Parents' Guide to

The 100

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Violent dystopian drama with strong female role model.

TV CW Drama 2014
The 100 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 86 parent reviews

alinaspv18
alinaspv18 Adult
January 30, 2022
age 15+

Violent, Gory, Teen Dystopian Show

It all boils down to how mature your child is and how well you believe they can handle content such as raunchy sex scenes, gore, self-harm, and death. Very enjoyable show with mature themes present. There is also drug abuse and eventual suicide of a character, so be warned.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
2 people found this helpful.
adamcrippledjenny
adamcrippledjenny Adult
October 10, 2021
age 16+

Teenagers below 14 and especially children shouldn’t watch this

The story and lore are very engaging but the show doesn’t miss shocking scenes like torture, prolonged executions, being burnt alive and surgeries without anesthesia. The actors are also delivering the emotions of going through all these convincingly enough. Furthermore, drug abuse isn’t absent and SPOILER ALERT, there are scenes where people are being tortured or manipulated by close relatives (parents). Sex scenes are sensored - most of them consist of just people kissing with subtle signs that intercourse is taking place. If you still wanna give it a go, have your children watch it with you but for particularly young individuals be prepared to give lengthy explanations/comfort.

This title has:

Too much violence
2 people found this helpful.
See all 86 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE 100, 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse wiped out life on Earth, leaving only the 400 people aboard a scattering of space stations alive, humans are returning to the planet for the first time. The emissaries are 100 juvenile prisoners who have spent their whole lives aboard the Ark, a colossal spacecraft formed by joining the 12 international space stations, which has served as the home for three generations of survivors and their offspring. Not yet 18 and thus not subject to the Ark's stringent capital-punishment law, the 100 juvies are sent to Earth as test subjects to gauge the safety of its elements for the entire population's eventual return. But once there, chaos ensues as various factions vie for dominance and many cut off communication with the Ark entirely. Standing strong is Clark Griffin (Eliza Taylor), a natural leader determined to survive and to reunite with her mom once the planet is deemed safe. But with time running out for the residents of the dying Ark and dangers lurking around every corner on Earth, is survival possible for any of them?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (86):
Kids say (277):

Based on a book of the same name, this series is a tantalizing dystopian drama laced with suspense, teen romance, and plenty of bad guys you'll love to hate. Equally visible are some quality role models, particularly pragmatic Clark, whose only offense is spreading the truth about the Ark's dwindling supplies; and her fearless mom, Abby (Paige Turco), who sticks to her own ethical code in spite of outside pressure.

This action-packed show is heated and violent, yes, but it's not without good reason, given the urgency of the story line. Unquestioned capital punishment and the totalitarian power of the Ark's governing body would hardly be viable plot points for viewers if the story didn't present them in the right context of an oppressive, Draconian society. But even with such justification, the violence in The 100 is very graphic and often erupts between teens, so take care in sussing out your teen's readiness for this weighty story and its messages.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about government's role in people's lives. How are the challenges of keeping order different in this society from what it is in ours? Are the government's rules in The 100 appropriate for keeping people safe? In general, are ours?

  • The teens on Earth face the possibility of life without rules. What rules do your teens take issue with? From your perspective, what purpose do the rules serve in keeping them safe?

  • Is some violent content better than other kinds in entertainment? Does it ever serve a valuable purpose? If so, what? In what other forms of media do you often witness violence?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate