By Deng Feng
Recently, Netflix’s adaptation of “The Three-Body Problem” has premiered. This is the first Chinese science fiction work adapted and produced by Netflix. It is reported that Netflix has invested heavily in filming “The Three-Body Problem,” with the first season alone costing $160 million for 8 episodes. The combination of the fame of “The Three-Body Problem,” Netflix’s influence, and the massive investment in production has made the Netflix version of “The Three-Body Problem” highly anticipated.
However, based on the current reactions from audiences, the performance of the Netflix version of “The Three-Body Problem” is clearly below expectations, and in the eyes of many, it is not as good as Tencent’s version, which had a lower production cost. The Rotten Tomatoes score for the Netflix version of “The Three-Body Problem” is only 63% at the start, and its Douban rating is only 6.8. In comparison, the Tencent version released in 2023 received a Douban rating as high as 8.7. Many viewers have been debating the merits and shortcomings of the Netflix version versus the Tencent version of “The Three-Body Problem.”
There are several points of controversy, such as the portrayal of the Cultural Revolution in the Netflix version, which some people feel may have elements of smearing China. However, this is purely self-troubling, as anyone familiar with the original “The Three-Body Problem” and knowledgeable about the history of the Cultural Revolution would likely accept the depiction in the Netflix version. In this regard, Tencent’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” falls short in faithfully depicting the history of the Cultural Revolution and the scale of the original work compared to the Netflix version. However, this is mainly due to different production environments and does not fundamentally affect the overall quality of “The Three-Body Problem” series. Another point is that some people feel the Netflix version of “The Three-Body Problem” overly emphasizes political correctness, but this is not a major issue.
The biggest difference between Tencent’s version and Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” lies in the complexity and grandeur shown through their filming methods. Tencent’s version is relatively faithful to the original work, although it adds some daily life scenes to make it easier for the audience to understand, it still significantly presents the complexity of science, the profoundness of mathematics and physics, and the difficulties of uncovering the truth.
In Tencent’s version, Wang Miao, both in terms of performance style and storyline, resembles a rigorous scientist studying nanomaterials. Ye Wenjie experiences numerous major difficulties during the Cultural Revolution, deeply hurt by the human evil inspired by the Cultural Revolution, leading her to pin her hopes on extraterrestrial civilizations to save humanity. Although Tencent’s version of Shi Qiang still has some shortcomings compared to the original work, it still to some extent demonstrates the sharpness, decisiveness, cunning, and cleverness of a character with a military and police background when uncovering the truth and dealing with crises. Of course, in order to restore the complexity and grandeur of the original work and add daily life scenes, Tencent’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” uses a storyline spanning 30 episodes, but only advances the story to the guzheng action at the end of the first book, which appears somewhat dragging and lengthy.
Netflix’s version compresses the complexity of science, the profundity of mathematics and physics, and the difficulty of uncovering the truth significantly, not only lowering the audience’s understanding threshold but also advancing the story to the wall-facing project, which only appears in the second book of the original work, in just 8 episodes and includes some characters and content from the third book of the original work. The advantage of Netflix’s version is its high level of internationalization, with characters of different skin colors in the drama, a compact storyline that is easy to binge-watch. However, there are two sides to every story; when Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” excessively pursues a concise and brisk story, it weakens the complexity and grandeur that the original work should have.
The main characters of Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” include the Oxford Five, Ye Wenjie, Da Shi, and Wei De. Among them, Wei De seems to be a secret leader who can mobilize vast resources worldwide, his excessive energy is obviously unreasonable. Da Shi lacks presence compared to Tencent’s version of Shi Qiang, appearing too dull, making it difficult for viewers to understand why he can play such an important role in the series. Ye Wenjie appears somewhat stereotypical, not only does she no longer have differences with Evans, but also her resentment and revenge overshadow the complexity she should have had.
The Oxford Five is the most illogical part of Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem.” The Oxford Five includes characters from the original work, such as Wang Miao, Logic, Yun Tianming, and Cheng Xin, who are supposed to be characters from three different works, different time and space, spanning two to three hundred years, but they are concentrated among five individuals with various emotional entanglements. These five people often chat and curse, as if they are romantic partners, which greatly deviates from the image of outstanding scientists in the minds of many people. In the original work, Zhang Beihai, who is resolute, powerful, and stern, unexpectedly becomes one of the Oxford Five, lacking a strong presence.
Although scientists’ personalities are diverse and cannot be labeled with a serious tag, in the unprecedented crisis faced by humanity against the Trisolarans, it’s hard to accept that the Oxford Five, who appear so much like children playing house, are the ones to save humanity. This is the most irrational and superficially childish heroism narrative. In Hollywood movies, one can often see some discredited losers, rascals, cynics, and ignorant individuals who, by a twist of fate, can demonstrate the wisdom and morality to save the world. While such cases exist in reality and there are also masters from the grassroots, if humanity’s survival can only be resolved by individuals who spend all day “playing house,” that would be the biggest joke.
Before leaving office, Barack Obama said, “The Three-Body Problem is really imaginative and interesting. The background of the story is grand, but of course, it may also be because Congress and my work usually focus on some small things, rather than worrying about alien invasions.” Depth, complexity, and grandeur are both the strengths of the original “The Three-Body Problem” and the shortcomings of Netflix’s version. However, even so, Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” is still a meaningful work. This is because Netflix’s version of “The Three-Body Problem” represents an unprecedented export of Chinese science fiction and a rare cultural exchange under the increasingly intense ideological competition between China and the West in recent years.