The 100 Interview: Bob Morley Previews What's New and What's Same Ol' in Season 6

The 100 takes the characters we know, puts them 125 years in the future on a brand new planet as the show starts Season 6 in "Sanctum." What's being called Book 1 finished with last year's finale and now the story moves to Book 2. 

We visited the The 100 set with a group of reporters and spoke with Bob Morley about what's coming up for Bellamy, including what his relationships are like after what happened before the Earth was destroyed last season. Read on for edited excerpts from the conversation. 

What’s the relationship going to be like with Bellamy and Clarke now that they’re kind of leaders again? Last season there were some challenges, so how are they going to work through that?

They still have to kind of resolve what went down last season with Madi, putting the chip into Madi, being left in the fighting pits, and being on opposite sides of warring factions. So that’s something that definitely is touched upon and they have to figure out a way to be able to get through that. But it’s really taking in that mantra from Monty, “Do better and be the good guys,” that they’re both trying to adopt and work upon. It’s a work in progress, as it is most seasons. The challenge of trying to do the right thing and even trying to define what the right thing is and the “good guy” terminology is in a new planet where everything’s new basically.

In the beginning of the season, how do they decided who to wake up and why to wake those people up?

BOB MORLEY: I think it comes down to – like the exciting thing about this season is there’s a whole kind of new adventure squad and a whole new group of people. Bellamy obviously has ties to Spacekru, but you know, this exploring this new planet he’s not too familiar with, there’s a bit of deliberation about who to take. I don’t want to spoil that just yet, but yeah. I don’t want to spoil that at all in fact.

Can you tease anything about Bellamy’s relationship with Jordan [Shannon Kook] because that relationship was kind of sprung onto him a bit.

BOB MORLEY: It’s kind of funny, at the end of the season he kind of becomes this surrogate parent, him and Clarke, with Jordan. Jordan’s such an interesting character because he’s spent his whole life on a spaceship with just his mom and dad. I know if I spent – what is he like 24?  -- 25 years with just my parents, I’d probably be a little bit insane. Take from that what you will. Shannon’s a great addition to the cast, and he’s a lot of fun. Jordan is a very quirky kind of character that I don’t think we’ve necessarily seen that much on our show, so I think Bellamy is a little taken back by it, not really sure how to deal with that situation, but it’s an exciting addition that’s for sure. 

Are there any parallels between his relationship with Jordan and Bellamy’s relationship with Octavia, who was in kind of a similar situation, where she grew up a little bit confined?

Yeah, I guess there’s always those parallels. I mean, we all grew up on a spaceship, now that I’m thinking about it, so I guess it’s not too far removed from what they were used to. In terms of the parallels, Jordan and Bellamy haven’t gone through those trials and tribulations that Bellamy and Octavia have, so there’s not all that baggage there that has to be unpacked. Maybe there are some similarities, but they’re jumping off at two different points basically this season.

Bellamy and Madi kind of developed a bond in the finale. How do they kind of pick up and do they rely on each other at all?

Now that Clarke’s back on the same side now, it’s more of a Madi/Clarke situation there. Bellamy, as always, kind of has to think about his family with Octavia. He’s more or less dealing with Spacekru because that was kind of defined as his family -- and Octavia. Not that Madi isn’t part of that, but it’s definitely more of a Madi/Clarke situation because they were on opposite sides of the war at the end of Season 5, so it’s something they have to deal with too. When it comes to storytelling, I’m sure that that’s the story that you’ll see. Bellamy and Madi are probably going through a lot of stuff off-screen. 

Talking about Spacekru, do they still see themselves as Spacekru and the Grounders? Is there Wonkru still? 

I think Wonkru kind of disbanded, especially at the end when Indra said, “You broke Wonkru,” to Octavia. Whether or not Octavia is taking that on board, I don’t know. Maybe you can press Marie about it. It’s very much about exploring this new world, and it’s not necessarily – old alliances aren’t hanging around as much as they have been previously. So yeah, press Marie. You’ll probably get more answers out of her. 

On Bellarke.  Any chance it’s going to be this year that we might see them?

Oh wow, I don’t know. I guess just as much chance as there was all those other years? That’s just a minefield right there. Have you guys had this soup? [Morley picks up a cup of soup.]

On Jordan

I wouldn’t say socially inept, but [Jordan] definitely has an awkwardness about him. There’s a real charm to him too that I think he’s really been able to encapsulate what Chelsea brought to Harper and Chris to Monty. It’s quite sweet actually. He looks crazily like the two of them melded together, which is great casting. But yeah, he does bring his kind of like a naive charm to the character that we haven’t seen in the show before. It’s quite nice. 

What can you tease about fun stuff coming up for Bellamy and Echo because they’ll pick up right where they left off, I assume?

I think we delve into a bit more of Echo’s backstory this year, which is quite nice. I think it’s something that we needed to flesh out and to start to understand where Echo is coming from. But yeah, those two, still very much in love. But yeah, we’ll be looking a bit more into that backstory there with Echo. Tas [Tasya Teles] does some great work, which I’m really excited for everyone to see. We’re going to get into the emotional realm with Echo and Bellamy, so yeah that’s a story to check out this year as well. 

Exploring this new world, were there any flashbacks in your mind to Season 1? 

BOB MORLEY: For me as an actor, I’m like, “Yeah this is kind of funny,” because it does feel like the show’s been recreated. We’re doing a new planet, and I think there are even some lines about déjà vu or “We’ve done this before,” or this, that and the other. So there are callbacks for sure. It’s once again building a world. We’ve had the last five seasons kind of fleshing out the Grounder mythology and all that, so this year it’s much more figuring out a new world and building that story behind those new people that we come across.

This is a show that reboots itself almost every season. Now that you’ve kind of reached the point where you’re literally blowing up the world and starting completely fresh, do you think that there’s actually a way to top this and do it again this year?

Look we’re definitely giving it a crack. We have some new writers to the team. You can tell there’s like new voices coming in. The show feels quite different. We still hold strong to the same core values and stuff like that – whatever values we do have, brutal values – but yeah, having a new set of writers, you can hear their voices come through and the world being totally different. It’s different for sure, but it’s exciting. I’ve always thought that Jason and his writing team have found a way to recreate the wheel almost every season, and this is basically just doing that all again but on a larger scale. 

The 100 premieres Tuesday, April 30 on the CW.

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Riverdale Cast on Jelly Bean and Gladys Jones' Arrival

Jelly Bean is coming! Jelly Bean is coming! And, Jughead's mother, Gladys Jones too!

Gina Gershon (Gladys) and Trinity Likins (Jelly Bean) will make their first appearance on Riverdale Season 3 Episode 8, “Chapter Forty-Three: Outbreak." Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and Archie (KJ Apa) make their way to Toledo looking for a safe haven, but what they find may not be what they expect. 

The family reunion is very telling, Sprouse teases, "It's great. I think for me it, it's nice to have a little more background on Jughead's character and his family life and a lore that has sort of been hinted at since season one really, and kind of loose ends that—that without saying too much—do get addressed and do get talked about."

Archie's not unfamiliar with them either, "They have a relationship, but it was a long time ago, like when Archie was maybe seven or eight years old. And even then, they probably didn't have that much face time," Apa said. "I think Archie is almost as familiar with Jughead's mom as Jughead is, almost. There's some fun stuff coming out with that."

Expect the unexpected when it comes to Gladys, Skeet Ulrich (FP Jones) teases, "The reunion is certainly not how he would have wanted it or not what he would've wanted, but I, but I think she is just, just like he was in the first season, just such a wildcard. You just don't know what's coming."

Riverdale airs Wednesday on the CW.

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The Flash Interview: Tom Cavanaugh on Directing the 100th Episode

It's less than a week until the 2018 Arrowverse crossover, "Elseworlds," airs and The Flash leads into that sure-to-be epic event with their own special episode. The Flash Season 5 Episode 8, "What's Past is Prologue," is the 100th episode of the series. 

With Team Flash struggling to stop Cicada, Team Flash does the thing they said they would never do again-- mess with the timeline. Barry and Nora head back into time in order to get materials they believe will help them stop Cicada, while not interfering with the timeline. Hmm... wonder how that will work?!?

On The Flash 100th episode red carpet, I spoke with Tom Cavanaugh about directing the monumental episode. Not only does Cavanaugh direct "What's Past is Prologue," but he also acts in the hour in multiple roles. 

When discussing the plans for the episode, the writers thought he would want to take a back seat in the episode to focus on directing, though Cavanaugh didn't want that at all. He told them, "I don't want you to write me light."

Check out more in this video clip

The Flash airs Tuesdays on The CW.

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Supernatural Interview: Jensen Ackles Previews Dean and Jack’s Baby Joy Ride

No one drives Baby other than Dean, right? Well, Sam has driven Baby on occasion, Bobby has too, and of course, John Winchester has taken the wheel. But... Baby is literally Dean's baby and he treats the car as one. On Supernatural Season 14 Episode 7, "Unhuman Nature," Dean takes Jack out on a joy ride. The shocker: The inexperienced Jack gets to drive. He drives Baby!

Earlier this month, I spoke with Jensen Ackles on Supernatural's 300th Episode Party red carpet about Dean's relationship with Jack and their unexpected bonding. It took a while for Dean to get "onboard" with Jack, but they started to bond in the previous episode, "Optimism."

Check out the video interview clip: 

In this week's "Unhuman Nature," Ackles teases, "I think we see in that
episode can finally come around being like you know what I'm in a real ass. It's time I made a few wrongs into rights and so it's kind of it's kind of a nice olive branch. ... It's about the biggest one Dean has to give."

"Unhuman Nature" Trailer previewing the joy ride!

Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on the CW

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Arrow Interview: Stephen Amell on Post-Prison Oliver, What's Next for Olicity and More!

Oliver is out of prison. Finally. And it was worth the wait. Those fight scenes... WOW! "The Slabside Redemption" did not disappoint.

If I placed a bet on which Arrow episode Oliver would be freed, I don't think it would have been Episode 7. Oliver was locked up long enough for it to change him permanently. His imprisonment and ultimate freedom came at a high cost, and one that will have lingering effects on his philosophy going forward, relationship with Felicity, and even his appearance.

Earlier this month, I was in Vancouver with a group of reporters and we spoke with Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow) about what's next for Oliver after all that he's been through. The changes will be apparent immediately, "The first time that you see Oliver, we came up with a really interesting way I think of showing what prison life did to him without really bashing people over the head with it," Amell teases.

Watch the Stephen Amell interview

While imprisoned, Oliver's head literally was messed with through shock therapy and psychological torture. This manipulation did alter his way of thinking, "It definitely teaches him something, and it’s addressed, I think, in the first episode after he leaves prison," Amell said, "and sort of what his new mantra is going to be, if and when, he puts the suit back on."

Amell didn't confirm he'd be donning the Green Arrow suit again soon, but he will have to deal with the New Green Arrow, "[He] runs into the New Green Arrow’s exploits pretty quickly. But coming out of prison, he gets asked that specific question very early on like, 'What are you going to do?' and he says, 'I’m going to try and do what you guys did, which is just find a different way to help the city,'" Amell revealed.

What will Oliver's new mantra be? How will he help the city? Amell teases, "We come up with that idea pretty quickly, but I think one of the fun things is it’s not Oliver who comes up with it."

This new Oliver Queen will have to find his new place in Star City, while also dealing with a new Felicity. While she wanted Diaz dead, Oliver left their tormentor alive in prison. Amell said that decision won't "influence" their relationship, but "it's going to have an incredibly impactful moment on another person that he’s very close with." Hmm... wonder who that will be?

The relationship between Oliver and Felicity won't be without challenges "I learn that a lot of the stuff that Diaz was saying about Felicity is true, and I thought the way that we worked it out – and we do work it out pretty quickly. We come to an understanding that nothing’s ever going to be perfect ... But nothing’s ever going to be perfect or normal about our relationship, and I think that the sooner that they move on with their lives."

Oliver returns to his friends, family and life in Arrow Season 7 Episode 8, "Unmasked," airing Monday, December 3, 2018 on The CW.

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The 100 Interview: Lola Flanery on Madi's Survival Skills, Loss of Innocence and Meeting Clarke's Friends

When The 100 Season 4 ended, we were introduced to Clarke's (Eliza Taylor) new companion, Madi. A Natblida like Clarke, she was able to survive Praimfaya and through through will she also survived the elements. After almost 6 years of living as the last two people on Earth, Clarke and Madi's world is thrust into chaos with the arrival of the prisoner ship.

I spoke with Lola Flanery about Clarke's stories about her friends, Madi's relationship with Clarke, and about meeting new friends and foes. 

Clarke has told Madi these stories about her friends from before Praimfaya. Does Madi think of these characters as people? Or more as mythological or fable stories? 

I feel like Madi thinks of them as fairy tale characters because Clarke has mostly emphasized the magical, amazing side at this point. They are kind of like heroes and fairy tale characters. Madi only sees the positive side and the good, hero, awesome side.

Is there of these people that she's heard about that she relates to the most?

No. All of them in a way. They have been  I feel like like Madi looks up to all of them, she might have picked up a little bit of them from the stories into who Madi is now.

How would you describe Madi? What drives Madi as the last teenager on Earth?

Madi's not your normal teenager of course. She is this very resourceful child, but she's still kind of confident, brave little child who doesn't really know of the things going around her. But, she does find her way and she can, because she did, survive by herself because she's that resourceful.

Does she view Clarke as a mother figure?

Since they are the only two last people on Earth, Clarke's not only a mother figure, but a best friend, a sister, all of them, because they are all they have. Clarke is all of it. She's everything to Madi.

When we first meet Madi, we saw she did have survival skills before she met Clarke. Now she's grow up in the period of peace, how will she react to this world she's being thrust into with these enemies?

Before Madi met Clarke, she was all by herself and she knew all the different things, so when the prisoners come down and all that stuff happens, there is a huge difference and shift. It's definitely a shock to Madi, but she does know how to keep herself alive and she does have those skills that she needs. It's almost as if she loses her innocence and has to do new things that she didn't necessarily need to before.

On meeting Clarke's friends

Since Madi has mostly heard about the fairy tale side of these different characters up in space, there's going to be a little difference in what she sees when she meets them. She is going to meet and form relationships with Clarke's friends, but let's just say not all of them will welcome Madi with open arms.

How does she feels about meeting Bellamy (Bob Morley)?

Clarke did tell Madi a lot about Bellamy. I think Madi could be very excited to meet Bellamy, as she would with all of the other people, but since Clarke and Bellamy were very close I feel like Madi could be very excited to see Bellamy since she's heard a lot about him.

Is Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) someone that Madi will be drawn to or disturbed by when they meet?

I can't really say too much about that. Clarke has told Madi about Octavia and Octavia is such a badass in Madi's eyes. Clarke has told Madi about Octavia.

The 100 airs Tuesdays on the CW.

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The 100 Season 5 Interview: Bob Morley Teases Bellamy's "Gotten a Bit Soft"

Bellamy has spent the last six years dreaming of his reunion with his sister on The 100. On "Sleeping Giants," Spacekru is the closest they've been to finding a way to get back to Earth. Will Raven find a way to make it happen? And, if it does, what threats will they face?

I visited The 100 set in Vancouver with a group of reporters to talk to Bob Morley about how Bellamy's changed over the time jump, his desire to get to the ground, teases about the likely reunions, and more!

Check out the video interview and Q&A below!

Is it good to be playing almost your own age?

I don't know. I think Bellamy is definitely way more mature than me, I'm pretty immature, so... I don't know about acting my age in real life. On screen, he's much more mature than I am. Yeah.

How has he changed over the time jump?

That six years in space changed a lot. The group up there. We're calling them Spacekru or something like that. They are like this new family unit up there and he's had to use Clarke's advice of using his head and his heart to become more of a well-rounded leader up there. Raven is like his second-in-charge. Everyone runs things together. They always make decisions together. It's a nice community up there and it's definitely calmed him down from like fighting and killing people every other week. After the six years off, maybe he's gotten a bit soft. I'm sure he'll get back to it.

What dynamic are you really excited for the fans to see that's the changed the most over the time jump?

The one that I think I was really excited to get into was the Blake relationship, the siblings, to see how they've both changed. They kind of had a bit of a like a reconciliation at the end, but it was over the radios and very brief and then radio silence. That's one that's really important to Bellamy. That kind of dictates a lot of his decisions as well. Yeah, because he's pretty focused on that, that's one that I also am gravitating towards. The Spacekru and that family unit is another thing that is deeply important to Bellamy and really drives the direction he takes this season.

What's the dynamic going to be when you have Octavia who is risen up and Clarke...

This season, it feels like there's a couple of different shows going on, because there's so many different groups and leadership groups and who's in charge of what and where. It's interesting to see the power struggles between all the groups and actually who is really in charge. This season has been tricky for me, like with Bellamy as well, for Bellamy coming from coming from being Spacekru and knowing that he's got the backs-- [indecipherable] of those six or seven. Whereas when he gets back down to Earth that changes pretty quickly. 

Do you see any parallels between this season and Season 1?

You know, I saw more parallels in Season 4 to 1. Yeah, like, I watched it again the other day. I think that 4 really reminded me of 1 for some reason. I'm really blanking on 4 now. All the years end up melding, I'm like, "Hang on." I got a beating in 5. In a way, returning to space there's that parallel, but the world is much more expansive now and there's much more groups. In Season 1, it was about the kids on the ground and then the Grounders. I think it's a little more complicated than Season 1. I think most of the seasons, you could draw a parallel between them all. It's strange to come back and have that six year break and then for me to try and figure out who is he after only having like six months off. Yeah, whereas, I can recall memories of one Fall quite easily and now there's like a six-year gap in the middle on the Arc. What did they do up there? You know. Trying to figure it out.

Lindsay talked about that there's a difficult decision about how to get down to the ground. What are Bellamy's thoughts on them leaving the Ring?

It's funny to say that he's more head and heart, but the decision to get to the ground is very much driven by his need to see what's happening to his sister. He believes that Clarke has passed away and he doesn't know any of this stuff. That's the driving force for him-- is the hope that his sister is down there.

Once the Spacekru does get to the ground, what are some of the obstacles and struggles they face?

There's definitely a lot of returning of Mother Nature type things-- animals, and creatures, and critters, and stuff like that. That's one of the struggles.  And also, the elements, as well, and how the planet has changed because of praimfaya. It's funny in this show, you're like, we've got to get to this place and then you end up there really quickly, but then when you look at the map of where we're going, it's like really far. You're like, "How did they get there so quickly?" It's the show. We cut there. In terms of the challenges on Earth, the threat other than the elements and environments, the threat kinda is always a human threat between the groups kind of thing more than anything else.

Speaking of that, when Skaikru came down, they had weapons which gave them superiority over the Grounders. These new people who are coming down will have technology as well, how does that dynamic of two groups that have that technology change that battle?

It's interesting what developed throughout the bunker and the story will unfold, but Spacekru, we just have algae. That's about it. That's all we're bringing to the table here. In terms of-- maybe you're right. Maybe, there is more parallels to Season 1 and the high-tech and low-tech type of interactions like with the Grounders and Skaikru. In terms of a technology battle kind of thing, most of that thanks to Illian is all destroyed and praimfaya, obviously. That probably did most of the damage. Yeah, from my character, not so much. He's always been pretty lo-fi. Bellamy: guns and his fists. A thug.

Can you tease any of the flashbacks we'll be seeing?

I can't. I'm not too sure actually in terms of the flashbacks. I'm not sure how much I can say on that really. The story and the mythology of the bunker and the new people will be told hopefully. 

How will the relationship between Bellamy and Clarke be different once they eventually find each other?

It's pretty funny. It's not funny obviously to find out she's still alive. It's obviously a huge shock for him. She's also focused on her unit, her family unit, which is Madi. And, I have my Spacekru and they really deviate in that sense. There's no longer this community of The 100 it feels like. Everyone's got their people now. There's a lot of the "my people," "your people" stuff as per usual, but in this particular season, it's very definitive as to who people are loyal to, so that dictates where their relationship is and where it goes. 

How much are the people who are on the ground in the conversation or thoughts of the people on the Arc?

I think there's definitely a reference to how much Bellamy talks about his sister. It's obviously on his mind all the time. As you'll see, they all learn from each other from space and learn different skills through-- Each person has brought their skills and shared them with the others. I imagine there's been a lot of conversations about what's happening down on the ground, but they're really in the dark up there. I'm sure they chat about Praimfaya and all that jazz too. There's a big, smoldering planet right there in front of them. It's the elephant in the room. It occupies a lot of Bellamy's thoughts, that's for sure.

What's it like to craft six years of Bellamy's life that you're never going to get to live?

That's the tricky bit. Six months off and six years have passed for him. I had to think about who he was when he was on the Arc with this sister and how he was as a brother and kind of go back to that mode of who Bellamy is and tap into that vein of how he used to be. There's a lot of that. He definitely felt as a nurturing figure in terms of the Spacekru and Earth has a nasty habit of bringing out the worst in him, so yeah, it was nice to go back into this older brother, fatherly type character for a wee while until things get really bad. 

The 100 Season airs Tuesdays on the CW.

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The 100 Interview: Richard Harmon on Spacekru in Season 5

In The 100 Season 5 premiere, we got a glimpse into what life has been like for Spacekru during the six-year time jump. Green algae diet sound good to anyone? That alone would seem to be enough to drive a person crazy, let alone being stuck with the same six companions and your own mind. In this week's episode, "Sleeping Giants," Spacekru will attempt to return to Earth, but it won't be without unexpected complications.

I visited The 100 set in Vancouver while the series was filming with a group of journalists and we had the opportunity to talk with Richard Harmon about playing Murphy and how his character has changed over the years and what happens next for Spacekru.

Read on for edited excerpts of the conversation.

How has Murphy changed over the six-year jump?

I think six years in space, it’s hard to maintain a purpose. On the ground, it’s survival. In space, we figure out after awhile how to survive. You have the algae farm giving us the food. It’s not great food, but enough to live. You have to ask yourself what there is to do up there. If anyone has a hard time with a sense of direction, when there is no outside stimulus getting at him, it would be Murphy. He’s lost his way a little bit over the six years and that’s where we find him. He’s probably itching to get back down to the ground. We have to figure out why after six years, an extra year clear of when we were allowed to get back down to the ground, yet we are still not there. 

What are some of the dynamics of the people on the Arc? How have things shifted?

Without giving away too much of their relationships that we all have up in space, six years with just that same group of six or seven people, you kind of become a family after that amount of time. But, families aren’t perfect. You fight. You have issues with each other. That’s the interesting thing to see, what our relationships are like. Everybody fights, but we’re all obviously a lot closer and a lot of the issues that we’ve had on the ship are probably in the past after six years. I’ve said this before. A lot of therapy can happen in six years, but that doesn’t mean that new qualms with each other won’t arise. We are going to have issues.

Was there a dynamic that really surprised you when you read the scripts?

I was excited. The first bit that I read when it came to our storyline, without getting into it, when my character first popped up, I can tell you that my reaction was giddy. I was like, “Yes! I’m excited that we are doing the set thing that we are doing.” 

We understand that Bellamy has taken on a leadership role and that Raven is second in command. Can you talk about those roles? 

Bellamy is so well-suited for that kind of position. He’s proved it time and time again. Obviously, not so well in the beginning. He was well-intentioned, but kind of did stuff in an improper way. I might have also had something to do with that in edging him in that direction. It’s like Clark said, he has to learn to lead with both his mind and his heart. I think, at the beginning of the season, you see that he has assumed the leadership and now, us, hopefully, coming back down to ground, you are going to see he has heeded that advice and now, implements that sort of system with the mind and the heart. And, Raven is such a problem solver that she’s such a great second-in-command to have. I wouldn’t even put them one and two. I would put them 1A/1B. Murphy, he doesn’t really care about that. He doesn’t really want leadership. It kind of ticks him off a little bit, but those are people who are very close to him.

Is it fun for you to get something new to do every season with this show? Every year there seems to be a reset. 

Absolutely. It’s like an anthology series, except we have the same characters. Last year was this natural disaster. Now, this year, we have these new obstacles to overcome. It changes the way the characters get to interact with each other. Especially now that it’s six years in the future, they’ve grown up. As actors, it was a lot of fun to implement things that you can just throw into the mix. Usually, you take a while, like a full season, and you’re working little dynamics of your character in until the audience can accept it. You can’t just throw it in. But, with this season, you are able to throw things in after six years and the audience is just going to have to buy it, which I really thought was fun as an actor. I’m sure everyone else had the same kind of sentiments as I do.

How has Murphy’s romantic relationship progressed?

That you are going to have to wait and see. He’s a complicated guy. Six years with Murphy is a long time.

Will we get peeks into what happened over the last six years, maybe in flashbacks?

I believe it has been said that there will be flashbacks this season. There is a lot of stuff that could be flashbacks. So, I don’t know if every story is going to get that service. Some are more important for you to see than others. You will know a lot of what happened in our six years by alluding to it and by seeing the repercussions of the last six years has had on us, Spacekru or whoever the seven of us are. You will see the repercussions of what the last six years have done to us. Through that, I believe you will kind of get the feeling of what we have gone through.

When The 100 began, it was the Grounders and the Skaikru came down and then Skaikru ended up becoming the Grounders. Now, we have these new people that are coming that are from our present day. Can you talk a little bit about what’s the changing dynamic and theme, and how does Murphy react to this new environment?

Sure, like you said, we’ve come a long way from the Skaikru versus the Grounders, and us being at war with them, and kind of being on their side. Then, it become the internal struggle within the Grounder community. And, now we’ve moved on to what has to be all the people in the bunker, all the Grounders, I’m assuming, must have come together a little bit in that time and put aside their previous allegiances to their specific clans. 

So, now you have the prison ship coming down. I’ve been barred from saying anything about that. I think that’s for the best because when you see these guys and what they are up to – and not just that, but their backstory and not just where they come from, cause you know where they come from, but what they’ve been through and all that – it’s a pretty interesting story and whether it’s a fight between us or whatever it is, bad/good. I think what we’ve done on this show is that this nice little gray area. No one group is all just bad or all good. There are individuals in that group. You are going to get to know a lot of great, great new characters. – just phenomenal actors that we’ve brought in this season – that have really upped all of our games.

Murphy has always skirted that fine line between good and evil. Are we going to get to see him explore the darker side of his personality moving forward?

I certainly hope so. That’s always been my hope. I loved the redemption arc, and I love all that. It’s like you said, he’s never going to be evil. You can say in Season 1 he was a pretty bad person, but I think he is never going to be truly evil. With everything going on, with all the characters, we’re all going to have to ride that line again being back on Earth, doing what might not be morally correct, but what is correct for you and your people. And for Murphy, sometimes its about himself and not his people. We’ll see Murphy be Murphy. You are not going to take that out of the kid.

You’ve discussed the internal conflicts and environment in the ship, but have there been any external factors that affected them?

In the ship, no. That’s what is so interesting about it is we haven’t. It’s been the same thing. It’s just living for the next day. You wake up, you do the same thing, you go to bed, you wake up, you go to bed and you wake up for six years. That’s enough to drive anyone nuts, let alone Murphy, who is right on the point of losing it at any possible moment. That was what was so interesting about our storyline. Everyone else has the external factors over the six years. We have just our own minds, which are our own worst enemy.

Murphy and Raven had a very contentious relationship. Towards the end of last season, they really came together and had an understanding. How has that evolved over the six years?

I think there’s an incredible deal of respect between those two characters. Some of my favorite scenes I have ever done on the show have been between me and Lindsey. Lindsey is unbelievable. She’s going to be a complete star. When you have the opportunity to work with someone like that, I really take advantage of that and enjoy working with her. The more I get with her, the better in my opinion.

What is the biggest challenge for Spacekru?

Once we come down, if we come down, yes, if we come down, I believe it’s everything. The relationships we made on the Arc will make us stronger. It will also tear us apart by giving us weaknesses by having the people that we care about there. As we’ve shown with the ground, it will take what you love and it will use it against you. Like you said, it’s going to be a little bit of everything. There’s going to be the external forces that are going to affect us.  It’s about how we stick together, or even when we are apart, you’ll see if we try and come back together and how much we care about one another, and how much that affects our ability to survive, is having these loved ones. 

I always said Murphy has never been more at a risk than when he fell in love with Emori. I think if he was always by himself, I don’t think this guy would ever die. He would die at the ripe old age of 87, with a crap ton of battle scars on him, but, somehow, he would have lived. With the love in his life, I think of everyone, it makes you vulnerable. It makes you weak in a good way. There is nothing more to life than love, but it will be what kills you. It always is.

The 100 Season 5 airs Tuesdays on the CW.

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The 100 Interview: Lindsey Morgan Says Raven's in Hell

Raven just can't get a break, can she? She got blown up AGAIN! If she was in both emotional and physical pain before, how will she live with herself after the Mount Weather explosion? Her path of recovery has hit a major roadblock.

I sat down with Lindsey Morgan to discuss Raven's journey in The 100 Season 3. You can find the first part of the interview here: Lindsey Morgan Interview at BuddyTV.

The decision to unlock the missiles at Mount Weather provided an escape for Raven in "Ye Who Enter Here. "Raven finally has a purpose and finally has a task, finally has something that she can put her mind on that isn't how much am I hurting today," Morgan said.

Of course, that all changed.

"When it's a total twist and Mount Weather blows instead of Polis, Raven is just in pieces, just absolutely in pieces and feels how could I have let this happen and how could I have failed so many people," Morgan said. "It's almost like she was at the rock bottom before and now she's in hell."

Will Raven be able to move on from that? It's going to be a challenge for her. "There were talks of Raven of being suicidal ... that's where her mentality would be. What happens isn't that, obviously, but it's drastic enough. Raven does something so kinda un-Raven to alleviate her pain. She's trying to do anything she can," Morgan said.

Is there any glimmer of hope that Raven can find happiness? Morgan teased, "There is. [Fans] will see that. It's a really interesting journey. I wish I could tell you more about how you're going to get both. You're gonna see Raven happy and you're gonna see Raven miserable and you're gonna see Raven in a whole new light."

When asked to summarize Raven's journey through The 100 Season 3, Morgan summed it up as "Somebody you wouldn't expect to hit rock bottom, won't tell anyone. Then finds a way out that has dire consequences."

The 100 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on the CW.

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The 100 Interview: Isaiah Washington Teases "Jaha is in Possession of the Bigger Gun"

Jaha left his people behind and went on a quest in the search of the City of Light. As The 100 Season 3 begins, he claims to know all about the City of Light after coming in contact with ALIE. This summer, Isaiah Washington shed some light on Jaha's journey this season.

What's going on with Jaha in Season 3?

Washington:  Jaha is in possession of the bigger gun. He's no longer Chancellor, but he has a lady in a red dress and they have-- or he has a nuclear warhead.

Will he be using it for good or for evil?

Washington: Jaha is in the possession of the bigger gun and he has access to the lady in red, artificial intelligence, you figure it out. You know his mindset is a little different. He threw someone off a boat. And the only reason Murphy survives is because he can row. Jaha's bottom line has become extremely chilling.

What about his spiritual journey?

Washington: That's what I'm thinking is so fun about Jaha right now. The juxtapose of what happens when someone is so ensconced in their beliefs that they are willing to threaten and kill and sacrifice other human lives. We are talking about the history of man. What happened when someone goes, "Sometimes you gotta do the wrong thing to do the right thing." How do you get out that rabbit hole?

The 100 airs Thursdays at 9 pm ET on the CW.

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The 100 Season 3 Episode 4 Official Description for "Watch the Thrones"

The CW has released the logline for The 100 Season 3 Episode 4 "Watch the Thrones" airing February 11, 2016 at 9 pm ET on the CW.

“Watch the Thrones"
BRENDA STRONG (“DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES”) GUEST STARS — Clarke (Eliza Taylor)
discovers the mastermind behind a devious plan.  Kane (Henry Ian Cusack) struggles to keep the
peace.  Meanwhile, Jasper’s (Devon Bostick) grief drives him to reckless behavior. Paige Turco,
Isaiah Washington, Bob Morley, Marie Avgeropoulos, Lindsey Morgan, Christopher Larkin, Ricky Whittle and Richard Harmon also star. Ed Fraiman directed the episode written by Dorothy Fortenberry (#304).

The 100  Season 3 premieres January 21, 2016 at 9 pm ET on the CW.

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The 100 Season 3: Alycia Debnam-Carey Returns as Lexa

Last season, Alycia Debnam-Carey first appeared on The 100 by hiding Lexa's identity from Jaha and Kane while they were imprisoned by the Grounders. From that moment through Lexa's betrayal of Clarke at Mount Weather, Debnam-Carey has become a fan favorite on the show, especially by those who would like to see Clarke and Lexa become a romantic item again (aka Clexa fans).

Given Debnam-Carey's starring role on Fear the Walking Dead, there's been some concern about how many episodes she'd be available to appear in during The 100 Season 3. Last week at the Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour, I spoke with Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg and asked him about how many episodes she would appear.

He didn't provide an exact episode count, but did offer some insight into how much Lexa will play into the upcoming season. "I think she did as many for us this season-- or has done as many for us this season as she did last season," Rothenberg said.

"I talked to AMC a lot about-- begged on hands and knees, 'Please let us use her. The character is amazing and she has totally taken off as an internet sensation.' I'm really grateful they let her come hang out with us today [at TCA]."

According to IMDB, Debnam-Carey appeared in nine episodes during The 100 Season 2. If she's in close to that number this season, fans shouldn't fear at all. Her commitment to Fear the Walking Dead hasn't prevented her from being a force on The 100.

Now the question is .... Will Clarke be able to forgive Lexa? In a previously published interview, Eliza Taylor (Clarke) stated, "I'll be seeing [Lexa] but it's not gonna be fun for Clarke at all. She's really torn up about it. She loved Lexa and she was betrayed. It's going to be a really shaky reunion."

One thing that's sure is that it will be a wild ride!

Tune in to watch The 100 Season 3 premiere, "Wanheda: Part 1," live Thursday, January 21 at 9 pm ET on the CW.

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The 100 Season 3 Episode 3 Official Description for "Ye Who Enter Here"

The CW has released the logline for The 100 Season 3 Episode 3 “Ye Who Enter Here" airing February 4, 2016 at 9 pm ET on the CW.

"MICHAEL BEACH (“SONS OF ANARCHY”) GUEST STARS — Clarke (Eliza Taylor) wrestles with a decision.  Bellamy (Bob Morley) learns that something isn't what it seems.  Meanwhile, Murphy (Richard Harmon) plots to betray his former Chancellor (Isaiah Washington). Paige Turco, Henry Ian Cusack, Marie Avgeropoulos, Devon Bostick, Lindsey Morgan, Chris Larkin and Ricky Whittle also star. Antonio Negret directed the episode written by Kim Shumway (#303)."

The official description doesn't come close to describing the intensity of the hour or the threat faced by the Grounders and the Arkers, but provides some insight into what's coming up.

The 100  Season 3 premieres January 21, 2016 at 9 pm ET on the CW.

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The 100's Henry Ian Cusick Teases 'Doomed' Romance for Kane

Kane has transitioned from one of the most hated characters on The 100 to one of the most beloved. 

As he has evolved as a character, his relationship and connection with Abby has shifted and become much deeper. In The 100 Season 3 extended trailer, Kane and Abby kiss! 

While it's unclear what draws them together, it's a moment viewers wouldn't have seen coming in the early episodes of the series, yet one that has become highly anticipated. Will it be smooth sailing for Kabby?

That's not likely. This is The 100! Nothing is easy, simple or as expected .... ever.

Henry Ian Cusick teased a romance for Kane this season while on The 100 set when they were filming Season 3 Episode 9. Cusick doesn't specify that the relationship is with Abby, so it could be with someone else.... 

Check out his witty response about Kane's romantic future.

What do you think? Disappointed? Intrigued? Happy?

Check out my preview of The 100 Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2.

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The 100 Season 3 Preview: Three Months Later....

The 100 Season 3 picks up three months after the annihilation of the Mountain Men at Mount Weather. Over these months, there have been many changes, but Clarke and Bellamy's decision to exterminate an entire people hangs heavy over everything that's going on with the Skaikru, Trikru and other clans.

Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg said, "They are all Grounders now technically." And, that's evident immediately in Season 3. The term "Grounders" is too general to be of much value as a describer going forward with the show's expanding world. It could be argued that the original "100" and Arkers who joined them form another clan outside the 12 Clan coalition. They are the Skaikru.

The events at Mount Weather affect everyone who knows what happened emotionally, physically, romantically and/or politically. There's peace, but that doesn't mean it's all good. The peace is tenuous as Kane reminds Bellamy in the first teaser trailer.

During the three months, the Skaikru established a true home base and have taken advantage of technology. As the above image from the trailer shows, they have a vehicle now and horses too. This allows them to move around the lands more quickly and helps showcase the expansive world they must navigate.

One of the best moments of the premiere takes place in the truck and is a brief moment of lightness and joy in otherwise dark and dangerous world. It's a scene that will likely be replayed on repeat for a long time. (At least, I plan on doing that!)

I've only watched "Wanheda: Part One and Part Two" and it's an impressive start to my favorite series on television. I wasn't sure how The 100 would possibly follow up the first two seasons, but Jason Rothenberg, the writers, directors, cast, and crew have exceeded my expectations.

The 100 is fundamentally the same show as we saw last spring, but as there was a focal shift between Seasons 1 and 2, there's another one in Season 3. The intensity hasn't waned, instead the threats are even greater now.

In addition to the story of the Skaikru and the Clans, separately Jaha's journey with ALIE continues and Murphy begins to uncover more about what happened years prior in the bunker.

While you probably want to know more about what happens and specifics about certain characters, I'll leave that to the full trailer which comes out on Monday, December 14. Once that's released, I'll have a better feel for what I can and cannot say.

One tidbit, I'll leave you with is that Trigedasleng is used for communication more often than in the past seasons. When and how it's used instead of English speaks volumes over the words being said at times. It's another example of the world expanding and the assimilation of the Skaikru.

The 100 Season 3 doesn't hold anything back. It begins with a tortured soul and with the exception of the one truck scene I mentioned, that intensity doesn't let up. Mount Weather and what happened there provides an undercurrent to personal and political decisions being made, people's mental and physical state and really just about everything you will see on the screen.

Check out the The 100 trailer and watch the season premiere Thursday, January 21 at 9 pm ET on the CW!



You can find most of my The 100 interviews and other coverage at BuddyTV, including from a set visit this Fall. I'll also be hosting the "Inside the 100" aftershow each week and additional thoughts here at TV Diehard.

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