[SXSW 2024] 3 BODY PROBLEM -- Epic Sci-Fi Series Is Flawed but Impressively Ambitious

Review by Sean Boelman

(L to R) Yang Hewen as Bai Mulin, Zine Tseng as Young Ye Wenjie in episode 101 of 3 Body Problem. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023

Some shows are so epic that it’s easy to forgive many of their flaws. Created by Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, along with Alexander Woo, 3 Body Problem is perhaps one of the most ambitious series in recent memory. With incredibly memorable production values and provocative themes, this series will surely be one of the biggest new series in Netflix’s history.

Adapted from the novel initially published in Chinese but soon translated into a plethora of other languages, 3 Body Problem follows a group of scientists who must team up to fight one of the most mysterious, dangerous threats in humanity's history. Although it can be hard to keep up with the show’s many moving pieces, one thing is evident: every single piece of this show is unified under a clear artistic vision.

The series deals with some surprisingly weighty themes, using its sci-fi premise to dive into a stunningly deep exploration of the ethics of warfare. These themes become particularly pronounced as the series goes on and the conflict escalates. While the writing is hardly subtle, it’s at least provocative and often uses the tool of shock effectively to challenge the viewer.

In fact, the writers try to explore so many ideas that the series sometimes feels overstuffed. Thankfully, the book upon which the show is based is the first in a trilogy, so we can only hope that the show will get at least another season to expand upon these ideas. However, the mystery unfolds in ways that are constantly gripping.

(L to R) Eiza González as Auggie Salazar, Jess Hong as Jin Cheng, Saamer Usmani as Raj Varma, Jovan Adepo as Saul Durand, Alex Sharp as Will Downing, John Bradley as Jack Rooney in episode 101 of 3 Body Problem. Credit: Ed Miller/Netflix © 2023.

The scale of the show is incredible, delivering one of the most exhilarating sci-fi experiences in recent memory. One scene in the middle of the season is so impressively constructed with expert pacing, CGI, and performances that you will not soon forget it. However, the visuals are pretty strong across the board.

Surprisingly, for a show with so many characters, 3 Body Problem manages to get us equally invested in all of its storylines. Some characters are, perhaps expectedly, more interesting than others; however, Although characters often drop out of the story for episodes at a time, each gets their due by the conclusion of the eight-episode arc.

The cast is also nothing short of incredible. The A-list stars — Benedict Wong, Eiza González, and Jonathan Pryce — are all solid. That being said, they are outshone by others in the cast working on an entirely different level. Liam Cunningham is probably the biggest highlight of the ensemble, with an utterly gripping performance. Other strong players include Alex Sharp and John Bradley. The only person in the cast who feels underused is Jovan Adepo. 

3 Body Problem is an incredibly ambitious series with a level of production value virtually unparalleled in the sci-fi genre of television. While it bites off more than it can chew at times, it’s consistently engaging, and there’s a lot of room to explore more of these themes and ideas in hopeful future seasons.

3 Body Problem is screening at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which runs March 8-16 in Austin, TX.

​Rating: 4.5/5