AWWWWWW SHIT GIRL! Emori! Abby! Octavia! The girls be getting it DONE this episode. And the boys be… trying at least? Poor Bellamy. Poor Kane. Poor nameless stranger who is about to be baked not fried.
Quick question – was Gimme Shelter the best episode of this season so far? I know, I know, there’s some pretty hefty competish since season 4 started picking up steam, and not a whole lot happened this episode to propel the plot, BUT it was very stressful and sexy! I was 100% engaged in every storyline. Sometimes checking in on our beloved Adventure Squad’s emotional state is worth an hour of our time, you know? Did I miss Monty, the gorilla, and our newest power-couple Luna and Raven? OF COURSE I DID, I’m not a monster. But apart from that, I’m going to say, if I may be so bold, that this episode was perfect. It had just the right mixture of guilty angst, murder, sexy times, sass, moral quandaries, naps, and a light dusting of subterfuge.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
The episode began with one of my favourite characters – Octavia’s sassy horse.
Ilian didn’t have to find Octavia, she jumped out at him and put a knife to his throat. Grounder flirting is strange, but I’m not here to judge. Anyway, then the black rain started, and Octavia decided to give Ilian a ride.
The storm then moseyed on over to Ark Camp and they all filed inside in a calm, orderly fashion. J/K this is a television show, they stampeded into the Ark like Nova Scotians at the grocery store before a snowstorm. #StormChips
This gentleman was falling, reached out to Harper, and instead of rushing back to help him, she ran inside. This began what was to be a theme of the evening – what exactly IS our responsibility to others when our own lives are also in danger? Hmmmmmm??? No, I’m really asking, because if there were only 3 fruit roll-ups left in the world, I’m sorry guys, I would slit your achilles tendons to get to them.
Anyway, then they all starting taking their clothes off and NO ONE was angry about that. Oh, and Kane and Bellamy rescued the dude who dared to muss Harper’s jacket. More importantly, though, can we talk about how luxuriously Kane flipped his hair while washing off?
Hahaha, KANE! Stop being so dreamy. Then he told Bellamy that Octavia took off with her sassy horse, and a fan favourite trope from season 3 was brought back… Bellamy and Kane sexy staring contests!
Octavia and Ilian found a cave with fresh water (lucky!) and then they, too, proceeded to take off their clothes. You guys, black rain is even more effective than truth or dare.
I was not mad about any of this. Then we checked in on ALIE island.
This moment was very sweet. “I just needed to see my mom.” Ugh. You win this one, emotions!
Abby came up with a way to save everyone with Luna’s bone juice, but first they need to test it on someone using all the murder. Meanwhile, Emori was creepin’ on them like a wily ninja (turtle). Honestly – her and the Beautiful Creepster are made for each other.
Hahaha, Kane did NOT care. Harper was obviously dealing with some shit, and if we were in her position, I’m sure we’d also be feeling pretty crappy about not helping someone in need. BUT if we look at in relation to the world of The 100… did she go bonkers and massacre a friendly army? Did she murder an entire community of people with the pull of a lever? Did she inadvertently get her relative’s boyfriend killed? No? Then Kane’s Dad-ing was needed elsewhere.
In a nice juxtaposition to Harper’s current situation, Bellamy was taping up a damaged hazmat suit and jumping into action to save a couple of off-screen father/son damsels who were stuck in the black rain. Apparently the kid was one of the Hundred, and all I could think was THANK GOD it’s not our precious Tim Bartlett. That would have been too much to handle.
The suit was useless! Bellamy got burned UP, but he made it to the rover and did NOT strip down completely, which, okay fiiiiiiiine, I guess. Anyway, Kane wanted him to come back, but Bellamy had some hero-ing to do.
Kane looked worried and mad and proud all at the same time. His new Dad role is my favourite thing.
Guys, I loved this. Has Clarke ever interacted with Emori?? Is this their first meeting?? These two ladies are both awesome, and very different, and I want more!! They went into the house and the Beautiful Creepster fed Clarke something he was cooking, and they both smiled and quipped. Take a quick second to remember season 1, and then think of how far these two have come, and I DARE your heart not to explode.
Anyway, then Clarke gave herself a tour.
But if Clarke thought she could have a shower AND a nap in the same episode, she was dead wrong.
After Murphy swooped in to save the day (which, a man stepping in to save a woman rarely happens on this show, but I ain’t mad it happened – everyone needs a little help sometimes, no matter our gender), we learned that Emori was familiar with this stranger!
Meanwhile Kane was listening to Bellamy and the damsels saga like some kind of old-timey radio show.
Oh Kane, doing what he does best – babysitting situations. Bellamy got himself stuck in some mud, so Kane long-distance-staring-contested him into staying put and NOT melting for no reason. This of course meant that the disembodied voices were for sure going to die horrible, painful deaths.
This was very sad. Meanwhile at ALIE Island, Emori was listing all the ways the Grounder dude was the worst, and guilting Clarke into letting her kill him.
She reminded her that while Clarke was living in space basking in love and appreciation, Emori was living in a sewer surviving off pizza with her grand-rat Splinter. Not exactly a situation Clarke can comment on.
Then Clarke had an idea that was completely her own, and not the result of total manipulation.
Back in the cozy cave beneath a death-waterfall, Ilian and Octavia’s highschool-party-in-a-basement was in full swing.
Ilian tried to make Octavia feel better about turning into a legit monster for a bit there, but then Octavia was like, “peace out”, and tried to walk into the death-rain.
Then Octavia smooched him! And propositioned him for a sexy kerfuffle!
At first I had a bit of a beef with Octavia’s apparent suicide attempt. Not a full beef, just… 15%, like a MacDonald’s burger-level of beef. Because I was all, “nuh uh, Octavia wouldn’t do that!” But then I really noodled on it. Girl grew up under the floor with her only source of love and affection being her mother (dead) and her brother (currently dead to her). Then she came to earth and made exactly two human connections, Lincoln (dead) and Indra (presumed dead, although BETTER NOT BE). While I don’t believe if Octavia truly thought about it, she would kill herself (not her style), I do think this was an earned reaction from a girl who is currently in a very dark place. So, fine. No more beef. Throw that burger out and get a sundae instead.
Kane called Abby and they talked about their days, possible murder, black rain, just your typical long-distance-relationship phone call.
Abby was not looking great! I’m worried, you guys.
Back at Ark Camp the radio show Kane was listening to had a sad ending.
*sad face* Everyone was so good at acting in this episode! I wonder what one of the Hundred the unfortunate baked fellow was. The one Murphy peed on? The one who yelled “that’s the girl who lived under the floor!” in the pilot? Or maybe he just did his own thing, gathered radioactive nuts and played guitar by the fire. We’ll never know, because he’s dead. RIP Disembodied Burn Victims.
This scene was very cute. Ilian tried to play it cool and was like, “you should chill at my place sometime, or whatever, not like I care, see ya.” Then Octavia threw away her knives (!!!), and offered him a ride home.
LOVE THIS, and not just because of the doin’ it. Octavia has been battling her demons for a long time, even before Lincoln’s death. For her to crawl out of the Pit of Despair even for a moment is huge. The fact that a handsome grounder helped to pull her out was just a fun sexy bonus. But let’s get one thing straight – “walk into the setting sun and you’ll find it” are not great directions, Ilian! You could have thrown the girl a landmark or two!
Then a sad Bellamy returned to Ark Camp having made zero difference.
We were then treated to a pretty amazing scene of everyone feeling guilty about possible murder by science, when it was revealed that Emori is the greatest actor of them all.
She didn’t know that fellow even a little bit! She tricked everyone into believing he was a terrible person so they’d volunteer him to be melted.
HAHAHAHAHHAHHAAAAAMAZING! I loved this so much. We all knew Emori was a callous survivor, but this performance added so many layers to this girl. She’s a grade A manipulator! She knew exactly how to present this situation to benefit herself. And the fact that the Beautiful Creepster was ABOUT IT made it all the more entertaining.
Well guys, there we have it. This season is getting as hot as the radioactive air the characters are breathing. Gimme Shelter may not have dropped any plot (or literal) bombs, but it gave us something equally valuable – time for our beloved Squad to stew. Sure, it’s fun to watch our heroes saving the day, or murdering, or plotting, or being tortured, but in order to care about them, we have to know what’s going on in their heads. So every so often the show slows down a smidgen and lets us do just that. And what exactly is in their heads? Guilt, mostly, with a side of anguish and longing. But sometimes, in the case of a totally rad daughter of a ninja turtle, there are schemes!
What did you guys think? Are you even more in love with Emori than you were before? Are you mad at Ilian for putting his shirt back on? Do you wish Kane would dispense more hugs? Are you worried about Harper’s jacket?
That’s it from me! See you next weekkkkkkkkk!
SOME STUFF
- We haven’t seen Miller and Brian in a while. Can we assume Brian swam to ALIE island to make up with Miller, and they are too busy “mandatory napping” to grace our television screens?
- “Abby, you’ll make the right decision, you always do.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA KANE where you been?
- The moral waters on this show are always muddy, and in Harper’s case that was very literal.
- So… is the rocket ship to outer space off the table? Setting up something that big and just letting it drop (pun intended) doesn’t seem like The 100’s style, so I can’t imagine that’s the last we’ll hear of this plan.
- “Jaha and Monty are in sector 5,” is just another way to say “mandatory nap”.
- What’s Riley up to?
- Never actually seeing the father/son damsels was an amazing choice. I have zero snark for this.
- “Your mother would be proud of who you’ve become.” – “You floated my mother.” AWWWW SNAP!
- Science nerds, please explain – how are they going to use Luna’s bone marrow to cure death-by-radiation? Will they replicate it? There are a lot of people that need marrow-swapping, and she’s only the one awesome gal.
- Should teens add “black rain” to the list of party games that inevitably lead to clothes being shed?
[Originally Posted March 2017 on tv.com]
Toni Watches 
ORIGINAL POST COMMENTS:
alexm21m
Apr 12, 2017
Storm chips comment for the win. #winterinthemaritimes &3
EmmaDanks0
Mar 29, 2017
I kind of see comparisons between Ilian and Octavia’s relationship and Lincoln and Octavia’s relationship in the beginning.
When Octavia was new to the ground, she was very naive and trusting in spite of everything, (with Lincoln protecting her as best he could until she could stand on her own) and Ilian seems the same way, which I assume is part of the reason she wanted to make sure he got back to his farm safely.
Except I don’t think even after her worst concussion she would have told someone to walk towards the setting sun. Like…does he not realize how much ground a sun setting into a horizon can cover?
I’m a little annoyed that Abby spent a portion of the episode luxuriating in her moral dilemma of taking one life and whether that would make her a monster when her own daughter and others would have to act first and suffer the ramifications while moving forward later.
TellyMelly
Mar 28, 2017
As usual GREAT RECAP 🙂
Emori has a super creative, fast thinking brain. Her and The Creepster are def soul mates.
The bone marrow thing had me thinking of crazy Mt Weather ppl :O They were using 1 human to cure 3 ppl, so I’m not sure if a direct transplant of the marrow will work in the 2 months that they have?
Maybe Abby will get the marrow & grow it into a cure/vaccine (maybe grow is the wrong word, lol) and then dispense to the world?
hyland123
Mar 25, 2017
Not that convenient an intruder. Emori only faked activating the security system. She hoped Grounders see the drones down for a longer time and intrude the buildings. Creating a trap for someone else being shoved into the oven.
Btw i love your recaps.
peterspoor33
Mar 25, 2017
The writers did an excellent job of getting a good deal of the cast shirtless this episode.
Perhaps Miller and Brian are somewhere with an unwelcome Miller’s Dad sleeping on their couch since he zapped Chancellor Kane last episode and lost his Guard job.
Abby: “Does killing to save lives matter?”
Kane: “Hell No! I used to float people on the ark just to kill my boredom”
(Hey I wonder whatever happened to Kane’s “girlfriend” back on the Ark, guess she chose a less stable section for re-entry than he did)
I want my Chekov’s Rocket ship or whatever.
Speaking of ol’ timey radio adds: “Have you tried King Roan rocket fuel? It’s the noble choice for your rocket, every drop delivered by King Roan himself.
hyland123
Mar 25, 2017
Kane’s girlfriend Cece was written out after the pilot for budget reasons.
peterspoor33
Mar 26, 2017
Wow, OK! Thanks for the info – Cece looked pretty ride or die for Kane back when he was hard-core, Ark-style.
nickmoose
Mar 25, 2017
OK Harper was looking GOOOO-OOOD when she stripped down! How is it that she was considered “low hanging fruit” again? She’s such a textbook example of the CW’s version of an unattractive person.
Klaussays
Mar 24, 2017
Loving this season…only complaint is things like ”Roan is unloading the fuel with the others”…i understand why but its annoying…and that’s testament to the shows abundance of characters.
nickmoose
Mar 25, 2017
The even weirder thing is that he was IN THE EPISODE! I mean, usually when they do some shit like that it’s because the actor got the day off but then we SEE HIM at the end, just sort of standing there waiting to see if the radiation thing is gonna work! I thought that was odd.
peterspoor33
Mar 25, 2017
Haha you guys,
I guess you see Bellamy do his action/emotion thing with Kane, then cut to big emotion re-uniting with Clarke and Abby, then the audience is asking where is the third member of this recent adventure squad? We don’t want to diffuse the momentum with a cut to King Roan at the back of a truck saying “Easy with that barrel buddy” [Batman voice].
I guess they show the audience at the end he’s there for the participation in the war crime and he’s finished transporting barrels like Donkey Kong or whatever.
nickmoose
Mar 26, 2017
You just gave me a great idea! They could have done a quick cut midway through the episode, like have someone say, “Man, Roan sure is taking his sweet time with those barrels!” then cut to the mutant gorilla rolling the barrels at him Donkey Kong style and him trying to make sure no fuel spilled out! Great way to work in the gorilla!
LindsayS
Mar 24, 2017
Can’t believe you didn’t make even a “This episode brought to you by walkie-talkies” joke. Has an episode of any show ever had this many scenes including walkie-talkies? I think the actors did excellent jobs considering they had no one to act off of, but I still got really tired of the constant cuts and looking at the stupid things they were holding. I don’t agree that this episode was perfect or anywhere even approaching great. The huge emotional beats were impacted by nobody being physically with anyone they cared about (instead communicating by walkie-talkie) and all the characters who were near-strangers were having heart to hearts in person or sex. The highlight of the episode was absolutely everything after they get to the house and, BEST MOMENT EVER, Murphy is dancing! And then cooking! And flirting and teasing with Clarke! !!!! Too great. And then of course Clarke experiencing some luxury for the first time in her life.
I don’t like people pretending as if what Emori did is impressive instead of incredibly problematic. The fact that she made the decision and plan that she did in literally a matter of seconds is downright terrifying, not to mention that it’s exactly the kind of thinking that doctor and President’s son in Mount Weather had. Really disturbing. Speaking of which, the fact that they’re using bone marrow to save themselves, and a Mount Weather parallel never once came up (Abby herself was drilled into!!!) is kind of insane to me. They may be doing it in reverse now (unwilling recipient instead of donor) but it should still have resonated with at least one of them. Maybe the show was trying to be subtle but it should’ve been brought to the forefront with this particular group of people.
I also wish Bellamy could for once get a storyline that isn’t either Octavia or killing/saving people mindlessly. Something like how he took care of that girl in S1 stands out. Can’t he mentor someone? Or have a deeper friendship with one of The 100 (since the show seems intent on splitting he and Clarke up constantly)? Like maybe tell Monty a story about his childhood? His scenes with Kane are good but also quickly growing tired, as they’re so repetitive in meaning. Reminding Kane that he Floated his mom was the other best moment of the episode, I thought, because not only is it something that they need to work through that hasn’t been brought up before, but it’s also easy to forget how awful Kane was at the beginning.
These are just a few of the oversights this episode and this season in general, it seems, contain(ed). However, your recap was funny and I especially enjoyed the mandatory nap thing because it’s so funny and true. Is this season operating on a smaller budget? Or do we just have more actors showing up regularly now?
peterspoor33
Mar 25, 2017
However your recap was funny [straight face]
No walkie talkie jokes… those are comedy go to classics! Because they showed them a lot, like literally.
Remember it’s funny cause it’s true.
Jtxr
Mar 24, 2017
Why is Indra presumed dead?
Toni_watches Mar 24, 2017
The rest of Trikru was massacred in Polis by the Ice Nation, and we never found out where Indra was at that time. Unless I’m missing something. AM I?? Do we know where she is???
Jtxr
Mar 24, 2017
I just remembered a scene that Octavia was told Indra was warning Triku and assumed she was fine, I didn’t even think for a second she might not be 😱 Hopefully we see her soon.
lindhoffen
Mar 24, 2017
This was probably the best episode since any random episode of season 2. I’m not ashamed to say that.
LoisWinchester37
Mar 24, 2017
UM. WHERE THE FUCK IS RAVEN!? It’s got me worried that they are going to kill her off. Lindsay Morgan posted something crpitic on her Instagram!
Toni_watches Mar 24, 2017
BITE YOUR TONGUE!
Kids_Table
Mar 24, 2017
My favourite thing is when you build to an hilarious caption on a photo of Bellamy doing his Bellamy-Serious-Face. I laughed outloud at “robot chic”. (And I have had a particularly sucko day, so thanks for that).
Easy breezy was also so perfect it hurt.
“You floated my mother.” Was a total highlight for me. ICE COLD, BELLAMY.
I said I would forever remember last week as ‘the week Monty did all the exposition’. I think I’ll forever remember this one as ‘the week Kane taught all the life lessons’.
Yeah Abby has been acting super suspicious. My money is on her not to make it out of the season.
Brian and Miller! I want answers. I know there was some backlash over the end of the Clexa arc being a ‘burry your gays’ kind of trope. While I felt bad for all the fans who were aboard that ship, I am personally of the opinion Clarke is just as bisexual no matter if she is dating a woman or a man, and thought the backlash was unwarranted. I wondered if Brian&Miller were a bit of a representation-consolation-prize, but was confident they were there to tell stories. Now I feel like maybe they were just the new token gay couple? That’d be disappointing. I bet they’re back in action soon. Fingers crossed, anyway because they are adorable.
Charissa29
Mar 24, 2017
Loved it as always! Marie rocked Octavia for sure, but I have never been the biggest fan of Octavia the character, she is too easy compared to the other characters on the show. No that is NOT a comment on her relationships girls get to have whatever type and quantity of sex they choose! Amazing warrior after 2 weeks blah blah but this is the second grounder who saved her bedded her and she became a warrior because Lincoln taught her and now she is off to go kumbaya with the goats because of another cute grounder? Sigh, whatever, it stops the random killing so yay.
I am thrilled to see Bellamy and Octavia getting some much needed separation and (finger’s crossed) growth that maybe sticks. Aside from that quibble, Bellamy facing the fact that you can’t save everyone is wonderful and he and Kane were lovely!
Sometimes a girl just wants her mommy! Yay Abby and Clarke!
Toni_watches Mar 24, 2017
Hmmm… interesting point, but I’m not sure Octavia was a warrior because of Lincoln. He had more of a tender heart than anyone on the show. I think Octavia was shaped more by Indra, and then even more by her own rage and anger. I think Lincoln would have been appalled at how Octavia has behaved this season.
Perhaps some sheep will do her good.
Charissa29
Mar 30, 2017
Lincoln taught her to fight, but to be fair isn’t it lovely to have a show so full of layered, fascinating complex women that I can have favorites ( yay Clarke!) and whine a little? Go Rothenberg et al!
Loralee_jk
Mar 24, 2017
I started crushing on Beautiful Creepster at the end-ish of S2. Honestly, he’s under valued! He’s a damn survivor, and I’d be on his team.
ABTR
Mar 24, 2017
Awesomely funny review as always!!
But, what I wanna know is how on earth did Ilian’s sheep managed to survive the black rain? Did he put them inside a barn or something before he left the farm? Otherwise all he’ll find is a wool puddle.
I’m thinking the bone marrow thing works the same as when people with cancer get a transplant. You start making new, healthy blood cells, which in this case would mean that everyone would turn into a night blood. Not sure how the time frame works though, since all my medical knowledge is based on House MD and Grey’s Anatomy (but I’m guessing you can’t really take too much bone marrow out of a person without some serious consequences, plus there’s the whole donor-receiver compatibility issue).
peterspoor33
Mar 25, 2017
I’m glad I’m not the only one who considered the danger Ilian’s sheep would be in with the black rain or if they even survived haha!
peterspoor33
Mar 25, 2017
#Ilianssheepsurvive?
Whedonrules
Mar 23, 2017
I think Miller has been too busy on his other fantastic show ‘You Me Her’, The DirecTV Audience Network show about a throuple living in suburbia with Greg Poehler, Rachael Blanchard, and Priscilla Faia. Jarod Joseph has been a fixture on that show, now in its second season. His appearances have increased greatly this year. It’s the best comedy on television that nobody talks about, (or maybe the second ‘Schitt’s Creek’ is probably number one on that list. How you can have a show with Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Chris Elliott, and ’12 Monkey’s’ secret weapon Emily Hampshire that no one talks about is beyond me)
Another great episode. Emori and Murphy have been my favorite for a while and this episode just cemented that fact. Richard Harmon reaction shots are almost as good as Bob Morley reaction shots and he was on fire this week. His little conversation with Clarke was just outstanding. Too bad Roan was busy bringing in the rocket fuel, there is never enough Zach McGowan on television. Also standout performance from Marie Avgeropolous again. She just gets better and better each week the longer she wears, or removes, Octavia’s clothes.
The missed Monty, Roan, Jaha, Niylah, Indra, and our dear sweet Raven. The not so much missed – whoo hoo no Jasper!
Fingers crossed that the ratings gods are kind to ‘The 100’ after a season superior to every Superhero show on this network. The highest rated is ‘The Flash’ which is pure garbage compared to this show. Another bad night for ‘The 100’ only a .3, under 1 million viewers again. They have to save this one.
Another brilliant recap with snarky, funny, comments on the lovely pictures! Thanks for watching and recapping – wish others would start watching this show.
Robespierre
Mar 23, 2017
That said, great episode! I loved the rebirth of Octavia – first cleansed by rain, then reborn with some steamy sex, and finally refusing her weapons and leaving with the guy – very well, crafted, show.
Emori is perfect for Murphy. They both have very grey moral boundaries, and it’s scary and amazing at the same time.
is it me, or Bellamy actor is doing a really good job lately? That scene with him and Kane was riveting. (still LOL at Kane listening to this like a radio show)
Robespierre
Mar 23, 2017
“The storm then moseyed on over to Ark Camp and they all filed inside in a calm, orderly fashion. J/K this is a television show, they stampeded into the Ark like Nova Scotians at the grocery store before a snowstorm. ”
if you think this would never happen in real life please read this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyamiha_stampede
And that was regular rain.
DaveLewis
Mar 23, 2017
Great episode, but I miss Brian and Miller so much! Hopefully they are mandatory napping together in peace.
KendraNutt
Mar 23, 2017
Great recap, my day is complete. Kane needs to give more hugs, and Bellamy needs to receive more hugs, the guy is so broken. It seems to be a Blake family trait these days to be so mentally broken you don’t want to be saved. Do you think Jasper and Jaha are singing all the songs and dancing to their favourite musicals? Also I don’t think Nova Scotian’s would stampede a grocery store…maybe a liquor store before a snow storm. No one wants to run out of two fours.
I to was contemplating the bone marrow thing. I think the idea is that if it worked on test subject number one, then you would have 2 donors. Then the next people to receive would become donors, there by increasing possible donors exponentially.
Kids_Table
Mar 24, 2017
Aw, this just made me realize that part of Bellamy’s arc from Season 1 till now has been: Happy –& Sad.
mellafe
Mar 23, 2017
I LOVED THIS EPISODE SO MUCH. I live for character development and this was awesome. Filled with it. Top Notch! &3
The staring contests are the new bad puns for me on these recaps. I LOVE them.
““Abby, you’ll make the right decision, you always do.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA KANE where you been?”
MY REACTION EXACTLY! I actually said “Kane, what are you? new?” but still, saaaaaaaaaaaame.
What would the rules of “black rain” be? I’m not a teen anymore, so I’m asking for a friend.
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