3 Body Problem review: A bold swing and a big win for Netflix
A flawlessly executed high production sci-fi, with all the heart, mystery and thrill you could ever want.
Adapting Three Body Problem, the weird, dense, groundbreaking novel from Cixin Liu, was always going to be an unwieldy task. Adapting it well should have been impossible. Not for David Benioff, DB Weiss and Alexander Woo.
All eyes are on the Game of Thrones creators after that notorious finale, which genuinely saw many lose faith in the writing duo. But this time, leave your preconceptions at the door as you enter the world of Netflix's 3 Body Problem.
The epic sci-fi follows a group of five scientists – Jin (Jess Hong), Auggie (Eiza González), Saul (Jovan Adepo), Will (Alex Sharp) and Jack (John Bradley), who are forced to team up with a no-nonsense detective (Benedict Wong) when the world around them swiftly stops making sense. They're faced with an unknowable threat and it's down to them to save humanity.
By changing certain parts while keeping true to the essence of the novel, Benioff, Weiss and Woo have flawlessly executed a high-production value sci-fi with all the heart, danger, thrill, and mystery you could ever want. Nothing is played safe, and no one is indispensable in the captivating and brutal new series.
The cast is pitch-perfect. As the glue that holds the ensemble together, Hong seamlessly straddles emotional high points and deadpan comedy. Wong, previously somewhat wasted in the MCU, gives one of his best ever performances as Da Shi, the grouchy and intelligent detective determined to find out what exactly is going on.
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Bradley, so far best known as Samwell Tarly in Game of Thrones, shows off his gift for comedy, providing unexpectedly hilarious moments.
In fact, there are too many brilliant performances to mention – Liam Cunningham gives a steadfast portrayal of Thomas Wade; Sir Jonathan Pryce is chilling as Mike Evans; Marlo Kelly is unhinged as Tatiana. It's a perfect ensemble, with each cast member getting their shining moment.
The pacing is glorious, gradually building up the fear and mystery without falling into the trap of sagging in the middle, with Benioff, Weiss and Woo taking key elements from across the books and beautifully piecing them together to create a series that stands on its own. While reading the book will give you a greater sense of appreciation of exactly what the creators have done to achieve the series, it's by no means necessary to enjoy it – an essential skill of TV storytelling that is too often neglected.
But, by far, the most impressive and enjoyable element of 3 Body Problem is its refusal to shy away from the weirdest and most abstract parts of its story. Benioff previously told GQ: "There are certain things that Liu describes in the books, that I still don’t know how we’re going to shoot. I don’t know what we’d be looking at on screen.” That's no exaggeration – the visuals Benioff, Weiss and Woo had to pull off are slightly unimaginable, but once again, they've done it.
Then there's the actual 3 Body Problem game – one of the most iconic elements of the book. While we've seen glimpses in the trailer, there's not much that can prepare you for seeing it on screen.
3 Body Problem soars in every aspect. Visually? It's beautiful. Story-wise? Completely gripping? Cast-wise? Pitch perfect. Pacing? Flawless. It's an absolute masterclass from Benioff, Weiss and Woo in the type of sci-fi we need right now – bold, unflinching, creative, imaginative and completely unique.
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As for Netflix, it's a surprising swing from them. 3 Body Problem is the type of risk we haven't come to know from the streaming giant in recent times but it's incredibly welcome. It'll take a few more wins like this for the streamer to rival its peers in terms of quality sci-fi (Apple TV+ is currently winning) but it's a very, very good start. Fingers crossed, if 3 Body Problem generates the kind of success it deserves, Netflix will take more big swings with its sci-fi – which can only be a good thing.
Of course, Benioff and Weiss have previous. We're all a little scarred from a certain season finale. So, crucially, does 3 Body Problem nail the ending? Without spoiling anything, you have nothing to worry about.
3 Body Problem will be released on Netflix on Thursday 21st March. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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