible suspect.

My reaction: A remake of the British show, but in this case, I think the Brits probably did it better. 

Cast: At least they were smart enough to import David Tennant. 

17. Crossbones

Plot: The high sea adventures of legendary pilot Blackbeard in the 1700s.

My reaction: True, pirates aren't doing so well on the small screen of late, but when in doubt, it helps to cast one of the greatest actors alive today.

Cast: Hello, John Malkovich Being John Malk- no, wait, he's being Blackbeard. Whatever, I'm in.

18. Constantine

Plot: The Hellblazer character Constantine is brought to the small screen.

My reaction: I'm having visions of cancellation. Flashback to The Dresden Files, ie great source material made into a show that just isn't translating well to television.

Cast: No one I find inspiring, frankly. (Wondering why I've included this? A combination of optimism and peer pressure.)

19. The Knick

Plot: A hospital drama, but this one's set in the early 1900s at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital.

My reaction: Am guessing Steven Soderbergh finds medical advancement in the early 1900s extremely interesting, and this is probably very good, but I don't think my stomach could take it. 

Cast: Clive Owen, because when you're Steven Soderbergh, you aim high.

20. The Strain
Plot: A doctor at the New York Centre For Disease Control has to combat the spread of a virus whose symptoms look familiar... (Apparently these vampire types are NOT pretty.)
My reaction: No real trailer yet, so I'm breaking my own rules, but come on, Guillermo del Toro, people. 
Cast: Some creepy, very good actors like David Bradley and Nikolai Witschl.

The 100

Why this teen-oriented drama from the CW network is the scifi surprise of the season.

The CW network as been dipping its toes into the (futuristic genre) pool with The Tomorrow People and Star-Crossed, both of which, in different ways, have failed to live up to their basic premises (another blog for another day). Third time's a charm, however, with The 100 proving it's got the scifi chops to last the distance.

Just to clarify, everyone reall-y wants to get off this thing.

The tagline for the show is "Survival isn't who you are. It's who you become" which nicely sums it up. The cast includes Richard Harmon (Continuum), Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Paige Turco (Person of Interest), Australian actors Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley (because Aussies are awesome, although I might be biased), and Thomas McDonell, who played the young version of Johnny Depp's character Barnaby Collins in Dark Shadows.

Aw, let's enjoy the shiny, happy moments inbetween the violence.
You know, all three seconds of them.

To give the briefest of summaries, The 100 is set almost a hundred years after a nuclear apocalypse. Upside, humanity survived, the remnants living on a space station. Down side, air's running out unexpectedly. A hundred juvenile delinquents are jettisoned down to Earth a century or so before the planet's expected to be habitable, just to test the waters. Sounds cruel, but is actually preferable to being "floated", the favoured form of future corporal punishment on the station that sees the accused jettisoned into space.

The 100, 99, 98... would probably be a better title since characters have been dropping like flies (yes, this is a ham-fisted Lord of the Flies reference, in case you were wondering). Death's been a recurring theme on this program. It aint Disney, that's for sure. By episodes five and six I was starting to get fatality fatigue, partly because the deaths are used for maximum emotional and narrative punch. This is some nice writing, notable due to the repercussion attached to each incident (even those that occurred pre-show).

Seriously, these kids aren't messing around.

There's been a backlash against teen-focused television drama in recent times, probably as a result of a slight prime time saturation. Personally, I can see the allure of teen characters in terms of narrative. Teenagers are often volatile, impulsive, unpredictable, and these are all helpful traits when trying to create believable dramatic scenarios.

Teens are also at a point in life when they're in flux/deciding their place in the world, a set-up that offers a lot more scope for adventure than a settled married character might believably pursue. Obviously exceptions exist, but I think in general there's more avenue for immediate chaos in a teenage character's experience of the everyday world than the average adults.

You'd look tired too if you'd copped a spear through the chest.

A kind of emotional honesty is also at play since an element of innocence is still present. In summary, I don't discriminate against teen television because I feel scoffing at teen characters is perilously close to scoffing at science fiction as a genre; both practices embody tired attitudes and lame attempts at ennui that are, frankly, just embarrassing.

I'm also a fan of programs that work within a specific set of guidelines. It's one thing to celebrate and enjoy shows from cable stations (here's looking at you Game of Thrones and True Detective) that are allowed a creative freedom I'm sure is giddy for the writers, but it's another to appreciate the work of writers who are keeping to specific network requests, classification requirements, and time constraints.

A doctor and a mechanic. The female role models are pretty solid.

The 100 is suitably dark for a post-apocalyptic program, aside from some restraint due to timeslot and budget. I've very much enjoy seeing how this is handled because (to reiterate), it takes a certain skill to work within very particular boundaries. 

On a side note, I'm also not a fan of predictive science - I've seen many critiques of the conditions on Earth post-apocalypse, notably the resulting mutations in the show, and honestly, I'm fine with a guess, even a (probably) inaccurate one. Let the storytelling breath, people!

A good time in history to consider vegetarianism.

I find it kind of hilarious how many people complain about the way the teenage characters act on Earth. One thing audiences always seem to underestimate is how individuals react to high pressure, unfamiliar situations. Incredible stupid decisions seem par for the course in this scenario. I'm enjoying watching The 100 discover the downfalls of a lawless society, or the dangers of large water bodies, even the unexpected alliances and yes, romances. (Hey, if you could die any day, why not?) And let's not forget they're the product of an insular society with a very different ideology. In summary, cut the storytellers some slack.

Octavia grew up under the floorboards (the space station version of them) due to a one child policy on The Ark which her mother was executed for breaking. Unfortunately life on Earth's proving no Sound of Music experience either.

Technically, I really like the way it's edited together and some of the shots are beautiful. The forest location is stunning. The special effects are good quality, especially for a program on a smaller network. Occasionally the modern tracks of music super-imposed over scenes can be jarring, and the teens are slightly too clean, but that's more an (arguably) necessary side effect of commercialisation, especially since I'm guessing product placements proving problematic.

It's not a party without a budding sociopath, am I right?

Tension rises every episode, especially when the air on The Ark (that's the name of the space station) begins to run out a lot faster than expected. If the deaths on the ground got to you, wait for the cullings in space. The 100 isn't holding back any punches as the season unfolds. I'd originally heard episodes 5 and 6 are harsh, but apparently toward the end of the season the intensity picks up. (At this point, that sounds difficult to imagine.)

To clarify, the story splits between two narratives - the one on The Ark, and the one on the ground. Both scenarios involve power struggles that will impact a lot of lives. It also means the show splits between the teen-focused storylines on the ground and the adult storylines in space.

Abby finds it tough to trust Kane. Possibly because he's tried to execute her twice, and also maybe because he executed her husband, then imprisoned her daughter (but hey, I'm just making wild guesses here).

Mostly I'm enjoying The 100 because it's displaying narrative elements that embody the best kind of science fiction; the structure of possible future societies explored, ethical grey areas examined, the (often unexpected) repercussions of both noble decisions and selfish needs addressed. Basically humanities greatest traits, and its most deplorable ones, put under a microscope.

This scene is chilling.

You can't really ask much more of a television program. I'm definitely entertained, and in for the whole season. Fingers crossed it gets a second outing x