Things didnt quite go her way.
Within about 10 minutes, a fan saw us.
The funny thing is, we thought this would happen.
Credit: Cate Cameron/The CW
It just took a while for people to let go of what they thought the show was.
As in, yet another doomsday drama for the teen set.
TwoHunger Gamesfilms had already been crowned box office victors.
Cate Cameron/The CW
Even exec producer Jason Rothenberg admits the early hours failed to land.
Frankly, our worst episodes are the pilot and episode 2, he says.
I feel like, if not for those two episodes, our audience would have been so much bigger.
Cate Cameron/The CW
But the first-time showrunner charted a new course after receiving a note from data pipe president Mark Pedowitz.
I said, Do not make what people perceive to be a CW-bang out show, Pedowitz remembers.
Make the version you want to make the darker, grittier version.
And thats what Rothenberg did.
Mark called and was like, Amazing episode!
you’re free to go darker, Rothenberg says, laughing.
I said, Mark!
How much darker can you get?
A whole lot darker, it turns out.
Rothenberg transformedThe 100into a grounded, gritty war drama rife with moral quandaries.
And season 3s new threat?
We like to set up impossible choices for our characters, says Rothenberg.
How far can you go to keep your people and still be heroic?
Critics started paying attention and respect as well, leading to even more viewers.
The Netflix effect has been incredibly important.
It was all part of the plan.
We felt the series needed a midseason start to allow for the binges, Pedowitz says.
That strategy has proven to be the correct one.
Theres the greater issue of survival.
RELATED VIDEO:The 100season 3 trailer
The only problem with the shows newfound popularity?
Keeping up with all the attention.
In six months [my follower count] had gone up by about 50,000.
Its made me more careful.
You have to censor yourself.
Good thing the chaos of social media doesnt exist on postapocalyptic Earth.
The 100airs Thursdays at 9 p.m.
ET on The CW.
A version of this story appeared inEntertainment Weeklyissue #1403-1404, on newsstands now or available digitallyhere.
