Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Alex Sharp, Ben Schnetzer, Benedict Wong, Eiza González, Jess Hong, John Bradley, Jonathan Pryce, Jovan Adepo, Liam Cunningham, Marlo Kelly, Rosalind Chao, Saamer Usmani, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng
It wasn’t until recently that Chinese science fiction has become popular, as plenty of the stories can now take flight through non-traditional internet channels and the translation work of Asian Americans like Ken Liu. 3 Body Problem by Liu Cixin is one of those translations, and with the Game of Thrones showrunners along with Alexander Woo, Netflix has created their own take on the ambitious, innovative sci-fi novel. It doesn’t quite match up, but the show is able to take the novel’s unique blend of abstract theoretical physics with intriguing mystery and meditations on how scientific exploration is driven and stopped by religion and politics. The multiple storylines and times that can get confusing, but ultimately, the show is still able to sustain its tension through great world building and intimate drama. With the source material fully completed, we’re hoping that the showrunners don't run into the same snafus that plagued Game of Thrones’ ending, but so far, Netflix’s take on the 3 Body Problem is a decent introduction to Liu’s sci-fi masterpiece.