We all know that The 100 season three had its ups and downs. Some fans have turned away completely while others had felt compelled to hold on more tightly than ever. It’s become obvious than ever that The 100 isn’t a show you can watch casually, and that can be a blessing or a curse when it comes to an audience’s faith in you.

But I would argue that this has been the show’s best season, which I would not have thought possible after a second run that surprised and delighted me to such an extent.

This was the year that The 100 really dove into its sci-fi roots, mixing ancient tradition and fantasy with ideas of artificial intelligence and virtual cityscapes with an elegance that other shows should take note of. Not since Lost have I seen a show switch gears so completely without betraying itself, and the juxtaposition of science and magic was one of the season’s most visually striking elements.

But it was also plagued by the fallout of some questionable decisions, and the real-world consequences of playing into harmful tropes and failing to address internal tensions. I personally dislike when things happening behind the scenes interrupt my fantasy worlds, but this got so loud and ugly that it couldn’t be ignored. I can’t help but envy those who will later binge-watch this show in a cultural vacuum.