Summary
- Netflix’s
3 Body Problem
earns praise from sci-fi legend Stephen King for its thought-provoking, chilling storytelling and star-studded cast. - The series sits at a modest 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics pointing out flaws like a slow build-up.
- Fans hope for Netflix to renew
3 Body Problem
for multiple seasons to complete the adaptation of the
Remembrance of Earth’s Past
trilogy.
To have a series praised by audiences and critics is one thing, but for a sci-fi series to be praised by Stephen King (an icon of speculative fiction) is something else entirely. Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, a series adaptation of Liu Cixin’s science-fiction novel, has recently received such acclaim. The time-jumping series follows the fallout of one fateful decision in 1960s China, which threatens the entire world in 2024. The series was co-created by Game of Thrones showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, as well as Alexander Woo (True Blood), and features a star-studded cast (featuring some GOT ex-alumni), including, Liam Cunningham, Jovan Adepo, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Benedict Wong, Alex Sharp, Marlo Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Rosalind Chao, and John Bradley.
6 Key 3 Body Problem Book Characters Cut From the Series
Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is based on a mega-popular Chinese book series, but the showrunners had to leave some major characters out in the adaptation.
Stephen King took to his immensely popular X/Twitter account to share his thoughts about Netflix’s latest sci-fi epic, hailing it as “extraordinary.” In the post, King wrote:
“THE 3 BODY PROBLEM (Netflix): Extraordinary science fiction series–sprawling, thought-provoking, immersive. The scenes of “first contact” are chilling and awe-inspiring.”
Will 3 Body Problem Get a Second Season?
3 Body Problem
4.5/5
- Release Date
- March 21, 2024
- Cast
- Saamer Usmani with Shailene Woodley , Marlo Kelly , Jess Hong , Jovan Adepo , Rosalind Chao
- Seasons
- 1
While Stephen King thought 3 Body Problem was a hit, the series has yet to be officially renewed for a second season, and its future prospects are uncertain. Many critics and audiences agreed with King’s description, and wrote similar reviews about Netflix’s time-jumping science-fiction series. However, its critical reception was far from perfect. 3 Body Problem sits at a modest 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 84 out of 106 critics giving the show a ‘Fresh’ rating. However, even among those positive reviews, the critics did acknowledge the show’s flaws. MovieWeb’s own review pointed out how the show’s “slow build-up” drags the story out before it becomes fully exciting halfway through the season.
The series also failed to dominate Netflix’s Top 10 chart in the way the streamer had hoped. While it raced to the top spot upon release, it was quickly dethroned by Testament: The Story of Moses, a docudrama about the biblical figure. However, 3 Body Problem was still popular enough with audiences to bounce back to the No. 1 spot.
Fans are hoping that Netflix will renew the series for a second and third (and potentially a fourth) season, in order to complete the adaptation of the Remembrance of Earth’s Past book trilogy. In an interview with Collider, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss discussed how many seasons they would need to complete their version of Liu Cixin’s trilogy. The pair said:
“There are three books. The first season roughly follows the arc of the first book, and the second season would probably roughly follow the second book. The third book is massive. It’s twice as long, I think, as the other two books, so maybe that’s one season, maybe it’s two. But I think we’d need at least three, maybe four seasons to tell the whole story.”
3 Body Problem
is available to stream on Netflix.
