In 3 Body Problem, the strange suicides of successful scientists hint at a large conspiracy at play that goes beyond space. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
Clarence Shi, an investigator working for a secret agency, is investigating a series of peculiar cases involving the apparent suicides of accomplished scientists across the globe.
A countdown and a helmet-looking gadget are some things that have reoccurred in this case.
When another scientist working at Oxford University Particle Accelerator kills herself, it brings together her friends and colleagues.
Clarence Shi keeps a keen eye on each one of them. Eventually, one of the scientists among them begins seeing the same countdown the other scientists did, whereas another scientist from the group comes across the helmet that transports them to another world.
Clarence and the scientists realize that they are facing something far beyond their planet when the universe strangely responds to them by blinking through the sky.
Performances
3 Body Problem is devoid of any over-the-top performances, with the cast delivering exactly what is expected from them.
Jess Hong, Eiza González, John Bradley, Jovan Adepo, and Alex Sharp play the scientists at the center of the show, giving credible and satisfying performances. Unlike in most sci-fi shows, their characters are never portrayed as too righteous or heroic.
Liam Cunningham primarily shines throughout the series as Thomas Wade, who runs an agency investigating the suicides and the phenomenon the world is witnessing.
Cunningham carries the calm demeanor of the character in the face of adversity with ease, establishing Wade as a calculative and strong lead.
Mystery surrounds the characters of Rosalind Chao, who plays Ye Wenjie, and Jonathan Pryce, who plays Mike Evans. Sadly, the show diminishes the strength of their characters halfway through the series.
Positives
3 Body Problem is a captivating drama that skillfully balances the introduction of characters and mysteries in its first episode, gradually unfolding the world viewers will experience.
The show adeptly manages a narrative that could have potentially confused viewers, deftly navigating between past and present timelines.
The series, which could possibly be the next big Netflix original, has aimed high when it comes to scale. The series has clearly not held back while creating its world.
Being a sci-fi show, several sci-fi-related stunts and phenomena in the series are bound to surprise viewers and keep them in awe.
Negatives
3 Body Problem somewhere carried a horror element at the beginning of the series, and even the trailers hinted at the same. Those elements are missing throughout the series and only appear at the end once.
These horror tones could have been used to possibly make the show and its mysteries more spooky.
By the end of the series, 3 Body Problem stops pursuing an anticipating ending and keeps treating its final episodes as if they are fillers. Hence, the ending feels a bit dissatisfying; it has a weak conclusion.
Verdict
3 Body Problem is an engrossing sci-fi drama that keeps you on the edge of your seat for the majority of its run before losing its way in the end.
Overall, the epic scale, the captivating mysteries, and the sci-fi stunts keep viewers hooked enough to have them asking for more.
3 Body Problem
Director: Derek Tsang, Andrew Stanton, Minkie Spiro, Jeremy Podeswa
Date Created: 2024-03-18 22:37
3.5
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