The final trailer for Netflix’s ambitious new science fiction series 3 Body problem has been released – and it looks like a mind-bending show that will demand your attention.
Cue a haunting version of Dina Washington’s song ‘This Bitter Earth’, 3 Body problemThe latest images provide a disturbing yet epic glimpse into Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Liu Cixin’s best-selling novel series. With an abundance of melodrama, inexplicable sci-fi phenomena and a chilling tonality, it has what it takes to become the latest TV hit for the world’s top streaming service.
3 Body problem‘s latest teaser follows in the footsteps of two other trailers it received ahead of the show’s March 21 launch. In November 2023, Netflix unveiled the show’s first trailer, teasing a mind-bending sci-fi series that will give you virtual reality nightmares. Two months later a new one 3 Body problem the trailer showed the multi-genre story in more detail; the images of a sci-fi epic, VR horror and mysterious thriller in one.
Okay, so what 3 Body problem almost exactly? That’s… hard to explain. Cixin’s new series is an intricate tapestry of abstract ideas, sci-fi genre, and real-life history, so it’s hard to summarize what to expect from a project that’s definitely on our list of the best Netflix shows seems to be standing.
Well, for me anyway. I could make a long summary of it 3 Body problem, but I have been known to babble on for ages when it comes to summarizing a movie or TV show I’ve seen (don’t tell anyone I’ve seen it all, though). With that in mind, I’ll leave it to Netflix to provide a more concise story overview: “A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time to this day. When the laws of physics inexplicably unraveling before their eyes, a tight-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in human history.”
David Benioff and DB Weiss, the creators of Game of Thrones‘(Got) live-action adaptation, co-created the series with Alexander Woo (Real blood). Breathing life into the ensemble cast of characters Got alumni Jon Bradley, Jonathan Pryce and Liam Cunningham, as well as Eiza Gonzalez (Ambulance), Jovan Adepo (The score), Jess Hong (Inked), Rosalind Chao (Mulan), Alex Sharp (A life), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Marlo Kelly (Challenge me), Saamer Usmani (Succession), and newcomer Zine Tseng.
Taking a bite out of Apple’s dominance of the sci-fi genre
Netflix is the world’s most popular streaming platform, but let’s be real for a moment: it doesn’t have a great back catalog of must-see sci-fi shows to call its own.
Sure, the likes of Stranger things, Dark, ManifestoAnd Sweet tooth routinely dabble in the genre, but I wouldn’t say they fit neatly into this TV category. Indeed, Stranger things is more of a supernatural horror in my eyes, while Dark, ManifestoAnd Sweet tooth are more likely to be labeled as a thriller, supernatural drama, and fantasy show respectively.
Okay, 3 Body Problem is similarly genre-bending, but there’s no denying that – visually, narratively, and thematically – it’s a science fiction project first and foremost. Netflix has cornered the market in many other genres, but its library of fantastic science fiction isn’t yet as strong as it should be.
That’s true 3 Body problem comes in. It has the budget, the visual ambition, the legendary epic and the scientific basis are a must-see science fiction series on Netflix. Perhaps more importantly than that, it also has the ability to deliver a telling blow to Apple TV Plus’ lineup of brilliant science fiction shows. Apple’s streaming platform has become many people’s go-to service for all things science fiction, with critically acclaimed and award-winning offerings such as Foundation, Silo, DisconnectionAnd For all humanityand positions it as the leader in this field of storytelling.
If Netflix wants to rein in its rival — a rarity for the streaming titan — and truly compete at the sci-fi TV table, it needs shows like 3 Body problem to not only be great, but also successful enough. I’ve picked it as one of the ten exciting TV shows to look forward to in early 2024, and I truly believe it has the ability to thrill and amaze. And Get Netflix out of the sci-fi doldrums. Be sure to contact me in the days leading up to the show’s release for my full, spoiler-free thoughts and exclusive chats with 3 Body problem‘s cast.