3 Body Problem is based on the three book series Remembrance of Earth’s Past written by Chinese former computer engineer Liu Cixin. It’s not the first time that 3 Body Problem has been adapted for the screen, with a Mandarin language television series made in 2014 – 2020 and a live action film produced in 2023. However, the current version streaming on Netflix is the only English language version with a hefty serving of Mandarin spoken.
3 Body Problem is the first title of the trilogy and named after the Isaac Newton’s seemingly unsolvable physics problem involving his laws of motion and universal gravitation. For the scientifically curious, two bodies, such as a planet and a star, predictably orbit each other based on their centre of mass, positions, speed and gravitational forces. If a third body is introduced, the other two bodies are attracted to each other, but their movement path becomes unpredictable.
For the literary-minded, this physical concept becomes a metaphor – possibly for humanity, earth, and the universe.
Helmed by David Benioff, D.B. Weiss (best known for their work on Game Of Thrones) and Alexander Woo (True Blood) went back to the novels to consider their approach to 3 Body Problem. They shared their thoughts on this ambitious project.
D. B. Weiss, Alexander Woo & David Benioff. Photo by Austin Hargrave/ Netflix
The Nature Of Truth
On first glance, 3 Body Problem presents as a collision of fates when three scientists establish extra-terrestrial communication with aliens during the Cold War in the 1960s.
Upon further inspection, it’s about truth versus narrative and what people will believe
“The opening scenes of the series mean the most to me, because my family lived through that and didn’t talk about it much,” recalls Alexander Woo. “There was a great responsibility if we were going to distill this decade-long, nationally seismic event down to five minutes, to get it right.” Woo’s mother watched this scene and confirmed that’s what really happened in her homeland.
“This is a scene about erasing the truth,” says D.B. Weiss. It’s set in a Beijing university. “We know that what Ye’s father is talking about, the Big Bang Theory. We know that’s true, and it’s being effaced. And the person who is speaking that truth is being erased.” The idea of the existence of a god cannot be either scientifically confirmed or denied.
“So putting that idea in front of people, the idea of our ability to deceive– not just to deceive one person with a lie, but to deceive millions of people with the big lie that isn’t convenient,” he continues.
Wenjie Ye (Rosalind Chao) witnesses her astrophysicist’s father’s death for daring to challenge the party line during China’s Cultural Revolution. He refuses to lie and opts for death.
“He says there’s no evidence that God exists. But when he says that line, he knows that he’s signing his death sentence. And he says it anyway, because to him, the truth is that important,” adds David Benioff.
Will Downing (Alex Sharp) & Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) Photo courtesy of Netflix
Ye shares her father’s DNA and refuses to sign a false confession that would brand her an enemy of the state. All this leads her to a place where she summons San-Ti, the ancient civilization to conquer the planet because humanity is in danger of destroying itself. However, it will take them hundreds of years to arrive.
3 Body Problem is a science fiction story about an alien invasion. “It has to start in a very grounded place that was essential to us,” continues Benioff. The groundedness attracted the writers because it avoided the typical brawny muscular sci fi tropes audiences are used to seeing.
“You don’t really get into science fiction elements until you’re fairly deep into the series. There’s a danger that you might lose audience members who are looking for laser guns and flying saucers right out of the gate. But that’s not what this show is. And in that sense, we had to be true to the spirit of the books, even though there are a lot of changes in the adaptation,” he elaborates.
The books and limited series are based on the struggle sessions that happened in China. They’re a fictionalized version of true events. So, it was essential to capture the full gamut of Ye’s emotions to encourage the audience to empathize with her. As the story progresses, she invites San-Ti to conquer earth because she fears for humanity’s future. She’s frustrated and desperate to call for such a drastic measure. Humanity requires a reset.
When the aliens arrive, their motivations become clear. Are they friends or foes? They’re refugees who won’t survive their home planet if they don’t escape to earth. They not only escape their uninhabitable planet, but they want to annihilate the human race.
Balancing The Tone
Most of 3 Body Problem is serious, so moments of levity are required to break that momentum. The lighter tone captures a blend of many emotions. It also keeps the audience engaged. It doesn’t detract from the drama; it enhances it.
Jack Rooney (John Bradley) is a gamer and Jin Cheng (Jess Hong) is a workaholic. They both engage in banter as they go back and forth on various projects. This is a similar dynamic of the entire Oxford Five.
Jack Ronney (John Bradley) as Jack Rooney & Saul Durand (Jovan Adepo) Photo courtesy of Netflix
3 Body Problem doesn’t progress as a typical aliens versus humans story. Da Shi (Benedict Wong) investigates the death of three scientists. His mantra is, “I can void diplomats and my occupation as well as the kind of terrorist.” There’s a sense of sacrifice for the greater good.
Liam Cunningham (Thomas Wade) is driven by what the audience doesn’t see. His only mission is to advance and transmit information.
“I think they’re both capable of being ruthless when the situation requires it. There’s no doubt that Da Shi has more empathy for people than Liam seems to. But he’s also willing to recruit Eiza González (Auggie Salazar) for a mission leading to the death of a thousand people, some of whom are yelling in innocence,” notes Benioff.
Writing Process
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss started as novelists before writing screenplays.
Alexander Woo began his writing career as a playwright, so, no matter how vast the spectacle of 3 Body Problem, the characters were always going to come first. That was the only way non-traditional science fiction and fantasy fans would come onboard.
“The novels took science fiction and merged heavy, practical science with wildly imaginative spectacle,” notes Benioff. “We want to do justice to the books and create a show that makes people feel the way the books made us feel.”
Young Ye Wenjie (Zine Tseng) Photo by Ed Miller/ Netflix
The trio knew there was going to be tinkering during the adaptation process. So long as the spirit of the novels remained intact, the limited series was going to land. The key changes involved chronological shifts, character tweaks, expansions, additions, and setting the present day story primarily in Oxford. All this was done with consultation with author Liu Cixin.
Characters were pulled from the second and third novels to elevate the emotional engagement in Season 1 of the show.
The story was always about humans and how they react to extreme circumstances. Narratively, 3 Body Problem examines our response to threat and need for survival. An epic story indeed with a sense of urgency and treachery. Five college scientists must come together to find out who’s behind the threat and how to stop it.
Benioff, Weiss and Woo began the process with a comprehensive outline while retaining the genre tropes of a looming threat.
The measured flashbacks, which always returned to modern-day Oxford, skewed the science fiction genre into history and mystery to ground the super-fantastical elements.
All this leads to a solution to the seemingly unsolvable 3 Body Problem. Is it real or unreal? Or is it a virtual reality game?
