Expectation Vs. Reality: Why ‘The 100’ Has Become a Trailblazer for Normalization
The media is full of junk. Programs that are intended to destroy our minds, belittle our intelligence and alienate those who watch it each week. There are shows that mock, shows that spread hate, shows that are written to alienate the people who dedicate their time and energy to it, so we pose this question to them “What’s the point?” Why spend countless hours creating this content, when it contributes little to nothing to society. Now, sure, there’s mindless entertainment and sometimes you need a little of that in your life, but that’s not what we’re talking about right now. We have to believe there are still people married to the idea of making good TV. There are a handful of shows who break the mold, that are constantly navigating the murky waters of this business and when you find a show such as The 100, that obliterates all of these entertainment faux pas, it’s like a breath of fresh air in a wasteland of pollution.
We’re proud to be fans of The 100, not only because it features talented cast members, riveting storylines, and a writing team just as passionate, if not more than we are, but because it sheds light on the normalization of diverse groups in a society that has seemingly lost its way. They’re not only encouraging the network to accept that it’s okay to cast diverse actors, but it’s okay to create characters that are special in their own way; yet not have their storylines revolve around what makes them unique. They just are. They are encouraging the audience to realize that it’s normal to have characters that feel like home because they look like them and identify with their trials and tribulations. This is no small feat and is an extremely significant mission the show has accomplished and continues to tackle as the seasons progress– the importance of The 100 is so much more than what’s on the surface, and we offer the whole production kudos for their achievements.
Now onto the nitty and the gritty…
Normalizing Diversity
From the first moment we laid eyes on The 100, we have praised the show for the amazing job it does when it comes to representation on television. It’s been refreshing, how much visibility it has given us and keeps on giving us. But more than singing its praise, we are constantly seeing that engagement with the writing team is at an all-time high. Social media is a beauty (and a bitch sometimes) isn’t it? The majority of the audience of this series is not only enjoying the show but are sending thanks to Creator/Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg and rest of the incredible team for finally giving them role models that they can look up. We know this thought process sounds crazy, considering the nature of The 100— post apocalypse where leaders are forced to massacre hundreds in order to survive, and try to remain unaffected by their actions. Tall order, huh? The characters are flawed, we will give you that, but that’s what makes them so special, that’s what allows the audience to relate so wholeheartedly to them. The relationships they’ve built, platonically or romantically within the show are universal, and we thank those who made it possible to portray such complicated dynamics that at times, seems to feel almost as real as our own lives.
In The 100, every connection between the characters that we see is extremely relevant to the viewers for many different reasons. The depth of loyalty, love and respect found in the friendship between Bellamy and Clarke is gratifying, and one that is constantly evolving. The sort of strained yet healing relationship between Abby and Clarke hits very close to home for many. The complicated yet fierce love always present whenever Octavia and Bellamy go the necessary lengths to protect each other is remarkable. The undeniable support and understanding between Clarke and Lexa, two forthcoming and resilient leaders that are burdened with such a weight on their shoulders, one couldn’t possibly comprehend, have provided us with a force that inspires every single viewer to persevere and perhaps even pursue their dreams. The way these characters connect with each other strongly resonates with the audience because, at the end of the day, those are the kind of bumpy yet gratifying relationships that we encounter in our everyday life.
The fact that no encounter is overly romanticized and that no mistake is easily forgiven makes the show stand out, as well. Who else is doing that on TV today? No one. All these characters are deeply layered; they are extremely complex individuals and they make human mistakes. Their grey morality is alluring, and their different perspectives when approaching any issue is what makes them controversial, but definitely not unimportant. Seeing Clarke Griffin, the lead female character of the show not being defined by her sexuality is just as unprecedented as seeing Raven, a strong female character that wrestles with her own disability, but who against all odds refuses to succumb to societies erroneous labels. This can be said for Octavia as well, who we witnessed come into her birthright and become a great warrior on the ground and one of the strongest women to look up to on the series. Aren’t we all struggling to find who we are and where we belong? And doesn’t it feel a little less lonely knowing that a show we choose to escape life with can champion us through these dark times? The 100 does an unfathomably spectacular job when it comes to representation, but more than that, they are pioneers when it comes to normalizing diversity on the small screen.
People should be able to see themselves represented on TV and have it not be considered revolutionary. It’s about damn time. We have reached an era in our society where a huge part of the audience that enjoys entertainment should be able to see a character or couple that portrays them and have it be a normal experience because these characters and these couples are as common on TV as they are in our reality. Clarke is bisexual, Monty is Asian, Raven has a disability, Jaha is black, Lexa is a lesbian, Lincoln and Octavia are a biracial couple… aside from its incredible writing, these are some of the very important aspects that help define this show and each aspect matters. They really do.
Clarke and Lexa’s pairing has lent a helping hand to normalize television. Who would have thought in 2016 we would even need to be discussing sexuality, but the truth is it’s still not mainstream. Queer couples are common in real life and people should be able to see themselves on TV and not have it be revolutionary or glamorized. It’s real life. What do you mean it’s ground-breaking? But with that said, we must keep in mind that the idea of wanting to see yourself represented and having your fantasies satiated are two different things, though. But more on that later.
The Importance of Clarke and Lexa’s Relationship
A crucial storyline transpiring in season 3 has revolved around events involving Clarke and Lexa in Polis, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about its exploration. The relationship between these two women has impacted many viewers, and garnered attention from critics, in a very positive way. Simply: they are making history, on and off-screen. And we’re not only talking about girl on girl love, we’re talking about bringing the grounders and sky people together and finally putting an end to this war. We hope, anyway. They are two strong, fierce and independent women that are working together, despite their differences in order to build peace in a world that knows nothing but violence. But they are also two incredible women that slowly fell for each other and that are currently navigating through the debris of the wreckage caused by Lexa’s betrayal in the season 2 finale. Talk about extreme relationship building. The “Clexa” ship, as the fandom has dubbed them, is as remarkable to the show as it is to the viewers. The chemistry, although seemingly subtle at first between these characters is explosive, real and flawed; not to mention has given Eliza Taylor and Alycia Debnam-Carey the freedom to exhibit their sheer talent on-screen.
Clarke and Lexa matter a great deal to the audience because their journey to healing has been nothing short of heartwarming and because they are one of the very few queer couples that are treated with the kind of respect that the community deserves; but mostly, Clexa is important because, for the viewers, it means something to them.
We asked a handful (or two) of The 100 fans to reply to a tweet: “why is Clexa important to you?” and their responses made us swell with joy. Seeing so many young girls and boys, and those of all ages thankful for being exposed to a show that understands and promotes representation as flawlessly as The 100 does, now that’s noteworthy. Here are some of the answers that were submitted:
The idea of these two finding love within each other is a sore subject for half of The 100 fandom, but we respectfully challenge any Bellarker reading this article to stick with us, we only aim to neutralize this feud that has been going on for far too long in an atmosphere that should be full of understanding, support and hardcore fangirling. Come on, how amazing is this show? We can agree that it’s the bomb dot com. Of course there are many valid points that go against the pairing of Clarke and Lexa on The 100, they have definitely had their ups and downs– almost lovers wrapped up in betrayal, politics, murder and overall madness in a war that when you really think about it, pre-dates their existence. But despite their history, these two have an attraction that no one can deny. They are much more alike than many of us choose to acknowledge and their relationship, no matter how volatile you may perceive it to be, is important. For the storyline, for the people who watch the show, and for the way entertainment evolves as time goes on.
We could sit here and argue for the next 17 pages that Clarke and Lexa are not the only ‘ship on The 100 that have succumbed to ‘abusive’ tendencies. Kane sentenced Abby to death on more than one occasion, he ordered the guard to lash her for her disobedience within Camp Jaha, yet many of you still root for these two, don’t question their motives or manipulative tactics and are overall eager for their upcoming lip lock as the season 3 trailer suggests. To hold these characters to a different set of standards than Clarke and Lexa is blatant prejudice.
Do you not want to live in a world where girls can rule armies and love each other while doing it? And if not, then what are we teaching our youth. What are we teaching ourselves? Just because we don’t see ourselves in Bellamy, doesn’t mean that the impression he’s left on us as a viewer is any less impactful. To say Raven’s pain is not our own because we are not confined to a leg brace or the loss of family and loved ones is completely close-minded. That brings us to our final chapter in this trilogy of realization…
Expectation Vs. Reality
Expectations can be deadly. Especially when you mix an extremely passionate fan base with a show they love. We all cling to a reality of seeing OUR story up on the small screen, that we often forget that the writers have a story of their own to tell. In the case of The 100, this struggle between the two becomes all too real, where the audience is driven to demand an endgame that might not be in the cards long term no matter how ground-breaking, normalizing or innovative it may be. Shipping wars solve nothing. They only divide us as a fandom and serve no real purpose. Now, shipping aside, a great example of presenting real internal conflict to the viewers would be the Pike and Bellamy storyline. Fans of Bellamy were outraged to find that their reformed delinquent sided with such a monster and aided in the massacre of 300 warriors sent there to protect the people of Arkadia. Some say he was out of character, some say his actions are justified because of what he’s been through over the course of three seasons… we say this storyline has just begun– we are not jumping to conclusions and launching spears at the writers for “breaking our hearts” when we have no clue how this will play out. Don’t the writers deserve a chance to explain themselves, to give them our time, attention and patience in order for them to show us what drove these characters to do the things that they do?
Now, it’s naive to say that it’s unrealistic to have any type of expectations while watching The 100, sure, we’d love for Clarke and Lexa to ride happily into the sunset with a satchel full of candles in tow and a stack of books to curl up to on those long chilling evenings– but will that happen? Should that happen? Probably not. Where’s the conflict? Where’s the angst? And where’s the fun in happy endings? Of course, we want what we haven’t seen on TV, to see ourselves in someone, or something on-screen, that perhaps we’ve been longing for. That representation is so important to us all and there will always be a part of us that wants to be validated in who we are and the life we’re living. But it’s not The 100’s job to bear the weight of a distressed world on their shoulders. It’s their job to entertain us, and they’re doing a damn fine job of that already.
TV should not be fan service. The 100 has never been nor will it ever be fan service, and the writers aren’t pushing their own agenda as many fellow critics suggest. To say that would be a slap in the face to Jason Rothenberg and the rest of the team for all the hard work they put into this series. They are not pandering to the audience, they are not sinking your ship for shits and giggles. Much like The 100, entertainment is ruthless and they’re expected to concoct the best, often outrageously amazing content in order to keep the audience enthralled and fending for their next fix. An action this show is all too well at doing. Most of us are adults here, and throwing a toddler-sized tantrum when things don’t pan out the way we hoped they would, doesn’t get you anywhere. Perhaps blocked. But you sure as hell aren’t going to get your way by insulting the staff. We are at the mercy of the writing team– and thank goodness for that. Who would want to deal with the constant badgering and questioning of every little decision you make when writing a show… talk about pressure! But The 100 does an exceptional job of balancing expectation vs. reality and maybe other shows should take a page (or two) out of their notebooks.
Remember this: When you threaten to boycott a program just because you haven’t gotten your way, it only hurts the show, and, in turn, yourself because you care so deeply about said show. So what, two characters didn’t get together this season, so what if a character you love did something you might not agree with, there’s an overall story being told and we get snippets of it each week. If/when Bellamy and Clarke have their moment of passion, we will still be here watching. Cheering on the writers for evoking emotion and igniting something in us that we never knew we could tap into. They’re making us feel something, isn’t that the point? We’ve entrusted our time to the writers, let’s give them the opportunity to tell the story as it was intended. The writing team isn’t the enemy. We are our own worst enemies and there’s not point in being divided when our common goal is the longevity of seeing “our people” on screen. The people of The 100. Think about that the next time you start a war you don’t know how to end. Ditch those pesky expectations, the ride is much more pleasant without the squabbles of “are we there yet?”
42 comments
Can’t thank you enough for verbalising so eloquently these thoughts that have haunted me for weeks. I know that the producers and rest of the team are wise enough to blur out of their Twitter timelime the few but very loud fans that have completely lost perspective, respect and empathy and hear you and the rest of us who, despite shipping Clexa or whomever, are here (have always been and will be) for the amazing ride that is The 100
I agree with some things. For example, I totally agree that ship wars are utterly ridiculous and people need to just take Jaha´s chill pill.
What I don´t agree or perhaps understand your point, is when you say Clarke and Lexa should not end up together. Why shouldn’t we hope, want and root for two female main characters – for the first time in decades of the lesbian death trope and other similar horrible ends-, to finally end up together when the credits finally roll during the series finale? Are we so used to never, ever getting to see a queer female end up together, that we should just not even dare to hope?
But most importantly (and not because they’re queer) if that is the couple that is being written and all the building blocks set as if they are each other’s equal, ying-yang complement, something no other character is even in the same league in with them. Other pairing, all straight, even in shows where half the population is dying all the time and are not about romance, when it’s set up that way, we expect them to have a chance to make it to the end eventually. Why is it because it’s a girl-girl one we immediately are told we should not expect it to, it´s never meant to be. We are not meant to even get happy endings. Stuff like this depresses me to be honest.
And more so than anything, continuing to add to the unnecessary war taking about something that isn´t canon, that hasn´t been built as leading to something canon textually or subtextually, and that character wise doesn´t make sense because the characters are far from equal and would be not terribly fair to Clarke.
Why do we get all other canon couples without any problems in terms of their coverage and writers talking about them (Linctavia, Kabby, Memori, etc.) and they aren’t constantly called into question because of an imaginary ship. There are people who ship Raven and Octavia, for example, and you don´t see every single article calling Linctavia into question and almost predicting their eventual demise because Octaven is a thing in some people´s mind.
Another thing, and I will wager my money on this, the amount of people that want Clarke and Lexa are for the first time in the overwhelming majority of the fandom, for the first time. Every single poll, especially the big ones that can´t be cheated, and that go not into the few hundred, but millions (zimbio, E!, etc.) are pretty clear about that. It´s not the ”other half´´ of the fandom, it{s for the first time a very small minority. And that is part of what is so revolutionary about the whole thing.
I know your intentions were good, but really, this type of narrative makes me more sad than anything.
You said everything I wanted to say! thanks!!! I hope that the writers and all the fandom read this.
Yes, agree 100%! I think one part of the problem is that there is still some part of the media/bloggers that give equal treatment to “Clexa” and “Bellarke” when is clear that there is only one story the show is telling us right now (at least for now). These two relationships don’t have the same weight and cannot be treated equally. If Bellamy and Clarke were together romantically the possible relationship between Clarke and Lexa would NEVER get the same attention. Heteronormativity is still alive and well.
I also don’t see why we shouldn’t dream of Clarke and Lexa staying together up until the end. Why not, really? How many shows finish its run without the main couple together? Yes, The 100 has always been a brutal show, but it is also been a show about hope and sacrifice and being able to do what’s best for the greater good. If I invest years and years of my time in a TV show I hope the characters will end the journey with some sort of positive closure. Happy endings are fun too, it’s the middle that should be dramatic and full of angst. The show doesn’t need to end with Clarke and Lexa getting married and having children, that’s not what happy endings are. As a member of the LGBT community, everything I hope is to be treated equally and to be able to dream about my favorite characters staying together in the end is part of that too.
I think it was a good intention to write a more analytical article on The 100, a void that has been gaping ever since the 2 analyses (the one on ethics and AI, the other on the Roan and Lexa fight) have stopped so I appreciate going for a more different angle in terms of looking at The 100, rather than the site’s frankly mediocre reviews (they’re too long and boring) and horribly biased roundtable discussions. Unfortunately for the fanbase of the 100, rabid fans have taken over in ship wars anyway, sending all sorts of abusive text on twitter and tumblr – from both ‘bellarke’ and ‘clexa’ sides of things. Both sides are just as immature as the other. As for the content of the article – I completely understand what you’re trying to get across, message-wise, but for me it just wasn’t necessary. The 100 is not the only show that normalizes homosexuality, racial discrimination etc.
However, as producer Jason Rothenberg likes to think killing 300 innocent grounders in their sleep isn’t genocide (see his interview with Variety) then I seriously worry for the actual intelligence of him and his writers’ room.
What they’ve done this season is nothing revolutionary or special, and nothing that hasn’t been done before but they’re so self-congratulatory it’s actually embarrassing. Rothenberg in particular acts like a child on social media. As for your 2 paragraphs, I’m a Clexa stan first and foremost but from the first paragraph I was expecting some analytical content. As I delved deeper it just turned into a shipper swansong. I appreciate that you tried to analyze the show but unfortunately it fell short for me. I also appreciate what you tried to do in trying to calm down an immature and petty fanbase, on all platforms. But deeper analysis of the show is probably what this website needs. The best one I’ve read on this website is probably for The 100 actually, it was something to do with Civil war, AI and ethics. That was actual analysis
Good effort though.
Is this supposed to be an analytical article or a shipper article? I see a huge amount of bias (let me note I’m a Clexa fan) and yet I have not read a single analysis on The 100 (bar two) that are truly impartial. The writing style is passable but even though this article is concise, you waffle on about nothing at all – nothing of substance. The idea that The 100 is the only show out there who is giving good LGBT representation baffles me and quite frankly offends me. It’s absolutely untrue, and a total suck-up to the mediocre writers (of which include Mr. Rothenberg.) This article deviates so far from analysis that it is truly a shipper article and it almost seems like you’re trying to preach the message of “oh, have peace among the fandom” when that, sadly, will not happen. and this article will do nothing to change that. However despite the preachiness of the article I will excuse that to only criticize the lack of impartiality on this article. You say that this show is not about shipping and that’s not the point, and then you delve and drift off into Clexa shipping (which I’m a fan of, but that’s not the point of this “analysis”). In fact I don’t think I can call this an analysis at all. It’s better than the reviews on here, but it’s not better than the actual analytical content on Talk Nerdy With Us.
If you are indeed a fan of the show, I don’t understand your need to insult the writers of the show. If they are mediocre, as you say, why continue watching?
As for your comment about this article being biased is something I see being said every time someone writes about Clarke and Lexa. But that makes no real sense. Being impartial or more specifically being biased presupposes there are two sides, or in this case, two relationships, and that the writers or reviewers are playing favorites with one over the other. The are no two sides here, only one. The relationship that is being written into existence. A relationship that the writers and reviewers have to talk about because it’s the one on screen, it’s the story being told. That is not bias, that is the objective reality.
It would be different if say the Raven-Clarke-Finn were still a thing (thank the lord the love triangle has been killed). If the writers or reviewers kept championing one over the other, then that would be bias. In this case, there in only one. So where is the bias in that?
And bellrks can try to insist that B and C should be together, but until and only if that happens ON screen, then 2 sides would exist. Until then, wishful thinking is just that. And the writers, reviewers, producers shouldn’t constantly have to be bending backwards to appease a group of a thing that is not in writing, and justifying why they are talking about the story they are telling right now. It’s crazy. And frankly really sad. For two seasons and a bit, I have stayed completely out of ship wars, ignoring everything and just watching and being content, but this has reached a point of ridiculousness. Having to be non-committal, apologetic and justify yourself every time they want to talk about the love story they’re telling is bananas and has to stop.
Can you imagine this in the context of any other series or movie? A movie director not being able to say he’s for Clark Kent and Lois Lane, because a crazy group of fans ships Lois and Jimmy Olsen, and he doesn’t want to seem biased and gets constantly attacked. There is no bias if Clark and Lois is the canon love story. See how ludicrous that sounds? It’s exactly the same thing. This whole thing has gotten out of control.
Stands up and applauds.
How can there be ‘shipper bias’ in any article/review/comment by the creative team, when there is, in fact, only one story being canonically told?
I suggest you read some actual analysis before trying to form an analytical article on The 100. This was ridden with shipper bias and the writing style is very sub-par. “Who else is doing that on TV today? No one.” Not true. OINTB, PoI, JTV, Brooklyn 99, Empire (who do a much better job with racial stereotypes), they all do good jobs. To claim that The 100 – a medium quality show at best- is the ONLY one to have representation is embarrassing and ridiculous. You may be surprised but The 100 is not the ONLY show who also depicts disability and PTSD in a good light, either. The 100 is not the only show normalizing homosexuality and disability on television. To make such a broad claim is ridiculous.
As a Clexa stan i was pleased to see focus on their relationship, then immediately displeased that the analysis had turned into shippery nonsense I’ve read a hundred times before on Tumblr. This is supposed to be a critical outlook of the show and it’s dissolved into such a mess.”They are not pandering to the audience” – Jason regularly panders to the audience on his Twitter.
The only thing I agree with on this article is boycotting the show is stupid. To watch The 100 based on ships is ridiculous – The 100, for all its flaws and its amateur writing, is not about the ships. Unfortunately its demography doesn’t understand that.
Dude.. OINTB has not handled Queer relationships very well at all. They are there, for sure, but far from normalized, and there isn’t a healthy relationship in the mix. Not to mention leaving Alex Lesbian Vause fate hang in the balance for over a year?
POI is headed in that direction, but that relationship is not cannon and hasn’t had a chance to depict what being in a queer relationship is. I have high hopes for them, but right now they’ve only shared a very quick kiss and yet again.. fate hanging in the balance.
And didn’t JTV just kill off half of the lesbian ship? Like seriously. I’m about to have a complex.. I find a girl who I like, we get together and then.. I die or almost die? Sheesh. Haven’t watched brooklynn 99, or Empire so I can talk about them.
But the 100 is making huge strides for representation. Not in just having a handful of gay characters, but where those characters are not at all defined by their sexuality. And they have something other than their gayness to talk about on screen. Also, the only show that has, young queer people in positions of leadership. Also, one of the few shows who has POC in positions of leaders, and women POC in positions of leadership. Can you really dismiss all of that?
[Spoilers] I’d have to sort of partially disagree with you there. i don’t watch Jane the Virgin nor OITNB so I can’t comment on that. Shaw and Root have always been canon – they moved way beyond subtext when they kissed and they’ve always alluded quite openly and candidly about their sex lives. That’s being normalised, because why shouldn’t women be allowed to talk about their sex lives? And this is all in the presence of a team who are supportive and don’t blink an eye. In “Prophets”, Harold claims he already knows Root loves her. In the end of the same episode you can see the devastation on Shaw’s face when she realises Root might be dead. Fate’s not in the balance. In the immediate ep after, Shaw’s shown alive, Shaw’s guaranteed for about 9 episodes in season 5, Sarah shahi claims its an absolutely romantic return, the producers are all behind it, Nolan says he’s said he’s invested since the beginning, Amy and Sarah say its not just a fling, that their hearts are in this…etc etc. So I’d have to disagree with the POI comment there. Plus the POC representation on that show is great as well. This is coming from… a POC myself, I guess. Shaw’s Persian and it’s normalised; her and Root aren’t leaders of a massive army but they lead their own missions when they have to. There are episodes around racial profiling and prejudice and discrimination; Finch is disabled, Shaw’s got an Axis II personality disorder and Root’s half-deaf. It’s pretty damn good for representation.
As for the B99 and Empire comparisons on the other posts – I’d agree completely. B99 has a gay Captain of the precinct who is black and it’s totally normal. It has two 2 hispanic detectives who are amazing. In Empire, the show is literally run by POCs and one of them has bipolar disorder, which is sensitively and heartbreakingly portrayed in the show. So The 100 isn’t the only show making strides in that area.
But all in all, great article Mckenzie, well done 🙂 The notion of shipper wars on twitter got so vicious to a point where I just unfollowed and blocked and muted so many people. It actually just drove me away from The 100 fandom there so thanks for this post. I won’t comment on the complaints about bias and stuff but I think this post was much needed in terms of ridiculing the ship wars (c’mon, if you’re watching The 100 for a ship, then…I feel so bad for you) . Thanks Mckenzie. 🙂
I can’t talk about Empire, JTV or B99 because I don’t see them. OITNB cannot set an example, and you justified very well, there is diversity in the cast, it’s a great show, but in this case, is not a good example. No doubt that Person of Interest serves to compare with The 100. Definitely Shaw and Root are two badass characters and filrt/possible romance between two women is well guided by the writers as something normal, but we don’t even know if it’s happening or not, and given the ambiguity of the plot of the show, I can’t imagine that happening go give great prominence to the normal relationship between two women (and being completely fair The 100 is also not). The problem is that The 100 is a show with a younger audience (and I’m not saying as being something negative) which leads to these shippers wars and obviously the creator doesn’t want to leave anybody out, and in an attempt to please everyone, does not exclude a possible Clarke/Bellamy.
The point is that Clexa it’s happening, we don’t know the outcome but so far is going very well conducted … sexual orientation is not a problem … because it does not have to be.
Is this article for real? are you claiming that this is an impartial look on the 100, maybe even an analysis if we’re reaching, and then you delve into shippery content?
Dear TNWU, you really need to get some non-biased writers on board here. This article was not critically analyzing anything at all – if anything it was just “spreading a unifying message of lurve” among the fandom when that is hugely naive. I also disliked the notion that the writer seemed to think that The 100 is the only show that represents disability and homosexuality and race in a favorable way, considering many, many shows to that and normalize it. The 100 is not new in that aspect, but it is new in congratulating itself in that aspect.
I don’t feel like I’ve just read an impartial analysis. I just feel like I’ve been, as above have mentioned, preached to. This article was so condescending I wanted to roll my eyes several times. The very fact that you stated that it wasn’t all about the shipping and as soon as Clarke and Lexa’s relationship was brought up, you couldn’t even keep that impartial – instead you wandered off into shipper-land, and that’s not impartiality at all. Wow. TNWU, do better than this please, it’s getting embarrassing.
Those who want Bellarke so bad they can read the Kass books or is if they need a m/f lead relationship they can what latterly any other show on Network TV. Let Clexa have The 100 TV Series.
they can watch literally*
yes, let us have at least one ff ship that is not secondary in a show, how it always is.
exemple: some people that watch once upon a time ship swanqueen soo hard, but it ll happen? no… that people are angry at the show or saying the show is endend because of it? no. there are so so so many ff ships that dont become true. one that is getting attention rn is amberle/eretria from the shannara chronicles. we ship it so hard and we want it to happen so much. it is happening? no. eretria is bisexual and she had sex with will. and she started to flirt with amberle, but nothing happened, just a flirt scene. and in tbe next episode amberle was kissing will and they almost had sex. people that ship amberle/eretria (princess rover) keep watching the show, they dont make wars, we just keep rooting and writing and reading fanfics. many that ship princess rover ship clexa. why there is only war in the 100 fandom? its not clexas that are doing it, its bellarkes, they r always saying bad things and even homophobic things to us, we just cant keep quiet when we listen some kind of things… people always think that the m/f ship is better, they dont accept that a ff ship with a main character bisexual woman can be endgame not only once… people who ship f/f couples and that want to see them being represented almost never gets what they want and when it seems like we finally are getting what we want, when finally we get some respect it appears people that dont respect it and want to take it from us. not fair. want bellarke? read the books! want a m/f cute romantic couple with 2 main characters that one os a bad boy that changes because of a the other main character girl, then u have many options. why cant we have only clexa in a show that is not only about romance (yes, we have the l word, but the couples are all what the show is about, what makes the 100 different is that it is a sci fi show so fuckin cool that finally show a main character with a woman).
I bet that if clarke was with another man as a ship people who ship bellarke d still ship it, but they d not be so angry, they d respect the clarke/other man ship so much more. when clarke was with finn I dont remember bellarkes to be so angry about it (they say that ship bellarke since s1)… so yeah, most of u that just cant respect clexa maybe dont see urself as being homophobic, but when u respect so much more a mf couple and just dont accept a ff one I call it prejudice, even if u cant see it. it makes really sad. let us have clexa, let us have an ff ship at least one time without having to fight for it. we need peace, we just want to watch the show without have to anwer angry/homophobic messages all the fuckin time. let the show be different of the common, we just cant handle more cliche. if there is a word that CANT be used to describe The 100 is ‘cliche’. please, keep it this way!
Great Job! Congrats on your first major article. I like the angle you took, I have read numerous reviews on the show since before it aired and I read most of the reviews every week. So I truly appreciate the voice and approach you decided to take. I won’t go into what I liked or didn’t like about your review because I like that you have added your eloquent and insightful voice to the discussion. I also follow all the tumblr and Twitter feeds daily, though I have not participated on them. Have watched the show from day one when little no one I talked to even knew it existed. And, I am amazed at its growth, I saw its potential from day one. And the writers took this show and its characters where I thought they should have been taken. I appreciate that you wrote about what I have been thinking all along. Just one little note: you forgot to mention Indra? A very relevant minor character but one so indelibly portrayed by Adina Porter. If I missed it in the article, my apologies and ignore my addition. Or if you did not think it significant to mention for whatever reason that’s ok too. ? I look forward to your next article.
I respectfully disagree when you say it’s not their job to “bear the weight of a distressed world on their shoulders.” Their job may be to entertain, but they also have a responsibility to show representation/diversity respectfully. What you’re implying is that they shouldn’t have to do that, and that the story that they want to tell is the only thing that matters. In my opinion, that’s not true.
To me, that can be used to defend other show writers’ actions when their shows only include straight white guys. I mean, why bother include women, or POC, or queer characters, or people with disabilities. Because they exist. Surely people can write stories without them (and plenty of stories are written without them), but that’s awful. And it shouldn’t be accepted. I don’t think it’s unfair to ask writers to make stories where we (queer people) don’t fucking die. That’s not “fan service.” That should honestly be the bare minimum.
They have a responsibility to tell compelling stories that feature people other than ‘straight white males.’ The 100 does a damn good job at this so far, and it has one of the most diverse casts out there, but that doesn’t exclude them from criticism if they fuck it up. They might have one of the most ground-breaking relationships on television with Clarke and Lexa, and if Lexa dies, they are doing a disservice to their fans who trusted them to finally show some good queer representation.
It doesn’t matter how much it would ‘serve the story,’ and the show writers can defend their decisions to kill her off (if they do) until they’re blue in the face, but nothing will justify that to many of us. From the outside looking in, all it’s going to look like is that queer people can’t be happy. We’ll die some tragic death and never find love. That’s terrifying for a lot of young people. Young, impressionable people who watch the show.
We won’t be “Cheering on the writers for evoking emotion and igniting something in us that we never knew we could tap into.” We’ll feel fucking betrayed, and rightly so. I wouldn’t fault anyone for quitting the show and not continuing to watch if Lexa dies. The writers have treated it with such respect so far that we feel (relatively) safe. Seeing that taken from us is toxic and dangerous, and I’m not gonna blame someone if the show would be too damaging for them to watch after that.
There is definitely so much more to the show than any ‘ship,’ but if people don’t want to watch something that feeds into this unhealthy view of them that is portrayed in the media, that’s their right.
This isn’t about boycotting the show if we don’t get our way, this is about wanting to see ourselves on screen in a way that doesn’t end in tragedy. Of course we can empathize and relate to other characters, but it would still be incredibly hurtful if the best form of representation that we have is taken away.
This shouldn’t be about “ship wars,” but it’s incredibly fucked up that people expect Lexa to die and think that Clarke will end up with Bellamy. It’s fucked up because the sole basis of that thinking stems from the fact that queer people always die in television shows. That’s horrifying.
I loved Bellamy’s character (and Bob Morley is an amazing actor), and if you’d have asked me after the first season if Clarke and him would be great together, I would have said yes. I can totally see the chemistry between Clarke and Bellamy, but I don’t think it would be good for the show to go down that road anymore. At that point, they’d just be playing into the old, tired trope of ‘a woman always ends up with a man.’ Or even ‘bury your gays,’ because if Bellarke became canon, I’m assuming it would be after Lexa’s death. I know it can be ‘realistic.’ I’m bi myself, there’s a definite chance that I might end up with a man. But The 100 isn’t real life, and they should be called out if they fall into harmful tropes.
To be fair, The 100 lost any right to claim ‘realism’ when they brought sci-fi elements into the show. A woman can’t end up with another woman, but there’s an AI that runs some non-existent Matrix-y City of Light? Not buying it.
I’m sorry that the writers have to deal with the ship wars going on, and I know that they’re terrible, but I understand where some people are coming from. I’m on Tumblr and Twitter, and I constantly see people belittling Clarke and Lexa’s relationship, saying how it’s unrealistic or stupid or how Clarke ‘deserves someone better.’ Like a ship or not, the ‘Clexa’ ship shouldn’t have to deal with the amount of abuse that it’s given, and if that isn’t homophobia, I don’t know what is.
Lexa’s character especially is being attacked all of the time. If Lexa were a man, a lot of people wouldn’t have any problem shipping it. People who ship ‘Clexa’ aren’t attacking Bellarkers out of hate, they do it to defend themselves. I’m not justifying that, but I get it. Because ‘Clexa’ is attacked out of hate and out of spite. There is a complete power-imbalance between the people who ship ‘Clexa’ vs ‘Bellarke’ and you can’t put the two on the same level.
If ‘Clexa’ shippers seem to be rubbing it into Bellarker’s faces, I’m sorry. We’re ecstatic that we may finally have representation that we can be proud of. We always get nothing, so if we even get an ounce of representation that is great (and possibly end-game), you better damn believe that we’ll never shut up about it. We want to be happy too.
There are people who still think Lexa is manipulating Clarke into liking her, or that her feelings aren’t genuine. Anything to make it so two women can’t be happy and in love. It’s so disgusting to see people grasping at straws like that that it makes me sick.
I’d like to think that The 100 writers know what they’re doing, but it’s fair that people still question them. I want to think that Lexa won’t die because the writers do want to tell a great story. One that will surprise is. One that is new and fresh. And believe me, absolutely no one would be surprised if Lexa died. It’s old, it’s tired, and it’s lazy. If they want to write a truly amazing and innovative show, they can start by leading the pack and giving us an end-game queer relationship.
I’m not saying the road to ‘end-game Clexa’ has to be all sunshine and rainbows, and in The 100, there’s obviously going to be angst. But it doesn’t need to end in tragedy.
If you can’t write a story without killing one of your most important queer characters, maybe you aren’t a really good writer.
It sucks that this is the world that we live in where writers need to be so careful about what they write, but unfortunately, that’s the way it is. You fall into dangerous and damaging tropes when you aren’t thinking about your audience. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t matter what you wrote. But the world’s not perfect, it’s shitty, and writers have a responsibility to make sure that the entertainment that they provide isn’t playing into toxic world views.
If people want to see a man and a woman in love, they can turn on any other channel and watch any other show. We don’t get that luxury. And we’ll never get that luxury unless show writers start to give us more end-game representation. Why not start with The 100. Why not start with ‘Clexa.’
I’m not asking Jason, or any of the writers, to “pander to the audience.” I only want them to realize that if they killed off Lexa, they are taking part in and adding to an incredibly harmful narrative for a lot of queer people. That’s not something to be proud of.
We consume the media that The 100 writers create. We fucking deserve for it to be respectful.
You probably won’t take the time to read this, but that’s my two cents.
*standing ovation* THANK YOU. You just said everything I wanted to say. Thank you. nailed it.
This show is hideously full of tropes, let’s just hope they stay away from the lesbian death one.
Thanks. I love the show, and I do actually agree with some of the points made in this article, but I don’t think it’s fair to imply that people should just accept if Lexa dies or if ‘Clexa’ isn’t end-game because ‘that’s the story the writers wanted to tell.’ That’s bullshit, and that’s a pitiful excuse that can be used to defend some awful writing and ideology.
The overall message of the article was well-intended, some parts just have terrible implications.
Much like the show if they decided to kill off Lexa. I’m sure well-intended if they wanted to tell ‘their story,’ but would follow a very harmful precedent set by popular media. One that no show should strive to follow.
I hope The 100, and its writers, are better than that.
Despite all these damn comments, I loved the article and throughly enjoyed it. The shipping wars needed to be addressed because it HAS gotten out of control, I’m glad you touched up on that. Honestly it was very insightful and I can’t wait to read more from you 🙂
I won’t pretend I’m not surprised that more than one Clexa shipper made a comment about how this article was written with an air of bias. As a Bellarke/multi-shipper, I had no problem with this article, but, the further I got further to the end of the article, I felt like I was being backed into a corner and blamed for things that people on both sides of the fandom do.
Perhaps you meant to be talking about both the Clarke/Lexa and Bellamy/Clarke fans, but, intentional or no, you wrote it in a way that very pointedly referred to only one part of the fandom, and did so in a condescending way:
“When you threaten to boycott a program just because you haven’t gotten your way…So what, two characters didn’t get together this season, so what if a character you love did something you might not agree with…If/when Bellamy and Clarke have their moment of passion, we will still be here watching.”
I will definitely be here watching, no matter what happens; and I won’t endorse or condone anyones’ nagging, boycotting or complaining to the show-runners’/each other to any side/spectrum/crevice of the fandom.
Disclaimer: I’m not here to talk about which side of the fandom is more right/wrong, both sides have mature people, and both sides have immature people. I just wanted to point out that this particular paragraph was a bit condescending and perhaps hastily written out.
Peace and chill, fandom. Peace and chill!
I don’t know anything bout writing or analysis, I mean look I’ve written one big paragraphs, but your article made me think about shipping. I accidentally found myself sinking in a shipping war, the sass and aggression was sensed to say the least. I started to slowly, but surely, back my way out of the battle brewing. I had wanted to clarify something I didn’t understand in someones tweet. I know now these tweets are not there to be questioned or challenged, just heart it or retweet it or stfu. I backed away carefully remembering that any one of these people could be 12 years old (from the sounds) and as the adult I must leave the party immediately. I know the majority of these shippers are not 12, predominately young but many ages represented. A lot of it is in good fun, I really laugh out loud at some of the humorous posts and light hearted jibbing at each other. But some of it, the accusations, the anger, the hate, the vengeance, it’s a show on its own! I’ve read some tweets directed to the creators, wow, now a youngin’ I can excuse just ever so slightly with an internal telling off knowing how difficult it can be to manage rational, emotion, wisdom, the 10 second rule, open mindedness, respect for others and reactive behaviour… the older ones though, Lord, I say, I was surprised to see such wrath coming from someone old enough to keep it together over this romance. If the truth be known if the tables were turned perhaps the same shenanigans would be unraveling. I guess we’ll never know, or will we? I don’t imagine an endgame where the lead rides off on her pony with her beloved to be that imaginative, but to be honest, I do find the f/f pony on the horizon to be a lot more interesting storytelling. The life stories we drunkenly tell friends when we’re drunk and telling life stories would not be nearly as interesting to us if we hadn’t had the falling-outs and break ups and make ups and ups and downs and all arounds that we’ve had, so I get that no ship is going to have smooth sailing throughout this voyage, but I agree with ClarkeRules above, it doesn’t mean the destination cannot be togetherland for our f/f couple and certainly doesn’t mean their fans shouldn’t hope for it or dare to expect it. Unlike the ship of Bellarke, whose fans are consistently pacified with little carrots of hope, reassuring words about the future ahead, words like “the journey is long”, “I see what you see”, “right now”, “yet”, “if/when”, morsels of comfort and encouragement to keep the faith, your belief, hope, desire and expectations may/will be rewarded and quenched, in time. Clexa-ers? Clexites? You guys need to curb your belief, hope, desire and expectations… this is after all a story of the most challenging, exciting and interestingly told proportions. Mmmm exactly. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem like we’re sailing groundbreaking uncharted seas just yet. If we come to the finale of all seasons having fulfilled the fantasies of floating both ships, realised or left suggested, that would be the biggest reminder to me that probably I was too old to be on board all along. I did have to google “what does shipping mean” tbh. It would be like Clarkes character was bisexual just to fulfil both relationships instead of just happening to be bisexual, no biggie, as we’ve all been saying. Like when I break a biscuit in half, one for my son, one for his cousin, I keep the kids happy. Are we keeping the fandom happy? Do we want to break hearts? It’s a tricky conundrum. Basically we want the story told. Personally I think the show could have the balls to sink one or the other, romantically and be done with it. Eye carumba. I’ll end with 3 thoughts: 1. bisexuals are not biscuits, we can’t be broken in half, but we are yum. 2. Thanks for your article. 3. “It is tedious to tell again tales already plainly told” – homer, the Odyssey
I think the showrunners are partially to blame too. As I said before if Bellamy and Clarke were together the possible relationship between Clarke and Lexa/another woman would never receive the same kind of attention that Bellarke gets right now. It’s sad to see the writers pandering to the Bellamy/Clarke fans on twitter with these types of ambiguous claims like “not right now”, etc because they are afraid to alienate part of the audience. It’s especially sad because some of these fans lash out on social media trying to invalidate the f/f relationship and call it “fanservice”( that’s such an offensive term tbh). Seriously, this is not a love triangle, it’s has never been. There shouldn’t be a “shipping war” because only one relationship is canon. Of course, things could change (and obviously I’m ok with fans wanting to “ship” whatever they want to “ship”) but the double standard is obvious.
That been said, I think the show has done a terrific job so far in handling the Clarke and Lexa relationship, not only in terms of their romantic feelings for each other but also in regards to their mutual respect and admiration, their are equals and that’s why their relationship is so interesting and compelling. Honestly I have never seen anything like Clarke and Lexa on TV ever. To have these two powerful, young female leaders who happen to be queer and falling for each other at the same time they have to make decisions that affect the lives of everybody on this show is a dream come true. This is the relationship that keeps expanding the show’s world and its conflicts. And I think the writers are very aware of this and I want to think they know their responsibilities. Yes, this is only a TV show but it is not only a TV show.
Btw I’m more confident than ever that Lexa will survive the season and possible the show. From a narrative point of view killing off Lexa would be the dumbest and most predictable decision the show could make. It would also be extremely risky to kill her off from a business perspective.
Lexa has become like a daughter to me… I’m so proud of her! I said to my niece who was having high school dramas “what would Lexa do?” She rolled her eyes. She’s always rolling her eyes but I know secretly she loves it when I fangirl with her and encourage her to evolve to be her greatest self. Lexa is the personification of that aspiration, so far. I’m always waiting for what I think to be true of something or someone on this show to come crumbling apart at some stage, but so far, so good.
I do understand it’s a show but it’s not just a show. I agree with Jen a few comments back. It’s not like people are asking for Dora and Diego meet Donna and it gets a bit complicated. It shouldn’t be that much of a weight or burden on their shoulders to canon and endgame a f/f relationship. But maybe it still is. I don’t think 100 should be expected to take on that responsibility over any other show, I do expect that some consideration has gone into the affect of opening a pandoras box particularly with a young impressionable fanbase, and I do expect someone, somewhere, someday, some show in popular culture in this age bracket – not scrolling down the list to “gay stuff for gays” – to take it on because if we all keep throwing our hands in the air saying it’s not my responsibility, things will never change. After seeing the clear as the light of day disguised anti-lexaclexa propaganda touted today, the grumbling bitter inciting of that moody movement, purportedly based on unsupported hypothesis around ratings and cancellations, which may be true for all I know, proves and proves again, that we not only need change, we deserve it.
However, we don’t know what story, considerations, responsibilities, thoughts, ideas, rights, social whatever’s they’re prepared to, or want to champion, or not champion, beyond survival and AI. These things need to be authentic and naturally driven, if they’re to mean anything. I don’t want it if they feel they need to, have to, forced to, I want it if they want to.
@Toots I said this article was biased because it WAS. I am a Clexa shipper and I always will be – but when I read an article that’s supposed to be analytical thus be critical and impartial, I don’t expect bias from the article. Any good media we get for our f/f ship is amazing and I get that – we’re already getting that – but I’m not talking about Clexa as a whole, Im talking about the last 2 headers that completely delved into “shipper” territory, and were NOT impartial in the slightest. It shames me as a Clexa fan to say it, but it was poorly written. You can write positively about Clexa from a critical angle – many reviewers have done it – but no, that was terrifically biased. I think everyone can can agree that the 100 is good for having the f/f couple the main ship and the m/f the brotp.
But to make statements like the 100 is the only one giving good representation = wrong. Like an above commenter said: brooklyn 99, person of interest, Fresh off the boat, Empire, even suburgatory.
(To be fair I dont think the writer called it an analysis- otherwise it would be far deeper and less biased than this. It is likely a glorified long article that isnt a bad review on this website).
As for me not watching the show? I’ve said before I like Clarke/Lexa. I liked Polis. Clarke Griffin as a character is amazing. So are Raven and Abby. Those aspects do not erase the fact that I find, when the 100 hits its highs, it’s really good. When it hits its lows (which is very often) it’s atrocious. So I watch, to quote Jason, for those “bright spots”. As a “fan”, should you not be encouraging me to watch the show nonetheless?
For the toxicity of the fandom right now, as Plato once said- “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.”
I agree with Jen. To be frank, the idea of boycotting the show over a ship is stupid and petty – as was threatened widely on tumblr and twitter after /that/ scene leaked – because if you’re watching The 100 for ships only then you’re really gonna be disappointed. The 100 isn’t a perfect show. It’s cliched, it’s rushed, it’s melodramatic, but it’s trying to tell a good story and do some excellent world-building. I appreciate that.
However it’s not the only show with representation that’s good- I find that particular sentence in your review/analysis/whatever on earth this piece is quite offensive because you clearly do not have an open regard for other shows.
Also, on the “preachy” note that some commenters have made: I agree. The producer’s already tweeted, and he will have more followers than this, to stop the ship wars. Tumblrs have pleaded to stop it. Twitters have, too. This little article isn’t going to make a dent and to be honest, like another commenter, I felt quite condescended after reading that article. It was like an instruction manual of ‘what not to do in the fandom’ and it grossed me out.
I won’t comment on the bias of the article, because I don’t believe the reviewer ever said this was a critical analysis. If it WAS, then wow, grade F-. If it wasn’t, then let the writer off the hook, she’s allowed her own biased views on Clarke and Lexa (coming from a clexa fan- and honestly huge chunks of those segments should’ve been in a clexa sole analysis).
“Social media is a beauty (and a bitch sometimes)” – True
Spiel about the characters’ relationships – True
Who else is doing that on TV today? No one. – ding ding ding. FALSE. as mentioned above with Empire, Brooklyn 99, Person of Interest, HTGAWM, Fresh off the Boat, Looking … The 100 isn’t unique in this aspect, jesus christ. Just because not every character on the mentioned shows don’t go on and commit mass-murder, it doesn’t mean that they’re not multi-layered, flawed and make mistakes and it’s normalized too.
Clarke is bisexual (Shaw from Person of Interest), Monty is Asian (Dev from Masters of None), Raven has a disability (Root, again from Person of Interest), Jaha is black (Olivia from Scandal – oh god theres SO MANY), Lexa is a lesbian (I have to go for Shaw again), Lincoln and Octavia are a biracial couple (Rick/Michonne)
This whole article just seems to project and like others have said, preach, that The 100 is this amazing entity that’s so original when it’s been done before. The only thing thats attracted The 100 – it’s certainly not its dire viewership figures – is the social media storm. along with that comes the tragic shipper wars, and I AGREE, I think they’re a disgrace. I’m a clexa fan and active on twitter and I’ve seen the disgusting lengths EACH side go to. However your paragraph and “sweet” little “what does Clexa mean to you” and the ongoing paragraphs about it are utterly Clexa-biased. Perhaps it’s just innately there. Unfortunately you couldn’t even write an unbiased opinion about it. I am fully supporting Clexa, hoping they are “endgame” but I’ll be fine if they’re not. They’re not the reason why I’m watching the show and I find it offensive that anybody should reason that.
In a very – I don’t want to say bad – iffy written article, I think you could’ve done better by being a bit more critial and less “preachy” or as others have said, condescending. That’s actually how I felt at the end of this too. There’s been about a billion tumblr posts saying to boycott a program etc etc, same with Twitter. I just feel like this article was unnecessary especially the way it’s written. It could’ve been so much better if you’d bravely labeled it a critical analysis and then actually gone into it without ‘shipper goggles’ on and remain critical and impartial about it. I suggest looking into some actual sites that analyze content, or indeed even this site has a few analytical ones for The 100 or even for other shows (that I haven’t seen).
Gaah. I meant ‘Root’ from ‘Person of Interest’ for lesbian, not ‘Shaw’.
Couple of things:
I want to thank you for saying the bold thing. Lots of journalists have no issue in showing their bias. Some think they are sneaky and that if they just criticize the show then their shipper colors won’t show, but their personal blogs are just a gross wasteland of homophobia, trashing the writers, and well… nonsense. So thank you for not being afraid to say these things. I’m grateful for people like you, and Eric Goldman, Mo Ryan, and others who are not afraid to say the truth lol.
And the 100 is making strides where other shows are not. I don’t know how people can deny that. Is their queer representation elsewhere? of course! But of the shows mentioned look what they did to their lesbian characters this year (SPOILERS) Alex on Oranges fate hangs in the balance, as does Shaws, and Delphines. And the CW is network television where almost all of the others are on cable or premium channels. The 100 is also one of the few that hasn’t made a big deal about sexuality. You had shows like GLEE who were pioneers and tried to accurately portray the struggle of Queer teens, but what the 100 is doing is equally important. And it’s not just that they are queer. But they are queer, women, in leadership. I honestly can’t think of a single show on television that is doing that. I’ll say the same for POC. There are other diverse casts, but how many have POC’s and women and queers in leadership?
On the fandom stuff. You are getting quite a bit of hate for being “bias” but I don’t see it. You cannot be bias when just accurately discussing what is being portrayed. Clarke and Lexa are falling in love, thats happening on screen so it’s not quite fair to label this bias. And Clexa is more than just a ship. I know other ships try to pull from that to add weight to theirs but Clexa is not just some fandom relationship. It’s more than a ship. And I wish the writers and Jason would just commit to that. That is the only troublesome thing I see in the midst of all of this. They are doing this incredibly unique thing and should be proud, but they seem to have this shame? I look at other shows like POI who are just absolutely owning what they are doing with Root and Shaw and I don’t understand why the 100 creators won’t do the same? It has absolutely nothing to do with shipping. People are free to ship whatever the want with or without the writers/creators approval. And them refusing to own it or trying to remain neutral is throwing gas on the fire. Maybe Bellarke happens someday, I don’t know.. maybe Clarke dies.. I don’t know. But Clexa is happening RIGHT NOW, and it’s incredibly important to so many and yet the writers seem so preoccupied with making sure the Bellarke shippers feelings aren’t hurt and its only taking away from the amazing things they are doing.
I appreciated the article. My only criticism is that you could have said a lot more and gone a lot further. Glad to see Talk Nerdy is using some sane people though and not just crazy people obsessed with Bob Morley.
I understand why the article. Of course The 100 did not invent anything, a lot of series have queer, asian characters or with disabilities … what I find most interesting in the series is that they are not defined by it. Lexa is not the lesbian or Jaha is not the black one. The importance of their roles is not limited to their sexual orientation, race or nationality. The “discovery” of Clarke being bisexual was not a problem, she’s not debate with it. Is something normal. What divides them has nothing to do with issues of prejudice or problems in coming out. Or the relationship of Octavia and Lincoln has more than the mere difference of “races”, they will discover who they are, what they were born to “do” … but in the end the “race” is the least of their problems.
I think most fans like Lexa for what she has shown… a strong character, since she showed up established the Mission of keeping the peace between the clans and now, with sky people. Her actions cannot be summed up by feelings for Clarke, is much more than that. And even if she dies (I hope not ahah), in the end its struggle for peace will have a result, after all, they don’t want to repeat the mistakes of history that led to all this.
I just want to smash my head against the keyboard. This was good until it got to “no other tv show represents like this” or whatever that sentence was. Not true. Shaw’s return is 100% confirmed and Shahi is in about 9-10 episodes of 13. Delphine’s return is pretty much confirmed too. There are so many shows with excellent LGBT representation that to make a blanketing statement like that was ignorant of you to do.
As for the bias thing – I’m not as drastically convinced by the others that it WAS that biased, but even as a Clexa shipper I can remove my “shipper goggles” and see the bias in this article. I appreciated most of all Variety’s article with Jason rothenberg (in which he just faffed and couldn’t define a genocide – hint, Jason, you got the definition wrong) but this was biased. And I’ve just seen on twitter and you co-wrote it so it may not be all on you, I don’t know. I don’t think ALL of it was biased. Taking Clarke/Lexa as an example and using it doesn’t mean it’s biased towards Clexa, but the more of the article I read, there were definitely lots and lots of biased Clexa moments. Also, the whole twitter screenshot thing was utterly unnecessary. It could’ve easily been “What does the 100 mean to you?” so, yeah, it was biased, but perhaps not as hugely (in my opinion) as the others say it was.
overall it was an okay article. It wasn’t written particularly well and on a lot of points you just started saying stuff and there was no content or analysis behind it at all – unnecessary words – even though the article itself was quite short. So that was a shame. But it wasn’t a bad start, if you’re going to be an analytical writer for The 100 (which on TNWU, The 100 desperately needs – I enjoyed the 2 pieces of analysis TNWU came up with first, the ethics one and the fighting one, and IMO I think your site needs more of that) then it really needs to be 100% impartial. So I guess my criticism is that if you’re trying to be analytical you absolutely cannot be biased, and this definitely showed major signs of it. I know it wasn’t labeled as an analysis but it definitely … yeah, it really wasn’t good on that front. My final point would be that while the point of ‘stop the ship wars’ is a good one, it’s already been written by big tumblrs, twitters, and Jason and the writers themselves. The way this article wrote it came across very, very condescending, like a mother scolding her child and actually when I read it I thought: “well, what do you think I am, an idiot?” and I actually felt quite disgusted thinking that while reading this article.
Jason Rothenberg. Like Alex said in the above comment, the producers of POI embrace their f/f ship without question and they don’t pander to fans. As soon as Shaw’s demise came about in If Then Else, it was revealed the episode after Shaw was still alive, and in all the interviews they did, they made it very clear they wanted Shahi back. That is a lesson in how not to pander to fans, and The 100 is failing massively in it by playing into shipper hands – Bellarke and Clexa – when it’s unnecessary, but apparently they seem to see it as a way of keeping their viewership since the Bellarke contingent threatened to boycott the show because of the leak. So fan pandering on The 100 is there, there’s evidence for it, and it resulted in that.
The article was an alright and easy read. Some points you could’ve done without (I think I mentioned the content of that screenshot) and also a lot of the time you seem to be writing without any sustenance behind your writing. I appreciate that your intentions were good in writing this article but for me it failed in its ignorance of other shows and its clear (but not dramatically so) bias towards Clexa (and I hate to say that as an actual Clexa fan). If I wanted a Clexa analysis I would’ve gone to another website where it’s actually posted as one, but this was mislabeled and I didn’t appreciate that at all. I also didn’t like the slightly haughty tone of the article, either. I felt a bit scorned.
I think I wouldn’t account this article as analysis and to be fair to the writer, I don’t think they stated it was an analysis? Hence the leeway for bias, etc. But it’s done nothingn except stir the pot. I think if you truly wanted to analyze The 100 (and there are so many aspects of that show to analyze, cleverly, as proven by the two analysis articles on this show, on this website) you have to be 100% impartial. I don’t think this article and this author is even halfway there yet, but it makes a change from the terrible reviews filled with bias and the even more biased roundtable discussions, so I guess it’s progress for this website regarding The 100. However as TNWU has shown that it’s capable of producing quality analysis (such as Shawna Benson’s tweet of one of the articles, and the recent Roan/Lexa fight analysis) I think it can definitely head in that direction, in which both articles were highly impartial and were among the most unique ones I’d seen on TNWU, so credit to TNWU for that at least. I’d perhaps suggest more articles like them ones, that are actually impartial rather than masking an article as one, when it truly isn’t.
In reply to Emily: the simple answer is subjectivity. To look at a show and objectively analyze it is difficult to do and the fact that “the creative team” are incapable of bias/subjectivity is ridiculous. It doesn’t just extend to TNWU–it extends beyond, even to some amateur reviewers (I’d especially say even the reviewer of The 100 on this website), so to make a comment like that is incredibly naive. It’s human to make subjective conclusions. If everyone made objective ones it’d be ridiculous. This article is not immune to bias as is literally shown in the article. It’s not as horrendous as some are making it out to be but it doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
Sorry i only partly posted my comment:
I’m going to start by saying that I’m only trying to offer some constructive criticism here. I don’t agree with a lot of major calling for bias but unfortunately, even for me as a Clarke/Lexa shipper, I saw a lot of bias in this article and I have to say that the tweets screenshot was 100% unnecessary. If you wanted to make a point about the show then couldn’t you have asked “what the 100” means to you instead?
I have to disagree a little with Alex too. I don’t want to cause an argument but I disagree that The 100 is unique in that regard. (Spoilers) Shahi’s demise was because of her pregnancy; both Shahi and the producers agreed they didn’t want a pregnant Shaw on Person of Interest, hence her “demise” but they brought her back immediately. She’s immediately seen alive an episode later. She is stated to be in at least 9 episodes out of 13. POI didn’t just kill off Shaw because of bad treatment to queer characters: it was because by the beginning of season four, Shahi was pregnant with twins and by the time “If Then Else” aired, Shahi was heavily pregnant and it couldn’t be covered up anymore. Shaw’s also of Persian heritage, and I would argue that whilst The 100 is in a unique position where two young women can lead, a definition of leadership in terms of Root and Shaw can be that they certainly lead their own missions, without help from the team. So I can’t argue The 100 is absolutely unique in that regard. For the other posts about LGBT representation – OINTB and JTV aren’t brilliant examples to use. I agree with Empire, which has a lot of POC and excellent representation in my opinion (and POCs in position of leadership) and Brooklyn Nine Nine is an excellent point to bring up as well, because the Captain of the Precinct is a black, gay man and it’s totally normalized. In fact Brooklyn Nine Nine is probably one of the better shows out there that do this quietly: there’s 2 Latina detectives who are absolutely badass as well. I won’t comment on the better quality of Brooklyn Nine Nine or POI in comparison to The 100 because that’s irrelevant, but the point is, this article’s been very ignorant of what is happening on TV. But I agree with most of Alex’s post.
As for the actual article, that is the part I disagree with the most. The only decent LGBT representation? Absolutely not. No fan pandering? If there wasn’t any, there wouldn’t be such aggressive ship wars – and it mainly stems from Jason Rothenberg. Like Alex said in the above comment, the producers of POI embrace their f/f ship without question and they don’t pander to fans. As soon as Shaw’s demise came about in If Then Else, it was revealed the episode after Shaw was still alive, and in all the interviews they did, they made it very clear they wanted Shahi back. That is a lesson in how not to pander to fans, and The 100 is failing massively in it by playing into shipper hands – Bellarke and Clexa – when it’s unnecessary, but apparently they seem to see it as a way of keeping their viewership since the Bellarke contingent threatened to boycott the show because of the leak. So fan pandering on The 100 is there, there’s evidence for it, and it resulted in that.
The article was an alright and easy read. Some points you could’ve done without (I think I mentioned the content of that screenshot) and also a lot of the time you seem to be writing without any sustenance behind your writing. I appreciate that your intentions were good in writing this article but for me it failed in its ignorance of other shows and its clear (but not dramatically so) bias towards Clexa (and I hate to say that as an actual Clexa fan). If I wanted a Clexa analysis I would’ve gone to another website where it’s actually posted as one, but this was mislabeled and I didn’t appreciate that at all. I also didn’t like the slightly haughty tone of the article, either. I felt a bit scorned.
I think I wouldn’t account this article as analysis and to be fair to the writer, I don’t think they stated it was an analysis? Hence the leeway for bias, etc. But it’s done nothingn except stir the pot. I think if you truly wanted to analyze The 100 (and there are so many aspects of that show to analyze, cleverly, as proven by the two analysis articles on this show, on this website) you have to be 100% impartial. I don’t think this article and this author is even halfway there yet, but it makes a change from the terrible reviews filled with bias and the even more biased roundtable discussions, so I guess it’s progress for this website regarding The 100. However as TNWU has shown that it’s capable of producing quality analysis (such as Shawna Benson’s tweet of one of the articles, and the recent Roan/Lexa fight analysis) I think it can definitely head in that direction, in which both articles were highly impartial and were among the most unique ones I’d seen on TNWU, so credit to TNWU for that at least. I’d perhaps suggest more articles like them ones, that are actually impartial rather than masking an article as one, when it truly isn’t.
In reply to Emily: the simple answer is subjectivity. To look at a show and objectively analyze it is difficult to do and the fact that “the creative team” are incapable of bias/subjectivity is ridiculous. It doesn’t just extend to TNWU–it extends beyond, even to some amateur reviewers (I’d especially say even the reviewer of The 100 on this website), so to make a comment like that is incredibly naive. It’s human to make subjective conclusions. If everyone made objective ones it’d be ridiculous. This article is not immune to bias as is literally shown in the article. It’s not as horrendous as some are making it out to be but it doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
Clexa , the two character has a lot of things to learned in our society. They put things together about our society not only about sexuality but there is the politics. In reality there is a war going now and if we all know the word respect and understanding which each being said then war should be avoided. War basically also about government and politics and that is Clexa us representing to our society. Two leaders and young leaders , representing young generation. The chemistry is very obvious for Clarke and Lexa the are good representation of a leaders. T o have weaknesses that elevate each other. They relationship evolve and develop into an attraction which is normal in reality. You understand each other flaws and strength And love ,trust and respect over all will make them more stronger because without the other then that is weakness. I just love their dynamic.
In response to ‘Toots’ – I have to say I loathe the mentality of “don’t watch the show then” – there are loads of aspects of The 100 that people enjoy and watch for, even if it’s not the best show in the world. Someone could enjoy Raven, someone could enjoy Bellamy and Octavia’s interactions… just because The 100 isn’t exactly top quality it doesn’t mean that they should stop watching the show, it just means that somebody’s criticizing it (fairly). That mentality just drives fans away and quite frankly, with The 100’s viewership, that’s the last thing it needs.
As for your argument about this article not being biased – this isn’t an argument about one canon ship vs. a non canon ship. It’s not even an article about shipping at all. It’s saying that the article could’ve been an analysis that was impartial, and this article clearly wasn’t. I agree with the other commentors on that point. This has nothing to do with C/L vs B/C it’s the article itself that is biased, and offers no objective thought or insight or even analysis into the article at all. Nobody’s saying that the cast and crew should stop telling the Clexa story (hell, I’m all for just a Polis spinoff) it’s the content of the article that is clearly very, very subjective and not an analysis at all. There *is* bias if you’re trying to make a critical point of the show in general and then go on two paragraphs about Clexa and then even screenshot a tweet of “why people like Clexa” – I understand there’s no two sides n the “shipper wars” but that tips the balance of what could’ve been an impartial article into subjectivity and thus bias.
See how even the comments have been shippery because this hugely biased “analysis” or whatever I can call this, certainly not analysis, has induced that. I didn’t think the article was AWFUL. It’s just that if you’re trying to write something critical or even analytical it should be just that. NOT this.
Okay. So this was an average read. It wasn’t awful and I’m going to be fair
Pro’s: the ridiculing of shipper wars (though I think it’s unnecessary; Tumblr and Twitter and the writers/producers have already called this out- some deaf ears just don’t listen) and the acknowledgement that there are POC, homosexual, bisexual, disabled people on The 100. Delving into Clarke/Lexa’s relationship as an example, not as a ship, and talking about how it’s normalized. Comparing B/C and L/C (both a pro and a con in my opinion) because you make a point of no ship wars yet you focus the article, in the end, on the two ships that are warring? That’s just adding oil to a pan fire. Also a pro: the boycott thing. Very stupid.
Cons: that the claim of The 100 being the ONLY representation on TV to offer that. That’s utterly untrue and everyone’s named examples. However, the Clarke/Lexa inclusion felt disjointed as the paragraph wore on. It soon became a Clexa-themed look into the show, and how their representation matters. So you’ve then excluded Raven, the POC’s, etc. The Twitter screencap was not necessary and did not fit in. The question asked to spur those answers was ridiculous too, and the more I read into those paragraphs, the more I felt I was reading a Clexa article. “Do you not want to live in a world where girls can rule armies and love each other while doing it?” I had to snort at that line. Even as a Clexa shipper – what kind of ridiculous question is that? Very, very biased and that’s when I lost faith in the article. Another con: ignorance of other TV shows that have good LGBT representation. Another con: “no fan pandering” please, Jason Rothenberg regularly fan panders to keep “both sides” happy in this ridiculous ship war. I agree with what Alex commented: if he could keep his mouth shut on shipping and be a bit more like POI’s writers, none of this would’ve spiraled so dramatically out of control. Last con: the writing style. It was okay, boring in some places that I had to force myself to read it, and quite simple in the sense that you talked about…nothing, really, in some sentences.
I want to end on a positive, though. I think the author’s intentions behind this were good and fair. The execution of said intention was… sub-par, to say the least, but that’s not to say that the author didn’t have those good intentions. Unlike the 100 reviews and the 100 roundtables on this website, this was a nice break from some of the delusional and hugely biased rubbish we often see on TNWU for The 100 (minus those 2 brilliant analysis articles – one on the fight, and the other on wartime – well done, TNWU, for those) so this was the most level headed of the bunch. That’s not really saying much, considering the 100 coverage on this website hasn’t been exactly stellar, but it was a decent effort.
I don’t think bias or subjectivity is a problem, when this article is clearly full of it, but the writer never stated that it was an impartial analysis or critical analysis (and by all means it definitely isn’t) so those arguments, while I agree there is huge bias , I don’t think are particularly relevant.
What I didn’t enjoy was the glorification of The 100 as the “only” show out there to give decent LGBT representation. There are LOADS out there doing that but this almost turned it into a competition. As a lesbian myself, and a Clexa fan, I actually feel ridiculed because shouldn’t we be EMBRACING other f/f couples on tv? Rather than saying that The 100 is superior in that aspect? I’d say B99 is far superior in that aspect (POC in leadership position, 2 latinas who kickass, totally normalized, hilarious show). I’d say POI trumps The 100 in that aspect anyday (more cohesive plot, better acting, POC who kicks ass, f/f couple who take leadership in their own right when they go on missions, disabled main character, neuroatypical bisexual POC). I’d say Empire does the same (bipolar POC, POC in charge of an entire music label, gay and successful music artist). But I don’t care because they all are inclusive and none of them should be competed against each other. Another aspect I didnt enjoy was the condescension of this article. When I finished reading it i felt like a 5 year old who’d just been told off by my teacher. I felt disrespected and dumb. i dont even know what to say to that… I was not expecting that, reading this article. It’s still better than the thesis your reviewers on the 100 writes, and its better than the highly biased roundtable discussions, but if you want to write anything remotely close to an analysis then take a lesson from other websites than do it, or that article that analyzed the Roan/Lexa scene perfectly, THAT was critical analysis. So was another one on this website- i cant remember the name but it was to do with war-time, peacekeeping, etc in the 100.
I suggest you to watch some more TV shows before providing a strong claim that The 100 does the impossible.
There are many, far too many shows also do that (the comments above have them listed) but they are probably too dull for teenagers because of the lack of love triangle and teenage angst (looking at you, season 01 of the 100). These shows treat these issues so very subtle, for example when Root and Shaw of Person of interest kiss, no characters talk about it like it was a big deal, no eyebrow raised, or shocked face. No it really wasn’t, it’s perfectly normal for women kissing each other and that make POI so great.
I like The 100 and its characters, though this seasons are full of Out of characterness behaviours. Clexa though is the saving grace of this ridiculous character undevelopment in S03, poor Bellamy being utterly destroyed just like Finn. I do favour Clexa but I am really unhappy how they treat Bellamy and Finn. Really showing that this show is mediocre with inconsistency in writing. Like Josh Whedon one said, he hates XFiles because for so many years despite what she saw, Scully still didnt believe in supernatural. There is no organic character development. For the 100, Bellamy s03 had regressed so bad and became so unlikeable, which is even worst than no character development. So I agree with some commenters below, the writing is medeocre at best, season 2 is amazing but season 3 is very hard to watch.
The cast is becoming scarily less and less diverse. Especially with more recent scenes used for short term shock value.
The great thing is that after a big fight to survive in a dangerous and apocalyptic world, we were seeing a chance to change in a world that was about to expand with the command of a young leader, courageous and visionary, able to unite 12 clans and bring with him a thirteenth, composed of those who came from the sky. We were seeing a seed be built, and a plot plan in progress. We waited for conflicts, war, treason and death, but not death of the flame embodied in Lexa, the Heda wise and conciliatory, he was leading his people and humanity to another level of interaction. Creating a society guided by other values, which would far beyond mere survival, because she learned to survive just was not enough, and humanity needed to be able to have more than that and she was this leader who symbolized the flame change and killed the flame and this upset the fandom. Not because they wanted to have a fan service, but feel that the death of this inspiring and amazing character was in vain.
– Jason could take the Lexa chip, leaving her disgraced and exiled from the kingdom without the flame coming wisdom (chip) and the actress would be gone indefinitely, cause the legacy of Lexa would be alive, she would be alive, in a different day … she has the whole earth to disappear, has the forbidden areas, deserts, it could disappear from Polis.
– Jason could give you a meaningful and great death (would still be killing the hope of a new world, but it would hurt less)
Many things could have been done, and the writers have chosen to make the worst choices, and brought tremendous dissatisfaction to the public and so the great revolt. The cast is amazing, the performances were fantastic, but a lot of good was destroyed anything satisfactorily, leading to an unsatisfying point where again they will have to run in an attempt to survive, … losing all amazing building than I was underway in Lexa management.
And to complete idiocy of Jason, he takes us to the Luna character who has his clan shaken by ALI and the visit of skaikru, and tells us in mincing words that Lexa was no big deal, it was only alive because she, Luna did not kill her … but the shit in real danger of humanity is over, Luna decided not to get involved, while Lexa, instead, have taken responsibility for themselves, seeking a fair solution for everyone around, then ok … at least Jason stressed that the flame wisely chose his successor, Clarke Wanheda.
But unfortunately the excitement of seeing the fate of these characters, was being lost through these bad choices and I’ll see the season 4, but with a lower interest than I’ve seen the previous seasons.
I like Clarke, Raven, Abby, Kane, Indra, Octavia, Jasper, John, etc etc … and want to know their fate, but without the same joy, without the same curiosity, without the same excitement … because nothing was built, everything was destroyed this season, everything including my love for this show.
sorry about the english, kisses, and bye