Science-fiction fans have been eating well lately… as the kids say. Heady sci-fi that challenges our thoughts and beliefs can be found in theaters and on streaming platforms, from Denis Villeneuve’s critically acclaimed sequel Dune: Part 2 and the conversations it launches on faith and vengeance, to Rebecca Ferguson’s Silo, and its examinations of societal and judicial powers. Also, Star Trek fans likely will tell you that this is a tremendous time to be a fan of the various series available in that universe. Safe to say, if you love sci-fi, there’s no shortage of options on the menu – to which we now add 3 Body Problem, an intelligent and compelling adaptation that’s coming to Netflix beginning on March 21.
The streaming giant brought 3 Body Problem to SXSW 2024 for a splashy premiere that included the first two episodes of the 8-episode season. 3 Body Problem isn’t the kind of show that’s easily spoiled. There’s far too much happening in the show to reveal everything you will experience. But I do have to talk a bit about plot points for the show’s set up, and tease what’s to come in this reaction. Basically, if you hate spoilers of any sorts, stop reading this reaction now.
Adapted from the novel by Chinese science-fiction author Liu Cixin, 3 Body Problem spans decades as it follows an investigation into the smartest members of the world’s scientific community. The source of the investigation, led by the cynical Da Shi (Benedict Wong), traces back to Mongolia in the 1960s, where astrophysicist Ye Wenjie (Rosalind Chao) is recruited for a top-secret military research project involving interstellar communication.
3 Body Problem ping-pongs between Ye Wenjie’s work on the Mongolian radar base and present day, where a group of scientists begin to see a countdown clock everywhere they look… though the clock stops ticking the moment they stop whatever experimentation they are doing. There’s an element of the story that introduces Virtual Reality, and a harrowing decision that Ye Wenjie makes at the end of episode 2 that will likely compel you to immediately plow through the remainder of the season. Though, predicting the path of 3 Body Problem will be downright impossible.
Many will try 3 Body Problem out of curiosity thanks to its creators: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the men who co-created Game of Thrones for HBO. Their track record post-Thrones has left fans anxious, first following them to a Star Wars project that flamed out, and then an HBO series titled Confederate that would have imagined an alternate reality where the South won the Civil War. Their skill set of juggling multiple characters across diverse and rich storylines serves 3 Body Problem very well, with the narrative seamlessly tracking from the past to the present, and around the globe as the plot expands. (Credit screenwriter Alexander Woo for strategically mapping out the complicated plot, while deliberately ending each episode on the placement of a new puzzle piece that couples you to skip to the next episode.)
Here, then, is my biggest suggestion for 3 Body Problem. Having had the ability to watch beyond the two episodes shown at SXSW, I can tell you that the story really picks up steam after episode 3. And that the information doled out up front is necessary for some massive payoffs. 3 Body Problem will reward your curiosity, and also your patience. It’s my sincere hope that Benioff, Weiss, and Woo are able to continue with more seasons, because the territories they explore in this material is compelling and provocative, in the most stimulating ways.
In the mood for a binge? We’ve compiled the best Netflix binge shows that you can dig into while you wait for 3 Body Problem to reach the streaming service. Make the most of your subscription, and enjoy the program.
