3 Body Problem

At the end of March, 3 Body Problem, a new Sci-fi series, was released on Netflix. 3 Body Problem follows a group of scientists as they partner with a detective to stop an alien threat to the planet. I have been looking for a new sci-fi show for a while and this show piqued my interest. Also, the writers of the show are the same people who wrote Game of Thrones so that gave the show some promise as well.

I really liked how this show was so science-focused. It has a lot of astrophysics aspects as well as some material science parts which as an engineer, are very interesting to me. This show reminded me a lot of Isaac Asimov stories specifically the book Nemesis. It is still a fictional story but is grounded in real science so it seems quite realistic. The show also takes a unique approach to the whole alien invasion trope. Most stories have aliens attacking Earth suddenly while this show has the people know that aliens are coming. This makes the story center around the humans working to prepare for their arrival so that they can defend the Earth. It also addresses the different ways people would react showing some people in a panic, others in a drunken depression, and some in just a state of indifference. I thought all of the main characters were very likable. Benedict Wong was a lot of fun in this show as he is sort of the normal guy of the show surrounded by a bunch of scientists. Auggie, Gin, Saul, and Jack are all very likable characters and people I would like to see further in the show. The show also manages to be thrilling while not being action-based. It is very much a science-based show with a clear building to this alien invasion.

There are a few issues I take with the film. One of the biggest issues was with the human villains. They felt just a bit unnecessary and inconsequential to the overall season. They were quite prominent in the first half of the season and then were just tossed aside in the last 3 episodes. I also felt that some of the main character subplots weren't handled the best. Saul and Will in particular are pretty much treated as background characters until the plot just suddenly decides they are relevant to the story. Finally, the show doesn't deliver much of a resolution in the final episode. I understand that there are more seasons to come but I felt like the show could have at least tried to resolve so season arcs. These issues could all change as more seasons come out if I feel that the show effectively solves the issues with more time.

Overall, while it does have some flaws, this show is a very interesting sci-fi film that brings a different aspect to alien invasion stories. I hope Netflix renews it for another season as I am very interested to see where this show goes.

Score: 8/10 Grade: B+ Recommendation: Check it out