A month has passed, and you’re feeling bittersweet after finishing “I Am Not Okay With This.” Well, what now? Back to the infinite scroll? Lucky for you, I have a new show recommendation that skips the hassle of finding a new show. To learn more about this month’s TV series, continue reading.

What if “Lord of the Flies,” “The Hunger Games,” and “Star Wars” were combined into one television series? As strange as it may sound, that’s essentially the premise of this month’s show recommendation: “The 100.” Directed by Jason Rothenberg and based on a book trilogy by Kass Morgan, this recommendation is a science fiction television series that explores the premise of what happens to a group of outcasts when left to their own devices.

Originally premiering 10 years ago on The CW, “The 100” quickly became a favorite on the network, averaging 2.59 million viewers per episode for its first season. As with many of its CW siblings, “The 100” now calls Netflix its home, and all seven seasons of the show are currently available there to stream. 

“The 100” originally takes place aboard “The Ark,” a spaceship that 400 people fled to after a nuclear war that made Earth uninhabitable. However, after 97 years of humanity living in space, 100 juvenile delinquents were sent to Earth to determine if it was safe to return to. The anarchy they soon create for themselves, combined with their incompetent survival skills and unexpected neighbors, results in conflict attacking from all sides. Over the first season, lives are lost, wars are waged, and characters develop as they’re faced with the trials and tribulations that their new environment holds. 

While all of the characters grow and mature in their own ways, there’s one in particular who nearly becomes a different person, Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley). Displaying a drastic switch-up, he starts the series as a total jerk and ends season one as a rational, empathetic leader. 

“Who we are and who we need to be to survive are very different things,” he says in the seventh episode. This change in character makes him more well-rounded and more interesting to watch overall. 

However, this character isn’t the only one who changes over time. Many others develop as the series progresses, which changes the way they interact and work together with each other. While many TV series struggle with correctly portraying teenage relationships, Rothenberg does an excellent job of developing the connections between these characters, simultaneously staying true to the teenage angst while allowing the characters to mature over time. This is a piece that drives the show.

However, these relationships are not always perfect. The show came out 10 years ago, back when most TV series’ had stereotypical characters and cheesy interactions. While this particular series mostly avoids these issues, some of them slip through the cracks. For example, Raven Reyes (Lindsey Morgan) is the lead mechanic in the series. She’s the typical feminist archetype, doing “a man’s job” and making it her whole personality. However, seeing as she lives in a futuristic world where men and women rely on each other to survive, there is no “man’s job,” which makes her a feminist for essentially no reason. She relies on other characters, though she denies it, and it eventually gets tiring. However, this is one of the only characters that has this issue. The rest are safe, for the most part.

Well, safe from the stereotypes. Not safe in general. For more than half of the show, watchers will be on the edge of their seats, eyes glued to the suspense on the screen. “Don’t open that door!” they’ll be yelling at the screen, or “look behind you!” Half the time, the characters don’t look behind them and get pierced by a javelin or shot with an arrow. This, as awful as it is, keeps the audience engaged with the show. They’ll want to know if their favorite character lives or dies, and the only way to find out is if they keep watching. However, due to the large amount of death and blood, viewer discretion is advised.

Despite the mature themes, valuable lessons are hidden in the show. Grief, self-discovery, relationships, and overall survival are taught throughout the first season and continue throughout the rest. As you begin, be prepared to grow attached to the characters and fall in love with the dystopian series. 

All seven seasons of “The 100” are available to stream on Netflix. The first season is only a 13-episode commitment, but it won’t take much to become hooked by the premise and the characters. So once again, sit back, relax, and enjoy “The 100.”