Post-Apocalypse 90210

Post-Apocalypse 90210 The 100 is a new CW show that has, on the face of it, an interesting post-apocalyptic concept. The premise of the show is thus: three generations ago there was a massive nuclear war rendering the Earth uninhabitable. Luckily a dozen or so nations had orbital platforms, the occupants of whom all survived. Over the years the various platforms were linked together into one huge station , 'The Ark', on which all the tiresome class structures of Earth that was are reproduced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia1Fbg96vL0

It transpires that the life support on The Ark is failing and the occupants need to find out if the Earth is once more able to support human life. To test this they select the eponymous 100 from the station's penal facility and bundle them into an escape pod and send them on their merry way.

Sounds tip top to me. Unfortunately this great concept was turned into a trite pseudo-Lord of the Flies populated by people who wouldn't look out of place on Dawson's Creek or any other 'pretty teen drama is dramatic' type of show.

Which is, to put it mildly, such a let down when the show had such a good concept. Not too dissimilar to Revolution on NBC. Another show with a great post-apocalyptic SF concept let down on execution.

The kids, due to Ark law anyone over 18 committing a crime is put out of an airlock. Which is, as it goes, a reasonably clever way to ensure all the cast are young and pretty. Pretty. That's the bugbear here. All these criminals are in perfect health despite having spent -who knows how long- in a cell. In space.

I really love my SF and lament that, so far as I'm concerned, it is actually really rare on TV. SF for grown ups that is. Don't get me wrong, I love silly stuff like Dr Who, Warehouse 13, and all the other SF/F light that's out there but I really want some SF/F that makes me think, that has interesting and complex plots, and believable characters.

I can only think of a handful of shows that fit this description. Battlestar Galactica, C4's Utopia,.. and that's about it. We get shows that have oodles of promise, like the BBC's ill fated Outcasts, but that are a let down at the end of the day. Outcasts could have been really good too. If only the BBC hadn't attempted to turn it into Eastenders in space.

Guess I should just wait until HBO do an SF show. Come on HBO, give us an SF Game of Thrones or True Detective!