You did it "The 100", you did it.
You left us last week with a bait-and-switch bisexuality storyline that possibly and probably hinted towards actual dynamical characterization, only to have those hopes dashed and smashed and scattered to the winds, and then you pulled an almost complete 180 to make everything meaningful and interesting again.
How many times will I continue to fall for this?
Infinitely, if not 100, at least, I'd pre-suppose.
So, last week was basically the worst possible episode imaginable. Everything that was built-up and worked towards was all but obliterated with random acts of blindness as each and every character seemed to forget all notions of sanity and reason, leaving everything at face value.
We even learn that allllllll the bone marrow transplant army mountain dudes, except the crazy Son King under the Mountain and his right-hand generic brutish white-dude-stooge were killed in Clarke's Gambit... which honestly just made it more incoherent as to why Lexa surrendered.
Personally, I'm starting to question the saliency of the feminism in this racistly-depicted matriarchal warrior society, and perhaps Lexa's appointment is a post-apocalyptical role of blame funneling.
In a society of warriors, you can have a small, fancy lady queen, so long as we can all blame her for all our problems.
Point-in-fact, the PCP super-heroin drugging that generates the "Reapers". It's a persistence of the "Mountain Men" society of war-ready American (or, AMERICAN) descendents objectifying the external, the others in society, to be their blood property, while also building a subset of warrior-warring people-pets who maintain the "order" and delineation.
Perhaps -- as is most explicable and rational in the face of the irrationality of events -- Lexa's surrender was an ingrained notion of inferiority to the "Mountain Men", which Clarke entirely failed to recognize.
This, I could understand. It'd be deeply horrifying, but it'd be far more understandable.
And as this episode showed in a near-completely brutalistic manner, Clarke jumps to action out of worry, even without rationale or reason. Not only did she save (some of) her people, but she ended-up doing exactly what she wanted to prevent ... she painfully and horrifically obliterated the "Mountain Men", women, and children. She even all-but-line-of-sight-directly killed Jasper's girlfriend, who spent the last 12 episodes consistently saving and supporting every single one of Clarke's people ... even sacrificing her own friends and family for the righteousness of the cause of anti-blood-slavery.
Yet, what is just soooooo infuriating, but weirdly so exemplified, is this persistent delusion of exclusion that Clarke has for her nearest and dearest.
Finn objectively went entirely insane. He had a Nazi-ish massacre of a couple dozen of people under his belt, all based on noticing Clarke's dad's watch. A flimsier rationale could not be designed. Especially not for everything that happened, with Finn's twelve dozen "oops! my finger slipped" insane and persistent reactions as he kept gunning-down person after person, for absolutely and entirely no reason. And then it took three episodes for Clarke to finally mercy-kill him to spare him from a public flaying (a.k.a., a fully conscious separation of his body from his skin).
The frustration is consistently in the pacing and tone. There is absolutely no distinction between the rampaging idiotic murder of dozens of "Grounders", and the absolutely, entirely boring courtship of emotional reticence between Raven and Engineer McGentleman Scruff, Esq..
Clarke will kill a dad to revenge against -- not even coerce, just fully and irrationally and irreconcilably pre-revenge -- a son, then subject dozens of ostensibly innocent men, women, and children to excruciating and inescapable radiation poisoning, and then apparently reconnect with the mother who sent her to prison and orchestrated her own husband's murder for political maintenance, in the span of all but 20 seconds.
I mean ... hormones and the moon are real things, but like, come on, you guys. Seriously, I mean, come on. Is anyone really this entirely cynical and callous and unstable?!
I mean, even I am entirely subservient to blessed Selenic Sovereign ... but come on ... take a beat. Have a thought. Think about what you're doing, for like, I dunno, 3 seconds, instead of 1. Let's start there at least and see how it feels.
You are literally living in a post-nuclear society ... let's not consistently revert to the nuclear option ... no matter how much we miss our mum.
I, too, would enjoy a hug now and then, particularly in the most trying of times ... but you get a pillow or two, you squeeze 'em and put one between your legs, and you go to sleep and see how you feel in the morning.
Doesn't that sound far more manageable and tolerable than the latest mass-murder of the moment?
Cra'y cra'y, for days.
Anyways, of course Jaha then like tosses dudes to the "Tremors"/"Dune" lake leeches so he and Murphy can follow the drone to the island of lost dreams, where it turns out that there is a playboy bachelor billionaire lighthouse ... fuck you, "The 100", for exploiting my weakness!!!
Ugh, ok, I guess now I have to tolerate this story, though of course I can help but be bored with the stupidity that is a semi-sentient fancy-lady-hologram AI who speaks in abstract illuminati riddles and wants to continue to build this story as a pre-cursor to "The Matrix".
I mean ... sure, technically there's nothing else like this on TV, but also, novelty is not intellect nor entertainment, inherently.
I do like to contend though that Jaha suffered massive oxygen deprivation in his last few hours on the space station, and that explains why he's behaving like he is, because he is quite literally -- and non-mockingly -- brain-damaged. That would just be so wonderful, and would really clear a lot of things up, in terms of characterization.
And that's the thing, "The 100", you got me, I'll watch you next season, I will, and I would even, with much trepidation, recommend you to others to watch. You are definitely no "Hawaii Five-0", but you are assuredly some kind of deformed subversion.
Your pacing is horrific, your tone is consistently insane, and your narrative is like "What if only cynical, idiotic assholes survived the nuclear annihilation of humanity ... what would they do if we stick them all in the same room?".
Not to smash a tofu (vegan for "beat a dead horse"), but It's the nuclear fallout and only 2/3rds of the characters in your show are familiar with CPR and basic First Aid. Reflect on "Donnie Darko" for a hot second and revel in the insanity of "The Knick", antiseptics revolutionized modern society. The 1899 may have well been the middle ages, if not Ancient Egypt (-2999) compared to 1999, because of the societal and technological and medical advances. Never have we ever experienced such revolution to the fabric of our basic cultural and societal reality besides the notions of portable food storage (anti-spoilage) and persistent anti-bacterials.
Focus on that you sexy teen adults. I mean, come on. Have a conversation ... once. Just once. Please.
I love that the dude from "Lost"/"Scandal" is the very first person in the very last possible moment to suggest bone marrow donations. Like, you just went through some insane wars and murders and crazy power struggles, and no one ever thought to just have a fucking blood drive, instead of some kind of ghettoized Reganomic CIA insane doping regimen of creating cannabilistic soldier pets to harvest and dispose of these sanguine people-shaped sacks clambering all around the place.
Insane.
But I'll keeping watching.
So insane.
Kind of like it but this week's villain wth, he is the most forgettable villain in the whole series. He was just a means to an end. He is just used for next week's plot episode.
I loved the development of the story. Barry and Harry back together. I liked the fact that noe that Wally is part of the family, Barry had to Look for a New father, and that means Wells. He is the bad guy always plotting against Team flash but, hey, you cannot help but love Wells. He is one of a kind.
Wally saying he likes fast was pretty subtle. One way or another he is gonna enter the Speed Force so, hey, why forcing it?
Harry's confession was pretty cool but not as much as Barry saying he would do the same if he was in his position.This shows how much Barry has advanced in being a hero. He has grown up.
And what about Iris. Since Eddie "died" she has been forced to be on the spotlight and hells yes, she has been very good at it. Now, unlike Last Season she doesn't mess thing up and that is cool.
As well as Harry, Joe was brilliant tonight and I liked the way the West family development was handled.
No words about tar-pit. He was a horrible villain and so easy to defeat, just through him something, Joe hits him and that's all. Ackward. Besides, a Man whi was killed the night the particle accelerator exploded and that seeks for revenge is old so, come on, develop something new. Plus, I am a Big Supernatural fan, and seeing Clay, the guy who killed tar-pit at the very begining was funny like, ok come on, he is a leviathan you dorks, he cannot be killed hahaha.
Anyhow, I liked the episode (aside from the villain), but the development of West arc and Barry/Harry/Joe was awesome.
Looking forward for next week's episode. That is going to be crazy like the Dingo até my Baby crazy. Can't wait!!!
Person of Interest has finally returned from war! And as sad as I am that this season is the last one, it's always better for a TV show to end after 5 seasons and be remembered as spectacular than to drag on for 10 seasons and become an unrecognisable, unwatchable caricature of itself. It seems that they want to go out with a bang, and they're bringing out the big guns this season - literally and figuratively. This episode was fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Harold's moral dilemma and his interactions with The Machine made me emotional. Who knew I'd get so attached to an AI? And he called her "she"!
Once again, Root defied the dead lesbian trope and survived being shot at not once, not twice, but three freaking times! With LGBT characters dropping like flies on other shows (which is insane, by the way, and needs to stop immediately), I'm extremely happy that my favorite perky psycho is still alive. That could change, of course, with stakes being higher than ever this season, but for now, I'm just going to enjoy the fact that she's made it this far. The writers have always treated the characters with respect and I trust them to do Root justice, whether she survives this season or not.
"You can just call me Root, bitch."
I love her so much. So much.
Also, Root and John working together was a nice thing. She has built such amazing relationships with Harold and Shaw in the last few years, but she hasn't interacted with John all that much, which is a shame because they're so similar in many ways, and they make a good team. I really hope we'll see more of that.
I didn't pay that much attention to Fusco's storyline, but it's obvious he won't let go, and he'll probably find himself way over his head. Well, won't be the first time. We shall see where his investigation leads him.
Looking forward to next week. I have a strong feeling that this may just be the best season of all.
Okay, so apparently this episode aired a day early in Canada? Thank you, Canada. You rock.
That being said, my mind is filled with incomprehensible yelling, and my hands are shaking, so I'll keep this one brief.
Have we just watched Shaw's Winter Soldier origin story?
Sarah Shahi was on fire, hot damn. What an amazing performance.
I was sure that Shaw's escape wasn't real the moment I saw that random-ass boat. Way too convenient. Then the episode made me doubt a few times whether it was a simulation or reality, but in the end it turned out to be exactly what I'd suspected from the beginning.
I'd been waiting to see my baby Shaw again for so long, but I wasn't prepared for that. God, I can't deal with my emotions. It's too much.
I just really want them to kill Greer, all right? Slowly and painfully. Hell, I'd kill that asshole myself if I could.
If the simulation was in Shaw's head, why wasn't it from her point of view? And have those creeps watched Shoot bang every time they've run it?
This episode was unbelievably sad, and I'll probably still be crying about it next week, but Sarah Shahi tearing apart Amy Acker's shirt might just be the greatest thing I've ever witnessed with my own two eyes. Is there any chance we'll get some more of that when Root and Shaw are finally reunited in the real world?
Shaw has chosen to put a bullet in her head 6,741 times instead of killing Root. I'm bawling. Ultimate OTP goals right there.
What an exquisite episode. It struck the perfect balance between heartbreaking and awesome. Easily one of the best they've ever done and definitely in my top 3.
I'll be on the floor sobbing uncontrollably if anyone would like to join me.
Wow. This episode was insane. Let's hope the finale is even better.
Harold casually strolling into an NSA facility to upload a super virus. I've never thought he was capable of pulling something like that off, but I love this darker version of him.
The simulations were my favorite part of the episode. It was interesting to see what the characters' lives would look like without The Machine. I'm thrilled that we got to see evil Root again. It made me realize (not for the first time) just how phenomenal Root's character development had been.
To quote Harold himself: "Anyone who looks on the world as if it were a game of chess deserves to lose". Samaritan's going down! But I hate the way they handled Greer's death, to be honest. He didn't deserve to die on his own terms. I wanted Shaw to kill him, preferably in a very painful, very creative way that would've made Game of Thrones look family-friendly in comparison. I wanted him to watch Samaritan burn. Why can't we have nice things?
I need to start preparing myself for next week. Don't get me wrong, I love all the main characters, but if Root's the only one to die this season, I will be bitter forever. I'm expecting a bloodbath, and I hope the writers don't disappoint me.
Okay, raise your hand if you were surprised by the fact that Julian is Alchemy.
awkward cricket sounds
Yeah, I didn't think so. It was one of the most obvious reveals ever.
Savitar is super cool. Special effects were out of control in this episode.
I honestly laughed at Iris telling Barry that the CSI lab is his life. We hardly ever see him there. I think he'll be fine.
Wally was so happy and excited when they were testing his speed. It was adorable.
Oh, Caitlin. My beautiful baby. I really hope that they will find a way to get her powers under ontrol. I'm glad that the team didn't turn their backs on her.
Barry's confrontation with Killer Frost was such an amazing scene. It was so intense and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, even though I knew that there was no way they were going to kill Barry. Still, it definitely stood out to me.
I love Barry and Cisco's relationship. I don't want to see either of them sad. Just please, make up and be happy.
Nice Game of Thrones reference there, Cisco!
We're getting the crossover next week and I couldn't be more excited! I love big superhero team-ups!
Oh, this was fantastic. Such an intense episode that also did a great job of getting me excited for the next season.
"Haven't you learned anything this year... week... season?"
"It's the end of the season, er, semester."
Fourth wall? What fourth wall?
Shirley's tale of woe complete with seductive poses made me cry with laughter.
I'm really sad that we watched the Quagmires' daring escape and journey from Peru back to their home just for them to perish in a fire. I knew it was coming, but it still hurt.
That musical number at the end was unexpected, but I loved it. Somehow it just fit right in with the rest of the weirdness and absurdity.
Overall, this was an amazing season. All the actors were superb in their roles. Shoutout to Patrick Warburton in particular for being the perfect Lemony Snicket. His smooth voice and calm, somewhat deadpan delivery were exactly what I'd hoped for. NPH IS Count Olaf. He absolutely nailed the role. Malina Weissman and Louis Heyes were a bit stiff and awkward at times, but I still think they did an excellent job, especially considering that they're both just 13 years old and have very little acting experience. I'm sure they're just going to get better with age. And Sunny... Sunny is wonderful. I love her. I love all three of them, actually. They're my children now. I'm going to protect them and keep them safe and comfortable. They're going to eat ice cream for dinner. Their bedtime is never.
I love kickass ladies more than anything, so I liked this episode. I do think the "#feminism" thing was kind of cringeworthy though. Like, girls teaming up and kicking ass was literally the focus of this episode, you don't have to tell us that it's feminist. We know. I'm a feminist myself and I'm 100% here for female empowerment, but the way they tried to bring attention to it every 5 seconds was grating. If you keep making a big deal out of powerful and capable women, it will never be seen as something normal and common (which, you know, it is). Instead, it will feel gimmick-y. Fortunately, this was probably a one-time thing and Caitlin and Iris will go back to being casual badasses in the next episode.
My favorite part was that Caitlin and Iris had so many scenes together. Seriously, I've been waiting for so long for their friendship to develop into something more than just work colleagues. This is the brOTP that we deserve.
Drunk Barry was so hilarious. My sweet boy, crying over Jack and Rose. But he's a scientist, he should know that just because the door was big enough for the two of them, it doesn't mean that it could hold both of them. There's this thing called buoyancy, you know. They totally could've taken turns though.
Also, did Felicity really say "The Incredible Hulk"? Are they allowed to name-drop Marvel heroes?
The show is back on our screens and our heroes are back on Earth! That scene where the team stopped for a second to just enjoy the sun and the fresh air was so beautiful to me. They spent so much time trapped inside a crowded, grim space, so getting to go outside (and more importantly, actually having an outside to go to) must have felt so good. It left the biggest smile on my face.
Deke is alive! It caught me by surprise. His reactions to everything around him were so precious and hilarious. If I were in his shoes, I think I'd hug trees too.
Daisy Johnson in a suit is a sight that I was not prepared for and I pretty much flatlined as soon as I saw her. Damn, girl. How is it even possible for one person to be so attractive? Like, we get it. Tone it down, please. It's bad for my heart.
Piper, you traitorous bastard. You should know better than to trust the military. Did she really expect them to treat Coulson's team fairly? Come on. They want Coulson's head on a stick. They won't be satisfied with anything less.
YoYo getting her arms cut off was traumatic. I did not expect it to happen, I thought Kasius was the one who did that. What a plot twist. I hope Fitz designs some sick prosthetics for her like he did with Coulson.
Ruby seemed so out of place at the beginning of the episode, I couldn't imagine how a moody teen was supposed to fit into the storyline. Now that I know, I'm emotionally scarred for life. Thanks, I hate it. General Hale is just a fucking delight, isn't she? I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss Talbot. At least he didn't keep his kid locked up in a cell.
Carl Creel? They're really bringing back a lot of old storylines, aren't they? We've already had Gravitonium and T.A.H.I.T.I. this season, and now this. And we also got the team recounting all the horrible things that happened to them, including Simmons jumping out of the Bus in "FZZT" to save the team, FitzSimmons getting dropped to the bottom of the ocean by Ward at the end of season 1, and May being forced to dance in that sparkly, silver dress in season 2 (that made me snicker).
Did anyone else caught Noah saying something about an Asgardian spotted on Earth? That's gotta be Thor when he came looking for Odin at the beginning of Ragnarok, right? I kind of like the fact that they're only making very small references to the movies now, since the movies don't acknowledge this show's existence in any way, why should it be the other way around?
Good episode overall, I'm pumped to see where we're gonna go from here. See you next week!
HAPPY 100TH EPISODE, EVERYONE!
I just want to say this: I'm so happy, so proud and so, so grateful. I've been in love with this show since I first started watching it 3.5 years ago. The fact that we're here today celebrating this wonderful milestone is a privilege, one that I wasn't sure we'd get this time last year. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has defied the odds time and time again. There has been so much working against it: backlash from hardcore Marvel fans way back when it started; ratings getting lower year after year; ABC itself not giving a shit about it, dumping it first in their worst slot at 10 PM on Tuesdays, and then moving it to Fridays, where most shows go to die; finally, having a completely undeserved reputation of the bastard child of the MCU. Despite all of that, it's still going strong, reaching new creative heights with every season, giving us awesome content, and keeping us on the edge of our seats. Maybe it never quite became the smash hit that Marvel surely expected it to be, but all of us who have stuck with it through thick and thin know just how special it is. "We have a small but active fanbase", indeed.
This episode was beautiful. I don't even know where to start. I think I'll just make a list of everything that stood out to me, it'll help me organize my thoughts a little:
Daisy and Coulson's relationship is absolutely incredible. I started crying as soon as Daisy teared up and I didn't really stop until the end of the episode. Chloe Bennet broke my heart. She's come such a long way since the pilot and grown so much as an actress.
Fake Deathlok trying to convince Phil that it's all in his head gave me major anxiety, mostly because for one horrifying second I imagined them ending the show like this. Just "psych! It was a fantasy all along!". They wouldn't do that, right? RIGHT???
Real Deathlok showed up! Yet another old character to have come back this season!
I saw a theory circulating around Tumblr that Deke is a descendant of FitzSimmons. I was sceptical. But guess what, it's true! Which means there are some cute, genius FitzSimmons babies coming! It does raise some questions, though. They'll have to send Deke back to the future eventually, right? Will he even exist if the team saves the world, or will he get erased? As usual with the time traveling stuff, my head hurts.
Goddamn. FitzSimmons. Wedding. This was where I went from low-key crying to just straight-up bawling. They couldn't have chosen anything better to celebrate the 100th episode with. It was perfect. The setting, Coulson marrying them, their vows... Jemma looked stunning, Fitz looked so handsome (shame about that kilt though, I think they should've gone for it), Elizabeth and Iain's acting was out of this world, as usual. I'm so happy for those two nerds.
What an emotional rollercoaster. I need to lie down for a bit. Huge, huge congratulations to everyone involved in the show, the whole cast and crew. I hope they know that they've created something extraordinary. And I hope that cake they had in celebration of the 100th episode was delicious.
