3 Body Problem

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have faced criticism like near nothing we've ever seen before in the TV space. Why? Because the pair were at the helm when Game of Thrones was effectively fumbled and failed to round out its grand and beloved epic story with its final two seasons, regardless of the fact that they had no source material to go on since George R.R. Martin has been taking an eternity to finish the next book in the saga, and considering new reports claim that the HBO executives had baffling plans that would've made any hopes for success a challenge. Still, once Game of Thrones failed to end in a compelling and fulfilling way, Benioff and Weiss found themselves in a spot of bother, despite having the world at their feet for many years thanks to the rampant success of the series. Enter 3 Body Problem.

This sci-fi saga is based on the works by author Cixin Lui, and explores a world where humanity must prepare for an incoming alien invasion 400 years down the line. We know it's coming, we know we can beat them easily with four centuries of innovation to play with, but the aliens have come up with an ingenious method to halt our progress: turning our understanding and affinity for science against us. That's the core and very boiled down premise for 3 Body Problem, and as you can probably infer, it's not exactly an easy subject to pick up and adapt, which is why there's a lot to prove for Benioff and Weiss with this show. Can they get back on top of the television world or is 3 Body Problem saturated with the same issues that the latter seasons of Game of Thrones suffered?

While 3 Body Problem is currently only in its first of likely many seasons, it's already immediately clear that this show is of much better quality than the latter phases of GoT. The story is science-fiction at its purest and most cerebral, with terrifying elements and theories that are understandable and rooted in reality. It's not bizarre fantastical sci-fi like Star Wars or Mars Attacks, it's more akin to Cloverfield or Arrival, where the plot is coherent and plausible with thriller elements, and it's this that makes 3 Body Problem such a compelling watch.

The story is tight and brilliantly fleshed out, the dialogue helps bring to life the varied collection of characters, and the performances bring a lot to this show to boot. Benedict Wong is great as detective Da Shi, Liam Cunningham is fantastic as the stern and scene-stealing Thomas Wade, and Eiza González plays the best role of her career and proves that she has more range than the typical badass woman with a gun like we've seen her in countless projects prior. Add to this GoT veterans such as John Bradley, and a few other compelling characters as Jess Hong's Jin Cheng and Rosalind Chao's apathetic Ye Wenjie, and you get a cast that adds a lot to this series and helps build suspense and gravitas.

Surprisingly, 3 Body Problem also has some great action moments, which you probably wouldn't expect going in. There are chaotic action scenes and even harrowing moments that will make your stomach churn, both during the phases of the series in 1960s China when Mao Zedong was at the height of his power, and also in the present day, where modern science and technology is used for sinister goals. But, these moments aren't what make 3 Body Problem such a compelling watch, it's the mystery and the way that it has been structured to constantly feed the viewer with exciting and terrifying developments while also ensuring they remain just as confused and in the dark as the humans in the show. Just as you feel as though you're getting a grip on the story and figuring out how the alien threat works, they hit you with a major plot twist that affirms that you are still playing chess against an opponent that is two, three, five, ten, a hundred steps ahead of you, the exact number always remains unclear.

There's a limited use of special effects, as the majority of the show is filmed in physical sets that allow the cast to shine. The set design is always excellent, as is the costume work, and even the way the series is filmed, more so when the sci-fi thriller elements take centre stage making you feel just as insignificant and feeble as the characters in the show. Whenever special effects are used, they're generally done quite well or are designed in such a way where you are meant to distinguish them as virtual or not true reality.

But the point is, 3 Body Problem is a fantastic series and a great example of quality sci-fi television. Benioff and Weiss are clearly talented creators with an affinity for adapting literary work into TV when there is source material to lean on, which is what makes me so excited for the future of this show and the additional novels it can bring to the streamer. 3 Body Problem has quickly become one of my top sci-fi series to look forward to, clearly beating out the fumbling and struggling Halo and the quite exhausting Foundation, two other heavy-hitting sci-fi projects on competing streaming platforms.