The 100 - The 48 - Season Premiere Roundtable Discussion + POLL

It's been a long time coming, but The CW's The 100 finally returned to our screens this evening! As promised in our preview of the season 2 premiere, SpoilerTV is the place to be, with our exclusive roundtable discussion and episode opinion poll all rolled into one! Our roundtable has questions by Jimmy Ryan, and answers from The 100 reviewers Pablo and Daniel van der Veer, with guest writers Bradley Adams, Robert Fruin and Ben Norton also sharing their thoughts. The opinion poll and spoilers for next week's episode are down below.

Let's get into it!

Jimmy: That was an action packed premiere. Were you satisfied with what was covered?

Daniel: Absolutely! There were some episodes last year where we didn’t get to see the Ark or we only saw it in flashbacks, but this episode covered all the various places where are characters found themselves at. We saw the 48 in Mount Weather, Bellamy and Finn in the woods, Octavia and Lincoln on the move, the Ark survivors at camp Jaha, Raven and Murphy at the dropship and we even saw Jaha up in space. There was no time jump whatsoever, we just continued right where the finale left off.

Pablo: Mostly, yeah! I was pretty satisfied. It picked up from where it left off in the finale and it had a great balance between answering some lingering questions and asking some others. It was great to see that the show could balance out each storyline and to see that our characters are still as complex and developed as when the show left them back in the summer.

Bradley: I was satisfied. I enjoyed the premiere. It gave us development on all fronts, which is what a premiere should do, but it didn’t feel jumbled. It felt like it all fit together quite nicely, and that it wasn’t rushed or failed to develop things.

Robert: I was extremely satisfied, the first episode managed to showcase all of our characters which I was very pleased with. I thought initially we would only see Clarke, and maybe the Ark lot, but the episode surprised me and we even saw Jaha. I was glad that we learned the fates of all the people we presumed could have died so quickly as well. I was glad also that it didn’t take long for everyone to get to terms with where they are, and that we dived straight into the story from the opening scene. There was a nice mix of action and storytelling, as well as a wonderfully written script. Each separate group seems to have an interesting storyline set in place from the premiere episode, so I cannot wait to find out where everything leads to.

Ben: I was surprised at how much they were able to fit in that premiere. We got a look at Clarke and what she is up to, a look at Lincoln and Octavia, the adults came down and took over, and we even got a glimpse at Jaha still on the Ark. I was more than satisfied with the amount of action, and drama they managed to fit into this episode. I felt like this was a whole other pilot for me, as it's a whole new journey now, the adults are down and with the introduction of Mt Weather, things are sure to get interesting.

Jimmy: Most of the story in the premiere centered around Clarke and her experiences inside Mt. Weather. She’s clearly doubtful about this oasis. What are your own suspicions?

Daniel: Obviously it looks too good to be true. It all seems perfect: they get a bed, good food and safety. But it’s also a place filled with mysteries where certain doors literally cannot be opened. There is definitely more to the place than meets the eye.

Pablo: I think she is right on the money when she says that place is too good to be true; President Wallace looks nice, but I sense he is pretty shady. I don’t believe him when he says they are still looking for the rest of The 100, I think they would already found them and they also would have found the people from the Ark. They are hiding something dark.

Bradley: I don’t know. I want to believe that it’s a safe haven, but I am struggling to believe that they could have lived there for so long without going outside. I’m sceptical, I’ll say that. Exactly what lies in store however, I don’t know.

Robert: I think it is too good be true. I think it is all an act , and they might turn out to be worse than the grounders.

Ben: I think there’s more to the story of Mt Weather, there is a lot of unknowns surrounding it. Mt Weather just seems to be too good to be true. I think Mt Weather is a big place, and there is a lot more of Mt Weather for them to explore.

Jimmy: The fans were desperate for answers over the summer as to the fate of Bellamy and Finn. We also saw the return of Murphy and Raven. Were you surprised that they all made it?

Daniel: I was a bit surprised. I knew for sure that Raven was going to survive, because Lindsay Morgan was promoted to regular. Jaha was also a safe bet, as Isaiah Washington was seen at Comic-Con. Bellamy was accidentally spoiled by Jason Rothenberg, so the only one I did not know for certain was Finn. I thought it could go either way but I’m glad he survived. I must say I didn’t expect to see Murphy again so soon, but it made for some interesting scenes between him and Raven.

Pablo: Nah, I pretty much knew Finn and Bellamy were going to be fine - like 90% sure. They were just too important to the story and The 100 hasn’t got to a point where it can continue without them just yet - but it may get there soon! I was surprised by Murphy’s return! I didn’t expect to see him so soon, and much less sharing a scene with Raven. It was very interesting and a surprisingly strong scene.

Bradley: I was very surprised. Given that the Grounders were made into charcoal in the finale, I fully expected Bellamy and/or Finn to be too. As for Raven and Murphy… well, I hadn’t even contemplated that they’d be alive - from their situations at the end of season 1, I didn’t think they’d still be alive now. I was pleasantly surprised about the return of the first three, not so much Murphy.

Robert: I wasn’t surprised Finn and Bellamy made it since I didn’t think they would kill of two important male leads, and a possible love interest for Clarke. I was 100% sure Bellamy wasn’t going to die since he is their leader, all the Ark survivors (the children) listen to him and would follow him to death. I knew also Raven would survive since the actress got promoted to series regular so it was fairly obvious she was going to be in the new season. The biggest shock for me was to see Jaha alive at the end , I thought he would be dead by now, and wouldn't even be seen in the new season.

Ben: I honestly thought all along that they would kill one character off, I was predicting Murphy not to make it. However with all of them surviving, it will make for some interesting storylines this season.

Jimmy: Lincoln and Octavia are fighting their own battles without a lot of luck, and its set to get worse. Do you see them being forced to reconnect with the remaining Ark survivors if things continue to go against them?

Daniel: I think they will at some point be forced to reconnect with the Ark survivors, but I don’t think it will be so soon into the season. Them being out there gives us a chance to get to know this world and to explore the different Grounder tribes. At one point they might need to reconnect with the Arkers, and it will be interesting to see how they react to seeing Octavia and Lincoln together.

Pablo: Probably later in the season, but as of right now I think they are on their own: they seem to have strayed quite a lot from the dropship and they are near Grounder territory, so they are not going to share moments with Ark survivors anytime soon, but I do expect them to cross paths around episode 9 or somewhere around that, but for now it’s their own battle.

Bradley: I think Octavia will want to, but Lincoln won’t. And probably rightfully so - with Kane et al on the ground now, Lincoln wouldn’t survive. Also, I wonder if Octavia is worried about her fate if she does return to her people - though it’d be pretty hypocritical of Kane to punish/kill Octavia after telling Bellamy that they’re not animals.

Robert: It think they might be forced eventually to reconnect with them, but I hope not. I would like for them to remain on their own a little longer , as I think it would create some interesting storylines, also they can explore their relationship a bit more.

Ben: Lincoln and Octavia should create some great drama this season, but I think that they will run out of options and have to reconnect with the survivors of the Ark. But I think that it's easier said than done, as the Ark survivors don't really understand the situation.

Jimmy: With Jaha staying behind to man the Ark, Kane has assumed the leadership role on the ground. What are your thoughts on his stint so far?

Daniel: He’s doing an OK job. Obviously his strict leadership will cause some friction in camp Jaha and between him and the 100. Kane has always been someone to abide by the law and he is keen to keep these laws on Earth as well. However, this is a new world now so his inflexibility might not be suitable for Earth.

Pablo: I think Kane is trying his best, but he is not really the best leader; he’s too strict and I think he won’t be able to do what needs to be done. Sometimes you just gotta break the rules if it what it takes to save your people, but Kane seems to think that rules is the only thing that can keep them together and save them. It’s a really honorable code and it makes him a good man, but not the best leader.

Bradley: Kane is the kind of guy who will go power-crazy. He’s doing a decent job thus far, but I really don’t see it lasting. A coup is not far away, I feel.

Robert: I like the actor, but don’t like Kane. I think at the moment he is doing an alright job of being the leader, but I don’t think it will last long. I think he will go back to being his old self, with all the power and control. I would have preferred Abby and Kane to share leadership.

Ben: 5. With Kane on the ground, he is acting like the real leader, and is taking over from The 100, much to Bellamy and Finn’s disgust. I think there will be some conflict between Kane and The 100, with Kane wanting to bring down all the laws and rules of the Ark, there is definitely going to be some sort of disagreement between the two of them.

Jimmy: President Dante Wallace is an interesting guy, but Clarke’s intuition is telling her that he has a sinister streak. Do you think she’s right?

Daniel: Again, it looks too good to be true. He is very nice to the 48 and Clarke specifically but he is hiding some things. I believe if you stay within his personal borders, you’re good, but Clarke is definitely not going to do that. At the point, when he’s angry I think he might get pretty nasty.

Pablo: As I said before, he is shady, but I like his character! I think he is a villain, but one that has a motivation; he doesn’t strike me as a monster, but rather someone who is taking drastic measures to ensure his people's survival, just like the Grounders, but the difference is that he is pulling the strings rather than directly attacking The 100, so it’s going to be a very interesting dynamic.

Bradley: I think that while he may not be a bad guy, per se, there is definitely something off about him. I definitely wouldn’t trust him, no matter how many chocolate cakes he offered.

Robert: When I first saw him on screen, I could tell that there was something a bit off with him. He seemed way too friendly, especially to people who are strangers to him. I think Clarke will be right about him, and his true nature will be revealed soon.

Ben: 6. I definitely think that there is more to the President’s story, I think something terrible will happen, there is something linked to the past of Mt Weather. There definitely is something wrong about him, but I’m sure we'll find out soon.

Jimmy: Wallace also revealed how the genetics of various groups determined their susceptibility to radiation. This clearly leaves the occupants of Mt. Weather in a vulnerable situation. Do you see this potentially being used against them?

Daniel: I can see it being used against them, yes. Especially if Clarke’s suspicions about the Mountain Men are true, she will do anything to keep the 48 safe. However, opening the doors would make her a mass murderer so I’m not sure she is willing to go so dark already. But it’s definitely the weakness of Mt Weather.

Pablo: Absolutely! Many people of Mt. Weather must be going to die during the season, I can sense it! It’s just a gut feeling, but I can already see it coming and that episode is going to be memorable, because the fallout is going to be massive.

Bradley: I do see the radiation being used against them. Clarke was very close to opening that door and flooding Mt Weather with radiation, and Jasper was trying to stop her. If the group find out something sinister about the occupants, they’ll quickly use this against them.

Robert: It could well be used against them, especially if they turn out to be a huge threat to the group. They only have to open the door leading to the outside, and it could kill the people in Mount Weather.

Ben: With the people in Mt Weather used to this type of civilization for such a long time, The 100 could create a threat for those on Mt Weather, this could indeed lead to a war, and Clarke’s only option would be to open the doors.

Jimmy: Lastly, what was your favorite moment of tonight’s episode?

Daniel: The entire episode was great with various moments standing out. Besides the ones already mentioned by the others, I would also like to point Raven and Murphy’s conversation. We got to see a softer side to Murphy, which is great. Also, they would be pretty much enemies had they not been the only two leftovers so I thought it was quite an interesting dynamic. To see the two of them together, thinking they’re the only ones left made for some great scenes.

Pablo: I love how Clarke gets out of the white room, it’s just so smart! No Deus Ex Machina, no rescue, no nothing, she just uses her wits. It makes it so realistic and it gives Eliza Taylor a chance to play badass, a thing she didn’t get to do much during the previous season. Talking about Taylor, she really killed it during the episode! She did an incredible performance that left me quite impressed.

Bradley: I think my favourite moment would probably have to be Raven and Murphy’s conversation. As much as I hate Murphy and was hoping he had been killed by the Grounders, it was some great character development for him.

Robert: I loved everything about the episode, but most of all I really liked the ending. The music they had playing over the final moments was just perfect, and it set everything up nicely for the next episode. I also really liked how they named their new home base “Camp Jaha”, them remembering their own chancellor was a nice touch.

Ben: My favourite scene in this episode by far, was when Kane shot the grounder and saved Bellamy and Finn. This really brought the whole episode into perspective, it really showed us that the adults are back now, and are back in charge.

That's our 8 roundtable questions done and dusted for the season premiere! Below you can give the episode a rating!


Thanks for reading our roundtable discussion and voting in our poll for the season 2 premiere of The 100! We really enjoyed the episode, and we hope you did too! Be sure to share your thoughts and theories on the events of the premiere in the comments below, and feel free to share your own answers to our roundtable poll questions!

On next week's episode of The 100, titled "Inclement Weather", Clarke presses on with her attempts to discern whether the haven at Mt Weather is too good to be true, and what she discovers will shock you. Abby defies the orders of Kane, assisting Finn and Bellamy in escaping from Camp Jaha, and its Octavia's turn to return a favor. You'll also see the brand new series title sequence - it's really good!

Thanks again for reading! See you all back here next Wednesday night, and don't forget to watch out for our episode 2 preview during the next few days.
Jimmy, Daniel, Pablo, Bradley, Robert and Ben.