Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is the latest TV show that is trending. This one is adapted from the novel of the same name. It is sci-fi adaptation and had a lot of hype to live up to and it does for the most part.
The show is directed by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss & Alexander Woo and is eight episodes long. While it doesn’t compare to Game of Thrones that David Benioff & D. B. Weiss worked on previously, it also has world building and is adapted from a popular book.
My Thoughts on 3 Body Problem
I loved the direction of the show and could not stop myself from watching it. Well, at least for the first 5 episodes. The last three episodes felt more like a drama and it felt like a drag. The focus shifts from the aliens to one of the characters in the show.
Speaking of the characters, they are not that deep or interesting. They can be easily characterized in a few sentences or words. You won’t get too attached to any of them even though the show tries to make you care about them.
The most interesting characters in the TV show are the aliens. The potential for other amazing characters is there but the show never goes in-depth enough. And this is also true for the plot of the show.
We are told to care about the threat of alien invasion because we should preserve Earth for future generations. But the show doesn’t dive into the counter argument of why the aliens are indeed invading. They were invited to invite because of political unrest and deforestation. But these themes aren’t fleshed out.
That feels like a big miss because these ideas are introduced and are the reason the aliens were invited. But what irritated me the most was the love story that felt forced. Mike’s in love with Jin but he doesn’t confess to her and she now has a boyfriend. This is supposed to be an overarching plot but it often disappears and comes back.
The last three episodes focus on this plot and make you forget about the alien threat. If you don’t like cliché writing and simple plot devices, then this show will annoy you. Almost every main character takes a turn being the central focus of the plot. And when they aren’t doing that, they are often forgotten.
Conclusion
With all my complaints, I will say I enjoyed the show a lot up to episode 5. After that, it does go down in quality and becomes a drama. I wouldn’t blame you if you thought it was two different shows. Let’s hope that this problem doesn’t arise in season 2 because the potential the show has is out of this world!