Love Triangles v. Sci-Fi Story: Too CW For Its Own Good?

[Joystickenvy]

The CWness of the show is definitely detracting from my enjoyment of it, but it is a show on the CW.....

I guess they are aiming to please their current fan base, rather than drawing in a new one or maybe they hope they can do both by keeping the teenagery love triangles and adding in the soap operay ark stuff and mashing it all into a sci fi theme.

I suspect I'll end up giving up on it like I did with the tomorrow people, but it has a bit more of a cheese factor that keeps it more interesting. Fart clouds and psychedelic beans will only hold me so long. I need radioactive unicorns, particularly now that the grounders seem unlikely to be interesting.

I think Xena was the only CW show I ever made it past 1 season with, and I think that was back when it was the WB.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Joystickenvy

[bluebonnet]

I feel comfortable with the CW-ish love triangle bits, but it's going way too far.  CW shows are my vice.  I came over to the network with Supernatural and just stuck around.  I accept the formula they use use, but I also expect a bit of storytelling.  The Clarke/Raven/Finn thing is fine if they want to do it (though the chemistry is seriously lacking with these three), but I'd enjoy it more if it were a slow burning side plot instead of what it's been.  We get it, love triangle on aisle 3.  CW recognizes they have a formula that works for them, but growth isn't a bad thing.  Their target demographic (of which I'm admittedly not a part of) will come to this show because they are really into post-apocalyptic stuff right now.  Throw in some fart clouds, trippy beans, and unicorns (hear that CW, we want our unicorns!) and viewers will be a bit more dazzled.  World build, show us the different groups.  Build those love shapes up slowly.  We want to meet the grounders, but it's underwhelming when it's at the expense of showing us that "omg Finn totally pines for Clarke more than Raven and Raven is upset about it because she has no one but Finn and Bellamy is Clarke's back up".  

[Stinger97]

There's been some discussion in the latest episode thread about whether the show should move away from the teenage love triangles and focus more on its sci-fi aspects. Here's your thread to discuss the topic at length. 

[millahnna]

Truly I think they can balance both.  But CW shows in general these days aren't really trying that hard and are mostly just playing copy/paste with their formula without actually putting in the polish to smooth those borrowed elements into a cohesive whole (see exhibit Star Crossed).  On that score, while this one isn't perfect, it does a better job than most.  I feel world building, which the show would need whether it was genre or not, and that's a major improvement over some of the network's other offerings.

[Joystickenvy]

I love Sci Fi and I'm not opposed to teenagery elements. I watched every Harry Potter and I still watch Degrassi lol, but the way CW approaches it just doesn't appeal to me. I think it's not so much the love triangles, but rather that they aren't interesting love triangles and I agree it would be nice if they were more the B plot.

I have a bad feeling that rather than explore the culture and history of the grounders or the challenges of surviving the show will mostly be about romance plots and fighting the grounders. Kind of like how Revolution devolved into Miles/Rachel/ Monroe & Bratniss/Monroe's kid/Jason and fighting the patriots with a bit of nanites silliness thrown in.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Joystickenvy

[bluebonnet]

Damn, Raven and Clarke have such lovely chemistry.  Too bad this triangle has got in the way of a decent potential friendship.  Thankfully, the triangle looked as though it was severed, but it also makes a Raven/Clarke friendship that much more difficult.  

[In2You]

If they really wanted to sell this Finn loves Clarke crap they shouldn't have had the two sleep together after less than two weeks. They also shouldn't have cast someone as Raven who has more chemistry with Finn than Finn has with Clarke.  Its a pretty hard sell to say Finn instantly moved on because he thought he would never see Raven again when it hasn't even been a month yet. These insta romances with no build up don't work. I hope they don't focus on romances next season. Especially since the online fandom for this show seems to ship anyone who talks to someone else. 

[millahnna]

 

They also shouldn't have cast someone as Raven who has more chemistry with Finn than Finn has with Clarke.

 

More importantly they shouldn't have cast two actresses who have more chemistry with each other than either does with the dude in their triangle.  I love Raven and Clark scenes.  I'm not shipping them (though I wouldn't be opposed to that) or anything; I just dig the way they play off of each other and that they aren't sniping and bitching at each other.

[SonofaBiscuit]

I think that the Finn/Clarke/Raven love triangle is slowly morphing into a Finn/Clarke/Bellamy love triangle.  I've seen a few things on Bellamy's end that lead me to believe that they are setting him up as a love interest to Clarke, but I could be wrong.  They had that moment where things got a little awkward for Bellamy when he was touching Clarke's shoulder and teaching her how to shoot a gun, and this last episode, we had Bellamy saying he was glad when Clarke responded that she was feeling better.  I really wish that Finn would be taken out of the equation because he's just super bland.  Doesn't Lincoln have a hot Grounder friend that could kidnap and chain Clarke up for a while?  I'd be down for a Grounder/Clarke/Bellamy love triangle. 

[In2You]

Raven has down her fair share of glaring and snipping at Clarke.She's just not as harsh with it. 

 

Bellamy was the love interest of Clarke in the book this show is loosely based off. Of course so was Wells and they killed him off.

 

I'm not interested in any love triangles on this show period but especially featuring Clarke. She's Elena Gilbert lite.

[Stinger97]

At the risk of turning this forum into a very mini Game of Thrones situation, please use spoiler tags when discussing information that pertains to the books but hasn't occurred on screen. While I understand the show has departed quite a bit from the books, a possibility that it might appear in the show constitutes spoiler tagging the info. Thanks!

[In2You]

At the risk of turning this forum into a very mini Game of Thrones situation, please use spoiler tags when discussing information that pertains to the books but hasn't occurred on screen. While I understand the show has departed quite a bit from the books, a possibility that it might appear in the show constitutes spoiler tagging the info. Thanks!

The final draft of the book was not done until after they started writing this show and most of what happened in the book was covered in the pilot. The current story arcs are nothing like the book. Most of the characters in this show are not even in the book.

Edited May 27, 2014 by In2You

[Stinger97]

Understood, but I would still prefer spoiler tags be used for book info on the off chance it eventually occurs on screen. 

[BooBear]

 

hey had that moment where things got a little awkward for Bellamy when he was touching Clarke's shoulder and teaching her how to shoot a gun, and this last episode, we had Bellamy saying he was glad when Clarke responded that she was feeling better.

 

I am starting to think that the "shake it off" moment where Bellamy was teaching Clarke was due to the nuts and the fact that Bellamy was starting to feel the effects of them. Not any "sexual feeling" with regard to Clarke. Seems to me they are keeping these two pretty platonic for this year.... next year... maybe not.  I think Bellamy thinks a lot of Clarke and she is a looker but at the moment he seems to have friendzoned her. Though I kind of beg him to save the audience from Clarke / Finn.

[FurryFury]

It seems obvious they are going for Bellamy/Clarke in the long run, but thankfully don't push them right now. If the writers have any idea what they're doing, they should kill Finn off in the finale and continue focusing on Bellamy/Clarke relationship as co-leaders, romance can wait.

[FAU]

There's been some discussion in the latest episode thread about whether the show should move away from the teenage love triangles and focus more on its sci-fi aspects. Here's your thread to discuss the topic at length. 

 

Yes, it's detracting from everything else that's much more important.

[bluebonnet]

It seems obvious they are going for Bellamy/Clarke in the long run, but thankfully don't push them right now. If the writers have any idea what they're doing, they should kill Finn off in the finale and continue focusing on Bellamy/Clarke relationship as co-leaders, romance can wait.

 

Finn being dead and gone would be wonderful as it's one less useless character.  But then it starts up a potential Bellamy/Clarke/Raven triangle.  They should just kill off half the boys, lock up the other half for a rainy (i.e. repopulation needs) day.  The Arkteen boys are completely useless and boring.  Murphy can stay.  He's evil but at least he's done something, like pee on people, kill people, rile up the camp, plus he served meat from the mountain lion.  

[FurryFury]

But then it starts up a potential Bellamy/Clarke/Raven triangle.

 

Bellamy/Raven is probably just a filler relationship, a la Damon/Caroline in season one of The Vampire Diaries (yep, I used to watch that, and yep, I feel ashamed, even if it was pretty good for the first two seasons). I doubt there's any sort of future, she isn't "special" enough for him to change his bad boy ways, that role is reserved for Clarke and Clarke only.

 

Murphy can stay.  He's evil but at least he's done something, like pee on people, kill people, rile up the camp, plus he served meat from the mountain lion.

 

Yeah, Murphy seems actually interesting, there are lots of ways for his character to develop. Not to mention I consider main characters giant hypocrites because of how they've dealt with him. If he wants revenge, I'm not sure he's that wrong.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Stinger97
Formatting

[In2You]

Bellamy and Clarke aren't a good co-leader team either. He's not the smartest of the bunch nor the most compassionate and caring. His answer to everything is violence, violence, and more violence. 

 

Not that Clarke is much better as a leader. Her morals flip flop several times an episode. She also suffers from the same syndrome many of the current YA leads suffer from. She's overly special and perfect.

 

The show seems to go out of their way to tell us she's bad ass instead of her actions speaking for themselves. She's the wise and noble leader who can heal anyone. The guys jump up to defend her, protect her, etc. And there's no female on the show that's a "real" threat to her. To me there's nothing about Clarke so far that sets her apart from most of the female leads in YA.

[Slider]

Can anyone name me a show that doesn't have some sort of love triange or romantic angst?  I'm curious as to why this is considered "CW-ness" that is repeatedly referred to.  I don't think the romance angle is overplayed on this show at all, with the lone exception being Finn's random declaration of love in the middle of their Reaper escape.  In real life relationships happen, drama happens, that's part of everyday stuff.

[bluebonnet]

Relationships happen, as you say.  CW has a special fondness for the triangle/quandrangle variety.  It's a tool they use to up the angst and drama.  I expect relationships, I'm so over the love shapes.  This show has a lot of drama and angst on it's own - what with the conflict between grounders and arkteens and running out of oxygen- that the triangle drama puts a stopper on things and it weakens character development.  This is a sci-fi drama so relationship stuff should be more background noise, especially right now.  Half of some episodes are devoted to showing us "OMG love triangle alert".  I find it intrusive.  

[FAU]

Relationships happen, as you say.  CW has a special fondness for the triangle/quandrangle variety.  It's a tool they use to up the angst and drama.  I expect relationships, I'm so over the love shapes.  This show has a lot of drama and angst on it's own - what with the conflict between grounders and arkteens and running out of oxygen- that the triangle drama puts a stopper on things and it weakens character development.  This is a sci-fi drama so relationship stuff should be more background noise, especially right now.  Half of some episodes are devoted to showing us "OMG love triangle alert".  I find it intrusive.  

 

Exactly, there's plenty of drama that's not romance related that's far more compelling than this contrived cliche.

[FurryFury]

The problem isn't romance per se, the problem is badly written, contrived romance that basically takes over some characters like a tumor. Finn's sole purpose is being a love interest and an object for Clarke and Raven to fight over. And even Clarke, the supposed heroine, has had seemingly zero character development for the last 6 ot 7 episodes because of the Finn drama. Lincoln and Octavia aren't much better, they at least have less screen time but their love was just as sudden and inexplicable (plus, awash with Stockholm syndrome).

[In2You]

I'll post my post from the other thread here

 

My problem with the romance/angst is that its horribly written and featured prominent in every episode despite the producers trying to say romance isn't the focus. If romance isn't the focus why did they force the love triangle all season? And they so wanted to say their love triangle was different that they took out alot of the emotion in it. Someone can't go through heartbreak without being angry yet they din't really want Raven to let out her anger on Finn and Clarke so they settled for occasional glaring each episode which just made her look bitter. 

 

Octavia's pairings were quickly thrown together without much development. I was annoyed when they tried to make it seem like she did Jasper wrong when the only thing we saw happen between her and Jasper was a kiss. Which caused online posts about her being a fickle slut. And then there was Raven and Bellamy's pointless hookup.

[bluebonnet]

I actually liked that Raven was all "I deserve better and I might glare but I'm going to still do my job so we can save ourselves".  It made me hope that they were going to try to take this show in a direction that had the females deciding they didn't have time for that shit.  Then Raven and Bellamy happened.

 

I agree about Octavia's pairings.  They have all been so dumb.  I'm only on the Lincoln train because he's the male eye candy, but really the whole thing is terrible because it's based on him chaining her up in order to 'save' her instead of just telling her that he was trying to help.  Plus, all of Octavia's pairings completely negated her "lived in the floor" story.  Girl had better social skills than a prom queen.  

[FAU]

The problem isn't romance per se, the problem is badly written, contrived romance that basically takes over some characters like a tumor. Finn's sole purpose is being a love interest and an object for Clarke and Raven to fight over. And even Clarke, the supposed heroine, has had seemingly zero character development for the last 6 ot 7 episodes because of the Finn drama. Lincoln and Octavia aren't much better, they at least have less screen time but their love was just as sudden and inexplicable (plus, awash with Stockholm syndrome).

 

Most of the time, the romance is the problem because it's poorly written, nothing new or interesting is brought in because it uses every cliche in the book.

[BooBear]

My problem with the romance/angst is that its horribly written and featured prominent in every episode despite the producers trying to say romance isn't the focus. If romance isn't the focus why did they force the love triangle all season? And they so wanted to say their love triangle was different that they took out alot of the emotion in it.

 

I hope this is all the CWs doing. It does seem like we have a good show that is constantly interrupted by the "romance" channel. I hope that is taken back a bit now that the show seems to be a ratings hit. However, I do want a little smart intelligent romance.  I think Clarke and Bellamy have a strong friendship that would be interesting to explore if they both started feeling more - but they both don't strike me as "romance" people. I want to see Raven get someone who thinks she is awsome too. And Octavia needs to settle a little bit and stay with one guy. If that is Lincoln... fine, I think the idea of a grounder / 100 relationship is interesting and allows for all kinds of plot possibilities.

 

The one I think the show could fumble is Kane and Abby and I am sort of dreading that.

[bluebonnet]

I'm still confused about what happened with Kane's wife.  I was fully expecting a dramatic triangle with that one.  

[In2You]

I hope this is all the CWs doing. It does seem like we have a good show that is constantly interrupted by the "romance" channel. I hope that is taken back a bit now that the show seems to be a ratings hit. However, I do want a little smart intelligent romance.  I think Clarke and Bellamey have a strong friendship that would be interesting to explore if they both started feeling more - but they both don't strike me as "romance" people. I want to see Raven get someone who thinks she is awsome too. And Octavia needs to settle a little bit and stay with one guy. If that is Lincoln... fine, I think the idea of a grounder / 100 relationship is interesting and allows for all kinds of plot possiblities.

 

The one I think the show could fumble is Kane and Abby and I am sort of dreading that.

I wish people would stop putting all the blame for these love triangles on the network.  Hell for StarCrossed the network had to step in and tell the writers to easy up on the romance because the cheesy pilot got alot of bad reviews. Writers put these triangles into the show to try and get shippers to watch especially on the CW where many of them are trying to recreate TVD's success.  If you look on Twitter you can see tweets from the producer and the cast pandering to shippers. Like during The Calm though it wasn't really shown onscreen the producer was on Twitter telling fans who want Bellamy and Clarke to hook up that Bellamy was thinking of Clarke and reeling from the loss of her. 

Edited June 14, 2014 by In2You

[millahnna]

Star Crossed was completely shot and in the can several months prior to the show premiering.  The network suits didn't have a chance to tell the writers to do anything.  It was all already done. 

[In2You]

Star Crossed was completely shot and in the can several months prior to the show premiering.  The network suits didn't have a chance to tell the writers to do anything.  It was all already done. 

The writers themselves said after the pilot was filmed the network told them they needed to add more sci fi elements into the show.

[radishcake]

Guys we have a Star-Crossed board if you would like to talk about that show. 

[Slider]

I'll just have to continue to disagree.  The entire series of Lost was UST looks between Jack/Kate/Sawyer/Juliet, as well as Sayid/Shannon/Boone.  ABC shows are notorious for that stuff - just look at Revenge with Amanda/Jack/Emily/Aiden/ etc.  Or even CBS's mothership NCIS when Tiva was sort of kind of happening.  I just don't see how the 100 is different from those shows, and I don't understand how it's blamed on the network with the "CW" excuse.  Every show does it.

[FurryFury]

Actually, Lost is widely panned for the Kate-centered triangle. It also wasn't written well. But it was much, much less prevalent on the show compared to the Finn-centered one on The 100. And Shannon had very little screen-time, really. Also, the pace of Kate's romances was much slower, and thus (at least in first 2 seasons) much more tolerable. So I don't see how it can be compared to typical CW shows, which (even action shows) suffer from overemphasized romantic relationships often dictated by vocal fans through social networks. I have no doubt that even if Bellamy/Clarke wasn't planned from the beginning (although I strongly suspect they were, the signs are there), the writers would go there just to pander to the fans. After all, all other CW shows have.

 

And hell (I can't believe that I'm about to defend Kate), she wasn't just a love interest. She had a personality, a backstory and relationships with other characters on the show, her own arcs. Finn literally exists only for Clarke's and Raven's angst. He does sometimes do some problem solving, but it's never something intrinsic to his character. And the whole cheating storyline looks to be transported from a primetime soap.

 

even CBS's mothership NCIS when Tiva was sort of kind of happening.

 

AFAIK (never watched NCIS beyond the pilot), that was your classic, run of the mill, will-they-or-won't-they UST storyline, wasn't it? It's completely different to an actual and very fast-paced romance, complete with a hook-up and love confessions and talk of broken hearts. Romances on TV can be very different. Crime procedurals usually go with the slow burn (sometimes overly), while going in too fast may make the show too soapy. But no matter what you do, it's the writing and the actors' chemistry that will make or break a love story. And Finn/Clarke (hell, Finn/anyone) is, right now, basically unfixable.

Edited June 16, 2014 by FurryFury

[Slider]

Totally agree with your Finn comments, 100%.  But I guess I should clarify, I wasn't really trying to compare the relationships and whether or not they were good or bad, I just meant that they happened and drove the story.  And they are on a network that wasn't the CW.

[millahnna]

It's not that I mind romance; I'd say in general, I'm partial to stories where the romance not one of the main genres (I make some exceptions for a handful of sci fi romance authors who kind of blow my mind) but many of my favorites (books, games, tv, films, whatever) definitely have a strong romantic undercurrent even if it's not the main focus.  But if the romance is poorly written, the actors' chemistry doesn't work, etc. etc., that's when it bugs me.  And CW is stuck in a rut right now with how they do their romance. 

 

That said, I truly think this show is doing a better job balancing the romance concerns with the "we need to eat and oh fuck is that us getting slaughtered" than some other CW fare (and other similar types of shows in general over the last few years) than I would have expected.  Other than the chemistry problems (and blandness problems) with the Finn focused one and the rushing with the Octavia stuff (which... I think I see what they were going for with her it just didn't entirely work), most of the kid side of the story is spent getting shit done, all things being relative.  I mean sure they get done poorly but hey that's life sometimes. 

[bluebonnet]

I don't understand the push back with acknowledging that the CW has a reputation for the love triangles.  The target demographic for the network is young adults, specifically women.  Love triangles in the YA genre sells.  It's nothing new.  Hello Pride and Prejudice.  A scroll through the YA bestseller lists is full of titles with stories that include love triangles.  

 

CW happens to be the YA station on network TV.  The ultimate goal of the network is to create shows for their target audience and earn money.  They have a formula to assure their goals are met.  Part of that formula is to cast beautiful, young actors and accept and approve scripts with love triangles.  Because that's what sells.  The current line-up of shows pretty much all include love triangles.  I think Supernatural is the only show without them, though they are very heavy-handed with the bro triangles.  

 

TV writers don't have free reign with their scripts.  Network approval happens throughout the process, from the initial pitch to finished product.  It doesn't really matter if CW told the writers of a show to ease up on the triangles and add in more sci-fi elements because they had already approved the product before it went to air.  If they are recommending (or ordering) changes to future scripts, it's because the network miscalculated how the target audience would react to those specific characters in that specific show.  The formula doesn't always work.  

 

I think it's pretty apt to target CW when discussing the formula they use in their shows.  The network is ultimately responsible for what we see on our screens.  The CW is absolutely noteworthy for their extensive use of love triangles, because it's what their target demographic wants to consume.  It doesn't mean that no other station has a love triangle as a major part of the plot, but I can't think of another network where nearly every show is heavily devoted to the love triangle.  

[FAU]

Today. 12:56 am

 

I don't understand the push back with acknowledging that the CW has a reputation for the love triangles.  The target demographic for the network is young adults, specifically women.  Love triangles in the YA genre sells.  It's nothing new.  Hello Pride and Prejudice.  A scroll through the YA bestseller lists is full of titles with stories that include love triangles. 

CW happens to be the YA station on network TV.  The ultimate goal of the network is to create shows for their target audience and earn money.  They have a formula to assure their goals are met.  Part of that formula is to cast beautiful, young actors and accept and approve scripts with love triangles.  Because that's what sells.  The current line-up of shows pretty much all include love triangles.  I think Supernatural is the only show without them, though they are very heavy-handed with the bro triangles. 

TV writers don't have free reign with their scripts.  Network approval happens throughout the process, from the initial pitch to finished product.  It doesn't really matter if CW told the writers of a show to ease up on the triangles and add in more sci-fi elements because they had already approved the product before it went to air.  If they are recommending (or ordering) changes to future scripts, it's because the network miscalculated how the target audience would react to those specific characters in that specific show.  The formula doesn't always work. 

I think it's pretty apt to target CW when discussing the formula they use in their shows.  The network is ultimately responsible for what we see on our screens.  The CW is absolutely noteworthy for their extensive use of love triangles, because it's what their target demographic wants to consume.  It doesn't mean that no other station has a love triangle as a major part of the plot, but I can't think of another network where nearly every show is heavily devoted to the love triangle.

 

It's part of what bring the CW down as a network from reaching its full potential, especially when Dawn Ostroff was in charge.

[In2You]

CW has been trying to reach out to more than just the teen girls/YA book fans. That's why they have shows like The Flash, The Messengers, and Jane the Virgin coming. These teen shows aren't bringing them high ratings because the writers fall back on the same tired cliches that only work like TVD that has a bigger established fanbase.

[bluebonnet]

The introduction of The Flash in Arrow already included the makings of a love triangle and

spoilers reveal a love triangle will feature in the show

.  Jane the Virgin is set up for a love triangle (though the nature of the plot sort of necessitates the need for a love triangle to be a driving force).  There isn't enough info released for iZombie or The Messengers yet, but what there is, I fully expect love triangles.  These shows are also also still targeted to the 18-34 demographic.  

 

I get the sense that remarking on the nature of the CW is being taken personally.  It's not the intent to offend.  The CW is what it is - a niche genre YA network.  I happily watch shows on that station.  I'll be happily returning to watch The 100 when it starts up again.  I'll happily be tuning into a handful of other shows in the fall or spring.  It's target audience is 18-34.  I'm nearing the top cusp of that target demographic so it's great that the network is looking to age right along with it's current audience.  It's also great if they recognize that a singular formula won't work for all shows.  I hope they don't grow up too much because I like the niche they've carved out for themselves.  I'm a sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal/comic fan and even sometimes a YA fan so it's great having a network with shows in all the genres I love.  However, just because one might enjoy something, doesn't mean that one is not allowed to offer criticism.  

Edited June 17, 2014 by SystemRemote

[millahnna]

But it's not the existence of love triangles in and of themselves that has been a problem; it's been the execution (and then beating the ones that did work into the ground). 

[bluebonnet]

I agree with that.  Somehow things just went off on a tangent about how it was unfair to claim CW as a haven for love triangles.

 

For The 100, I think a bit of breathing room would make things work better.  They've set up the potential for breathing room (and thus more focus on the actual plot) by separating some of the players in these love shapes.  Assuming Finn and Bellamy teleported to that underground bunker, they are away from Clarke and Raven who are in quarantine and shouldn't have to worry about being thrust into other triangles because they each have their own room.  

Edited June 18, 2014 by SystemRemote

[millahnna]

Just the fact that Raven and Clarke get along, genuinely seem to like each other, and can focus on when something urgent needs to get done (even moments after discovering they were involved in a triangle, if I recall that episode correctly) is a massive improvement for me.  I mean the romance feels like it is a focus for the characters, themselves, but not the main focus of the show in writing those characters (well kind of it is with Finn but that's his whole "written as a classic plot device female with no real personality" thing).  But I do think they could shift stuff around in how they are going about the romance elements with the younger cast and make it much better.  I'll be curious to see how the writing is for any romantic or sexual entanglements amongst the adults. 

Edited June 18, 2014 by millahnna

[In2You]

Just the fact that Raven and Clarke get along, genuinely seem to like each other, and can focus on when something urgent needs to get done (even moments after discovering they were involved in a triangle, if I recall that episode correctly) is a massive improvement for me.  I mean the romance feels like it is a focus for the characters, themselves, but not the main focus of the show in writing those characters (well kind of it is with Finn but that's his whole "written as a classic plot device female with no real personality" thing).  But I do think they could shift stuff around in how they are going about the romance elements with the younger cast and make it much better.  I'll be curious to see how the writing is for any romantic or sexual entanglements amongst the adults. 

See even those scenes don't feel genuine to me probably because they never fully let Raven lash out at Finn and Clarke when she has ever right to be upset. I'm not saying they can't work together for the sake of the better good but if the writers didn't want to play out all the beats of this triangle they never should've wrote it. Having Clarke angsting with Finn right in front of Raven was cruel enough and then came that stupid scene afterwards where she told her she'd have chose her first. Clarke already knew Raven was hurt by the demise of her relationship with Finn and on top of that the girl was sitting there with a bullet in her spine! That was not fair at all to be telling Finn that she can't lose him again. They should've at least let Raven have one scene where she let out her anger and frustration. But they don't want to blame Clarke and Finn for sleeping together when they both are to blame. Finn for cheating on his long term girlfriend who has been like family to him and Clarke for sleeping with a guy she only knew for 10 days without getting to know him first.  

Edited June 18, 2014 by In2You

[millahnna]

See even those scenes don't feel genuine to me probably because they never fully let Raven lash out at Finn and Clarke when she has ever right to be upset.

 

I can see that.  For me it worked because I felt that that beat would have been there had more pressing issues not come up.  It seemed like we were on our way to it and then whatever emergency happened (was that when Lincoln stabbed Finn that I'm thinking of?).  I saw a flicker of reluctance and then everyone got on with it. 

 

I find Octavia's stuff more perplexing, truly.  Some folks were talking upthread about all of her stuff being rushed (including that dead guy who seemed ok).  What's funny is that I feel like that's sort of the point (like she's rushing into things because of her lack of experience around people) but that they did it all wrong.  It kind of makes me laugh; they somehow managed to rush rushing.

[In2You]

I can see that.  For me it worked because I felt that that beat would have been there had more pressing issues not come up.  It seemed like we were on our way to it and then whatever emergency happened (was that when Lincoln stabbed Finn that I'm thinking of?).  I saw a flicker of reluctance and then everyone got on with it. 

 

I find Octavia's stuff more perplexing, truly.  Some folks were talking upthread about all of her stuff being rushed (including that dead guy who seemed ok).  What's funny is that I feel like that's sort of the point (like she's rushing into things because of her lack of experience around people) but that they did it all wrong.  It kind of makes me laugh; they somehow managed to rush rushing.

I'm still bothered by those scenes where Jasper had the nerve to act like she betrayed him and owed him something because he saved her life in the pilot.  I saw all sorts of slut shaming posts about Octavia after that even though Lincoln was the only one she slept with and she and Jasper never had anything beyond a kiss. Because they wrote Jasper as hurt and entitled to her when he had no reason to be people started saying she treated him like dirt when she didn't. 

Edited June 18, 2014 by In2You

[FurryFury]

There isn't enough info released for iZombie or The Messengers yet, but what there is, I fully expect love triangles.

 

I suspect Rob Thomas has enough self-respect to resist following the CW model, though. I mean, he sort of had in season 3 of Veronica Mars, when it switched channels after WB was closed, but the results were pretty disastrous, so I doubt he'll want to revisit that.

 

I think, with The 100, it's clear that the Finn/Clarke relationship was forced by the executives, maybe even Finn as a character was inserted to get some romance as soon as possible, instead of waiting until the show's internal logic decides it's time for it to happen. Because it really seems foreign to everything else going on, like it was written by different people, or just written at a different time and without much heart. Even Lincoln/Octavia, while rushed as hell and pretty squicky, at least has some narrative sense. Finn and Clarke don't.

[CooperTV]

The cinematic fading between Clarke's and Bellamy's scenes across the seasons:

Edited January 23, 2017 by CooperTV

[CooperTV]

Quote

 

It’s impossible to engage with the post-apocalyptic drama The 100 without arguing about shipping, a variety of fandom that emphasizes characters’ romantic pairings. It comes up on every social media platform discussing The 100. Who will end up with whom is discussed at every cast panel or interview, and the show infamously killing off Lexa in Season 3 — one-half of its central lesbian relationship — brought it into conversations on mainstream television.

Whether you’re interested in the relationships or plot — or maybe you just like the dope Grounders’ face paint — following The 100 means at least dipping one’s toe into online arguments over ships. Despite the current setup, the show’s upcoming fourth season is poised to invigorate The 100 by doing something fresh and intriguing: moving past that.

This isn’t to say Season 4 won’t involve coupling, nor is it disparaging the topic. To many, debating different fictional pairings is a subversive way to explore subjects still underserved by mainstream pop culture. But Season 4 will see the Arkers, delinquents, and Grounders facing their biggest collective threat yet: the apocalypse. Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and Bellamy (Bob Morley) will unite, at least platonically, to save humanity.

 

'The 100' is Finally Going to Move Past Ship Wars in Season 4

Putting this in the Love Triangles thread because the title of this article is hilariously try-hard.

[Gabe Torres]

On 18/6/2014 at 2:28 PM, FurryFury said:

I suspect Rob Thomas has enough self-respect to resist following the CW model, though. I mean, he sort of had in season 3 of Veronica Mars, when it switched channels after WB was closed, but the results were pretty disastrous, so I doubt he'll want to revisit that.

 

I think, with The 100, it's clear that the Finn/Clarke relationship was forced by the executives, maybe even Finn as a character was inserted to get some romance as soon as possible, instead of waiting until the show's internal logic decides it's time for it to happen. Because it really seems foreign to everything else going on, like it was written by different people, or just written at a different time and without much heart. Even Lincoln/Octavia, while rushed as hell and pretty squicky, at least has some narrative sense. Finn and Clarke don't.

Furryfury, I think Finn was actually Jason's self-insert so Jason was the driving force. The first draft of the pilot written by Jason has been around for a while online, and Finn comes across as such an enormous self-insert that its crazy. Like he is the only male character that is often refereed to by his looks or "roguish attributes", with frequent mentions of Clarke being physically drawn to him (including because Finn remains Clarke of her dad wtf?). Wells is the only other male character given some noticeable mentions, in so far that Clarke and him are exes (if I remember right). Any other male character pretty nondescript/given no real attention.

The original triangle seems to have been outlined as between Wells/Clarke/Finn, with a very clear favour towards Finn. Like it is a bit crazy how much the script dedicates to outlining Finn as this handsome adventurous guy that Clarke is so so drawn to. Raven was Finn's mom if I remember right. Then somewhere it got to be a love triangle with Finn in the middle (well sorta. We know Clarke backed the hell away when she found out about Raven, but Finn was clearly still wanting to be with Clarke). Which only re-enforces the self-insert aspect in my opinion.