When news dropped thatDavid BenioffandD.B. Weisswould be helming a new TV show for Netflix — after a disastrous finale forGame of Thronesanda few failed follow-up projects— obviously, there was a lot of apprehension. The duo was announced to be teaming up withAlexander Woo(best known for his work onTrue Bloodand Season 2 ofThe Terror) to take on the ambitious task of adaptingLiu Cixin’s extraordinarily popular sci-fi book seriesRemembrance of Earth’s Past. If that sounds unfamiliar, you might recognize the first book in Liu’s series better:The Three-Body Problem.
For anyone who has dipped a toe into Liu’s vast, vast fictional universe, it’s understandable to worry a bit when hearing that the guys responsible for Bran the Broken are going to be taking on this hard sci-fi series. However, Benioff, Weiss, and Woo remind us in3 Body Problemhow good an adaptation can be when it’s done properly — and might have just stumbled onmaking Netflix’s next masterpiece.
‘3 Body Problem’s Greatest Strength Is One Viewers Won’t Notice
The first thing you’ll note from this review is that this isnotjust an adaptation ofThe Three-Body Problem. Wisely, the showrunners have decided tomix aspects of all three of Liu Cixin’s books, bringing in more interesting characters from later novels into the present to give a more well-rounded approach to the story with an ensemble cast. So,if you’re going into this series having only read the first book, expect a bit of confusion. However, combining storylines does simplify Liu’s story somewhat for viewers, which is not actually a bad thing.
3 Body Problemfollows several different characters who come to discover that a scientist’s decision during the Cultural Revolution in 1960s China hasset humanity on a path of destruction. With an inevitable doom coming for them in 400 years, the world’s scientists and defense forces must come together to try and figure out a solution to save humanity from an impossibly powerful enemy.
There are some very high quantum physics concepts in Liu’s books, ones that likely excite astrophysicists but can kind of go over the average reader’s head.3 Body Problemeases us in, and the natural medium of television also gives us visualizations of some of the book’s higher concepts. It was difficult to imagine a world where an average viewer could sit down and watch a show based on Liu’s books and be enthralled by it, butthe television show manages to elaborate on and stitch together ideas that feel complicatedon the page.
In this way, the show has something for everyone. For purely show-watchers, it’s an enticing story that hints at complicated theoretical physics while applying it in a real-world (as real as a television show is) scenario that makes it digestible and understandable. For book readers,it’s a new version of Liu’s stories, mishmashing some of the events and conflicts of later books into the first season that will keep them guessing about how the story has changed.
‘3 Body Problem’ Adds a Crucial Element the Books Missed
In many ways, while watching3 Body Problem, I was reminded of the adaptation of another massive, century-spanning sci-fi series about the universe. When Apple TV+ first premieredFoundation, based onIsaac Asimov’s sci-fi series of the same name, I also wondered how a series like this could work on television.In the many ways that Asimov’s books are similar to Liu Cixin’s, the shows are also alike. Liu’s strength has always been rooted in his ability to craft complicated stories about humanity using science and sociology. However, when it comes to the characters in his novel, aproblem Asimov has, it’s hard to feel a connection to them in the same way. Your investment is in the future of humanity, but not necessarily of one single human.
However,3 Body Problemchanges that. On top of merging and/or remixing some book characters, the Netflix series spends its time developing these characters. Ye Wenjie, played byZine TsengandRosalind Chao, is one of the most pivotal figures in the series, and her plight and backstory are a solid backbone for the first half of the story. Both Tseng and Chao are completely in sync asthe younger and older version of the character, respectively. Although Wenjie is the catalyst of the main conflict of3 Body Problem,it’s impossible to call her the villain, or even a true antagonist. We view much of the first part of the season through her eyes and consider her justification for an impulsive decision. Tseng is magnificent at playing this cutthroat survivor who has been made tough through her difficult circumstances, and Chao reveals that time has not dulled all of those sharp edges.
At the center of3 Body ProblemisJess Hong, who plays the beating heart of the story, Jin Cheng. Jin is a genius at theoretical physics and she is constantly searching for answers to the universe’s biggest unanswered questions. Like many of the characters, she is a scientist, but she is also the onewho puts her entire heart and soul into humanity’s endeavor to save itself. Hong will no doubt be the breakout star of the series, and every scene with her, especially in the back half of the season, is thrilling to watch. The cast of the series delivers fantastic performances that add more dimension.Benedict Wong’s Da Shi,Liam Cunningham’s Thomas Wade,Jovan Adepo’s Saul Durand,Alex Sharp’s Will Downing, andMario Kelly’s Tatiana all bring something new to the series that makes it unique.
However, while the show is bolstered by these performances, there are some that hold it back. Specifically,Eiza González’s Auggie Salazar, who is an altered version of the book character Wang Miao, feels a bit too enigmatic. Although she plays a pivotal part in the season,she is quickly eclipsed by the other characters, who are far more emotive and have more compelling stories. She begins as a point-of-view character but then quickly fades into the background. Similarly,Jonathan Pryce’s Mike Evans is one of the show’s minor antagonists who feels more like a cookie-cutter villainous cult leader. It seems a shame to cast Pryce, who is such an experienced and lauded actor, to play a role that never even approaches reaching its full potential.
‘3 Body Problem’ Has the Potential To Be Netflix’s New Flagship Series
With such a massive cast, some stunning visual moments (specifically from Episode 5 “Judgment Day” and Episode 8 “Wallfacer”), andRamin Djawadiscoring the series, it’s hard to imagine another show that is better poised to be Netflix’s next flagship series. Of course, no one can predict which direction the audience might sway, but3 Body Problemhas all the moving parts to make it great. It’s very clear that, despite missteps and mistakes in Season 8 ofGame of Thrones, Benioff and Weiss, along with Woo, know how to take an expansive book series and make it into a great TV show.
WithStranger Things’ endinglooming near, could this be the show to replace it? Could it do whatHouse of Cardsdid for the Netflix brandand “prestige TV” at large? The landscape of television is so different from when those shows first premiered, but it’s clear audiences are still hungry for creative and intelligent stories. One benefit of this series being on Netflix is that3 Body Problemactually benefits from being binge-watched. There is so much going on that a week-to-week release is likely to leave viewers scratching their heads if they aren’t fully giving the show their complete attention. The multiple storylines that intersect with each other at different points in time also make the series incredibly rewatchable.
And, on top of that all, if there were ever another series that could rivalGeorge R. R. Martinwhen it comes to “subverting expectations” — something theGame of ThronesTV show was often praised and sometimes criticized for — it would be3 Body Problem. Especially as the books barrel toward an end, each twist and development comes out of nowhere but makes perfect sense in hindsight. For the showrunners, a successful adaptation will hinge not on staying 100% loyal to those twists, but loyalty to the themes at the center of Liu Cixin’s series. With so much of this dense story to dive into, so many theories to learn about, and so many characters and motivations to investigate,3 Body Problemalready has an amazing foundation for a brilliant series.
3 Body Problem
Benioff, Weiss, and Woo prove that adapting the unadaptable is possible and you can improve on the original with 3 Body Problem.
A fateful decision made in 1960s China reverberates in the present, where a group of scientists partner with a detective to confront an existential planetary threat.
3 Body Problemis available to stream on Netflix beginning March 21.
