7 Shows to Check Out If You Miss 'The 100' (PHOTOS)
Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica and The 100 could be siblings. They share quite a bit of common DNA: strong female protagonists, post-apocalyptic conflicts about maintaining morality versus surviving at any cost, found families and two opposing factions who seem destined to wipe each other out. And while BSG is a space opera, it doesn’t lose its characters in the grand scale of its conflict… and many of those conflicts draw eerie parallels to struggles still in today’s headlines.
As if that wasn’t enough, there are quite a few familiar faces in the cast. Keep your eyes peeled for Sinclair (Alessandro Juliani), ALIE (Erica Cerra) and Dr. Tsing (Rekha Sharma).
Where to watch: Hulu
The Expanse
This show has a fanbase as passionate as The 100’s, and after watching its three fantastic seasons, it’s not hard to see why. Amazon’s The Expanse is perfect for a fan of The 100 who secretly loved the ALIE storyline and wanted to explore more of the technology behind the chip. Though this sci-fi sensation has nothing to do with AI, it has everything to do with a mysterious discovery in space years in the future, when the human race has colonized Mars.
If you enjoyed Season 1’s focus on Ark politics, this might be the show for you: there’s no shortage of political intrigue among the officials who represent Earth, Mars, and “The Belt.” Rich in space exploration, heart-pounding battle scenes, friendship, romance, and high-stakes conflict, The Expanse will quench your thirst for both space and Earth-bound drama.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Stranger Things
If you hadn’t been watching Stranger Things already, now’s the time to start! The Netflix megahit might not take place after an apocalyptic event, but it has all the found family and friendship charm of The 100. And in its two seasons (with a third coming out next summer), it has created a sci-fi world with rich conflict, amazing characters and an excellent plot with truly unpredictable twists.
With an eight-episode first season and a nine-episode second season, this works well as a few overnight binges or throughout a few weeks. Grab some Eggos and look out for flickering lights!
Where to watch: Netflix
(Fear) The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead veers further into horror territory than The 100 ever would, but it’s every bit as addicting and emotionally complex. The main group of survivors — led by former sheriff Rick Grimes — face challenges from inside and outside their ranks as they try to survive in a zombie-infested world and cling to whatever humanity they still possess. The show just cast Roan (Zach McGowan) and Luna (Nadia Hilker) for its upcoming ninth season, so binge fast if you want to see some familiar faces!
If you like the original, its spinoff Fear The Walking Dead, is certainly worth a watch. Fear is a prequel to the main show and sheds some light on how the world ended. It’s a slower burn than its predecessor, but its characters are perhaps more “realistic” and its conflicts and characters — especially in the third season — are completely engrossing. Keep an eye out for Commander Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey) as she remains a total badass.
Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu
Lost
If you’re a fan of the sci-fi genre, (I believe) Lost should be required viewing. More than that, it served as a precursor to many “genre” shows today, and its focus on characters driving plot while also building an intriguing, mysterious world on The Island makes it utterly impossible to look away from.
The general premise: Oceanic Airlines flight 815 crashes, and the survivors build a home on an island in the middle of the ocean. As they wait for rescue, they discover nothing on the island is as it seems… and they may not be alone. Look for parallels between the Oceanic survivors and the “others,” and the teens and the grounders on The 100. And look for Marcus Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) to play a major role in later chapters after his introduction in Season 2.
Where to watch: Hulu
The X-Files
A sci-fi classic, The X-Files is great for a The 100 fan who’s secretly hoping there are aliens to be found on the surface of Eligius III’s planet. Incorporating suspense, horror, mystery and more, The X-Files is centered around two FBI agents who work on cases the government has deemed unsolvable — cases that might be tied to extraterrestrial activity.
The show is anchored by the relationship between its two main characters, Mulder and Scully, so it’s great for the ‘shippers, too. With the recently-concluded revival there are a total of 11 seasons, so it’s best not to try to binge it all in one go!
Where to watch: Hulu
Game of Thrones
If you loved taking a deeper dive into the intricacies of grounder politics in The 100’s third season, then Game of Thrones is for you. Though substantially more violent and explicit than anything on The CW, Thrones has a fantastic cast of likeable (and hateable) characters whose quests for power and revenge in the fantasy world of Westeros make for some shocking and stunning TV.
Where to watch: HBO Now, HBO Go
Well, it's that tragic time of year again: The CW's The 100 has entered its likely-longer-than-six-month hiatus.
There are no trailers, filming and writer's room spoilers are scarce, and any photos from the set are analyzed from top to bottom for the tiniest of details that might illuminate what's to come. In the face of such a drought, what's a devoted fan to do?
Of course, re-watching all five seasons is always an option. But why not branch out? Click through the gallery above for seven shows that'll help you pass the time until Clarke, Bellamy, Raven, and the rest of the kru are back on our screens.
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