When I read The Three-Body Problem about five or six years ago, I couldn’t help but draw two conclusions: the first was that it was one of the most fascinating, unsettling, and original books I had ever read. And the second was that, unfortunately, it was never going to be more than just a book. Because, being honest with myself at that time, I saw a good adaptation of the novel as impossible.
Over the years, writer Liu Cixin has continued his story with two sequels that go beyond its main premise and becomes a space intrigue thriller that, somehow, could be more adaptable to the screen. But this is not what happens, especially with the beginning of The Three-Body Problem: so much mathematics, so much physics, and so much scientific jargon is something that, to be honest, would never fit into a series.
Taking this into account, when I found out that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were going to adapt the story into a series for Netflix, I couldn’t help but fear for the outcome. How could they possibly succeed with something like this? It wasn’t just that they were the most criticized showrunners for the controversial ending of Game of Thrones, but now, to make matters worse, they were facing a much more difficult novel to adapt.
And yet, I have to eat my words. It’s not just that Netflix has managed to adapt the novel into a series that works, hooks you, and keeps you interested in seemingly boring topics like physics dilemmas. But it does so by adapting it for all audiences and turning the complexity of the book into a summer workbook math problem.
Not a series for all audiences
The Three-Body Problem has, however, one more problem, and it is the same one mentioned at the beginning. While it picks up pace from the third episode onwards and becomes a Netflix-worthy series that can hook anyone, it is very difficult for the general public to connect with its first episodes.
The series is created in such a way that anyone can understand it, and it also doesn’t dwell too much on the mathematical and physical problems that the book did take the time to explain in detail. However, it remains a complex premise that is not made for the general public, and if Netflix intends for this to become their new Stranger Things or Wednesday… they have a long way to go.
The Three-Body Problem is in the same league as science fiction series on Apple TV+. That is to say, it has an incredible narrative, high-quality production, and constantly keeps the viewer engaged. However, neither Foundation, Separation, nor Constellation can boast of having a huge audience that supports their platform… and even less so with Netflix.
The problem, therefore, is one of perspective. After Game of Thrones, Netflix would rub their hands together thinking they had a series on par. But it’s nothing like that. There are no soap operas to keep the viewer constantly engaged, and there are no dragons or brutal action scenes to keep the viewer full of adrenaline. Rather, it is a constant challenge for the viewer… and that is not good for a platform that churns out series like hotcakes.
That is why, unfortunately, I predict a bad future for The Three-Body Problem. I might be wrong and it becomes the phenomenon that everyone is waiting for, but unfortunately it seems that Netflix is going to see the viewing figures and cancel it… or at least give it fewer resources than they had for the first season. And the worst part is that it’s not Benioff and Weiss’ fault. The creators have done a titanic job of adapting something that seemed impossible, and they have undoubtedly achieved a stunning result. But as I said, it’s not a series for everyone, and this is exactly the opposite of what they did with Game of Thrones.
Of course, if the audience manages to get past the first WTF-filled episodes and connect with the series, they will find an unprecedented political thriller. I can only warn that the story is going to escalate, and from what we’ve seen, they are saving bullets for when everything goes upside down. Hopefully, we can see it in the near future… but it will all depend on Netflix, and we already know what that means.
