TV Review: THE 100: Season 3, Episode 1: Wanheda, Pt. 1 [The CW]

The CW’s The 100, Wanheda Pt. 1 TV Show Review. The 100: Season 3, Episode 1: ‘Wanheda, Pt. 1′ probably didn’t bring the series back fast enough for some; but I suspect it proved to be worth the wait for most. It did not pick up exactly where season two left off, but some things needed stewing, in the time since.

For starters, the Sky Crew has settled on a name for their settlement: Arkadia. As I will be resisting the urge to refer to them as Cajuns (originally called Acadians), I am open to suggestions. I’ll start with Ark Angels (for the nice ones), Arkademics (for the smart ones), Arkansans (no comment), Arkanadians (for the diplomatic ones), and – inevitably – Arkidiots (for everyone else), just for size.

Clarke (Eliza Taylor) was still in self-imposed exile; but word comes, to the seekers she left behind, that she has since had a universal bounty placed on her head. A quite flattering one, as bounties go, since the titular concept, behind her status, is actually one of mankind’s oldest customs. This fact not only made sense of her character status, it made sense of her new look – being a disguise ‘n all. I was glad the show has ramped up its approach to linguistics; but as thick as the sexual tension was, the moment Clarke went from hunter to trader, I was impressed by how far they were willing to take the sex scene. The show has pushed the envelope, regarding violence; so why not? Clexa shippers may have been given something to work with, as a result, but Linctavia seems to have its work cut out for it.

Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) has not taken the all-of-the-above option (regarding being either Sky-larker or Grounder beef), and has remained comfortable being uncomfortable with comfortable living. I’d say there’s no living with that; but Lincoln (Ricky Whittle) has kept trying. His being made official – uniform ‘n all – by the Ark wielders (still working on it) didn’t help.

It did help that Bellamy (Bob Morley) has Lincoln to partly credit for his upgrade to head Ark Ranger. The adventures of Team Bellamy would provide some of the highlights & lowlights of the ep, and frame much of Arkadia’s development, since the Weather War. Speaking of developments: holy growth-spurts – perpetual Red Shirt, Monroe (Katie Stuart), has grown quite a bit, since I saw her last. Just as well, I guess, since there was a notable number of future Red Shirts frolicking about, and staring after Team Bellamy’s departure – likely all thinking the same thing. “When I grow up, I wanna be – or bang – Octavia.”

…Okay, likely not; but maybe. Bad ass on a horse, hot ass on a horse; either way, she was rocking a horse (cue Old Spice jingle).

Raven (Lindsey Morgan) had some lingering health issues, that made her a better stand-in for Abby’s (Paige Turco) daughter issues; but somehow this was completely overshadowed by the hot mess elephant in the room.

Emo Jasper (Devon Bostick) is going to take some getting used to. Justified in his grief, or not, the guy was a pill. Whether he needed it or not, he was also a liability in the field, heading out. I’ll admit, I did enjoy the catharsis sing-along moment; but things only got worse. Remember, this was the guy the series pretty much resurrected, after taking a spear in the name of Darwin. Let’s hope the showrunners don’t make us regret that reversal of fortune.

Where the series did pick up after last: perpetually drop-kicked Murphy (Richard Harmon) settling into the bunker; with last season’s closing suicide note (I mean seriously, who shoots themselves in the gut?) bringing a counter-reversal to what had seemed like a reversal of his own fortunes. He was locked into that bunker long enough to memorize the video log, and run low on supplies; though I’m not sure he showered, at any point. He did eventually smash the big screen; but not before two additional bunker mates, and the real life model for A.I. Alie’s (Erica Cerra) avatar, appeared onscreen. I suspect we’ll be getting more of the ‘3 guys, a girl, and a genocidal A.I.’ backstory, as the season progresses. It wasn’t made clear whether Alie was keeping direct tabs on Murphy; but he was sprung just as he was contemplating another out, and led (by delivery drone – I knew those things would help end us, one day) to perpetual man-on-a-mission, Thelonious Jaha (Isaiah Washington). Thank you, Red Queen of post-apocalyptic Wonderland.

Despite the T-man’s claim, that they just wanted him accounted for while they worked, I’d say the real reason he was locked in was to give him an incentive to leave the bunker at all. Nothing says leave your comfort zone like confinement taking all the comfort out of it. After Murphy’s stint in solitary, however, I would’ve been surprised if their reunion didn’t involve attempted assault. Thelonious’ new sense of purpose didn’t help.

Thelonious the Monk didn’t just find the City of Light, he seemed to have found himself a whole new religion (guess it’s time to update his prophet tag list). To the show’s credit, however, the ‘SkyNet wears Prada’ angle hasn’t gone full gallop, yet – for plot sustainability reasons, Alie seems to be settling into the role of a ‘Red Priestess,’ instead. T-‘Monk’ might want to compare notes with a guy named Stannis.

I’m not as ready to redeem Murphy as the show clearly is (though I did appreciate Harmon’s bunker performance, and the character’s reference to last season’s T-‘Moses’ sea monster sacrifice). To his own credit, however, Murphy didn’t take The Red Pill from T-‘Morpheus’ (FYI, Murphy: the ‘symptoms’ it supposedly clears up are the why to most of us – not just you); but he certainly followed some cotton tail down the Rabbit Hole fast enough (and it’s back to thanking the Red Queen – that’s quite a ledger of red she got).

The weightiest moment of the ep: the arrival of Roan (Zach McGowan – more on him later).

The weakest moment: Jasper reinstating the Old World practice of picking senseless fights in bars (I don’t care how sappy the lounge ballad was).

The most informative: date stamp on bunker video log, which sets the series somewhere in the neighborhood of 2150 AD (After Doomsday?)

The dumbest: Team Bellamy not immediately getting clear of a roadblock – especially after being told it was deliberate.

All in all, not a bad first entry. It wasn’t a grabber of a season launch, either; but it was a step in what looks to be another measured expansion for the series. The trick will be in reconciling Clarke’s messianic thread with Jaha’s – and not annoying too many viewers, in the process – while leaving the remaining principals something worthwhile of their own to do & have done to them. For a better sense for that, I’m going to need another episode. Maybe one after that….

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