The Three-Body Problem: trailer for the new Netflix scifi series.
In what could easily be mistaken for a beautifully complex April Fool’s prank, Netflix, the guys who have been playing genie to your binge-watching wishes, has pulled yet another rabbit out of its deep, dark, streaming hat. The gift this time? An adaptation of Liu Cixin’s critically acclaimed, and equally perplexing series of novels, “The Three-Body Problem.” This time the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, and that’s not even the fun part!
The star-studded affair, peppered with talents such as the bubbly Jess Hong, the unmistakably charismatic Benedict Wong, and Alex Sharp who is, well, sharp, is set to debut in January 2024. And if that isn’t enough to spark your curiosity, know that it’s being whipped up by the Game of Thrones maestros David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, alongside True Blood’s Alexander Woo. With such a pedigree, it’s likely to be the televisual equivalent of a triple chocolate sundae with extra sprinkles.
Our main man, Wang Miao, played by a yet-to-be-announced actor (here’s hoping for Danny DeVito!), is a Chinese physicist who finds himself knee-deep in a mystery as convoluted as last year’s tax returns. State intelligence, in their ever-so-subtle way, ropes him into investigating the dubious Frontiers of Science, a group responsible for an eerie streak of suicides. An alien conspiracy, it seems, is never far behind.
Then there’s Ye Wenjie, brought to life by the luminary Rosalind Chao, an astrophysicist haunted by the gruesome past of her father’s murder during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. She befriends Wang, sharing her secret work, and possibly her favorite dumpling recipe. The cherry on top? A virtual reality game that could only be the brainchild of someone on a sugar rush and a Sci-Fi movie marathon.
The virtual game, named after the series itself (how meta!), is set on an alien world where the weather is as consistent as the WiFi in your favorite coffee shop. Imagine a civilization trying to build a calendar in a world plagued by random spurts of extreme cold and heat. It’s like trying to plan a picnic in a tornado, while also figuring out quantum physics.
Our yet-to-be-named protagonist must use the scientific method to help these poor alien folks. Benedict Wong plays the intriguingly named Shi Qiang, and we’re all placing bets on whether he’s the one providing comic relief or plot twists.
Amid the chaos, we have a dizzying ensemble of talent including Saamer Usmani, Jovan Adepo, Sea Shimooka, John Bradley, Eiza González, Liam Cunningham, Marlo Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Ben Schnetzer, Eve Ridley, Jason Forbes, and Stacy Abalogun, among others. This is one party where everyone is invited, and no, you don’t need to bring a gift.
The fun began back in September 2020 when Benioff, Weiss, and Woo were handed a whopping $200 million to bring this crazy dream to life. Assembling this Avengers-esque ensemble took a bit of time, with the lovely Eiza González confirming her role in October 2021, and a further wave of big names joining in June 2022. Even the pandemic didn’t stop them – production kicked off in November 2021 with filming taking place in the United Kingdom and China.
With a plot as tangled as a headphone wire in your pocket, and a cast as dazzling as the night sky, “The Three-Body Problem” is set to make the start of 2024 a binge-worthy affair. Just remember, it’s only the end of the world. What’s the worst that could happen?
