Although the first few episodes of The 100 created a story set in a strange and dangerous future Earth, the show quickly pivoted towards pitting its human characters against each other as enemies. But in Season 4, showrunner Jason Rothenberg hinted that the show is returning to its survivalist roots. In a recent interview, Rothenberg said about Season 4, “The earth is striking back. The environment is turning on the people who live on the planet, and I think that’s something we all have to worry about, unfortunately, in the not-too-distant future.”
This continues the show’s trend of being disconcertingly timely in relationship to real ecological concerns.. Season 3 saw the Sky People electing a myopic leader whose Sky-People-First vision got them in hot water. Now, just as the doomsday clock has moved closer to midnight in the real world, Season 4 is presenting its characters with their own doomsday clock.
But luckily, this doesn’t mean Season 4 will be totally nihilistic. “They say there are no atheists in foxholes,” Rothenberg told Hypable. “You find out what you believe and who you are when you stare down the barrel of a gun, and they’ve got one coming at them pretty quickly. So this season is dark and relentless, certainly, but it’s also surprisingly hopeful.”
The 100 Season 4 premiers February 1 on the CW.
