Three-Body (三体)

Synopsis

Three-Body (2023) is a Chinese sci-fi drama adapted from Liu Cixin's novel. Starring Zhang Luyi and Yu Hewei. Follows scientists investigating bizarre suicides linked to an alien civilization. Douban 8.7.

Overview

Three-Body (Chinese: 三体) is a 2023 Chinese science fiction television series adapted from the novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (the first book of the "Remembrance of Earth's Past" trilogy). Directed by Yang Lei, with screenplay by Tian Liangliang, and starring Zhang Luyi, Yu Hewei, Chen Jin, Wang Ziwen, Lin Yongjian, and Li Xiaoran in leading roles, with Wang Chuanjun, Zhang Fan, and Bai Ke in special appearances.

The series premiered on CCTV-8 on January 15, 2023, with simultaneous streaming on Tencent Video and Migu Video. The series consists of 30 episodes (later re-edited into a 26-episode "Anniversary Edition" in March 2024). It has a Douban rating of 8.7 out of 10.

The story follows nanomaterials scientist Wang Miao and detective Shi Qiang as they investigate a series of bizarre suicides in the scientific community, gradually uncovering a mysterious organization connected to an extraterrestrial civilization known as "Trisolaris."

Plot Synopsis

In 2007, Wang Miao, one of China's leading nanomaterials experts, is enlisted by counterterrorism detective Shi Qiang to investigate a series of mysterious suicides in the scientific community. During their investigation, they encounter a secretive organization called "The Frontiers of Science" and discover a connection between a popular video game and the fate of humanity.

The narrative also traces back to the Cultural Revolution era, when astrophysicist Ye Wenjie, working at the Red Coast Base, transmitted a signal into space that was received by the Trisolaran civilization 4 light-years away — setting in motion events that would alter the course of human history.

The Trisolaran home system has three suns whose erratic orbits plunge their world into chaos and destruction. The Trisolarans decide to invade Earth, while members of the Trisolaran organization on Earth split into two factions: the "Adventists" (who hope the Trisolarans will arrive and destroy humanity) and the "Redemptionists" (who hope the Trisolarans will save humanity).

Cast

Series Information

Production Background

Tencent obtained the rights to the novels in 2008, but substantial work on a live-action Chinese adaptation began in 2015 with The Three-Body Problem film by YooZoo Film. That film was shot over 5 months but was never released. In September 2020, YooZoo Film struck a deal with Netflix to produce their own adaptation (helmed by Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss). Meanwhile, the script for the Tencent adaptation had already been in development for four years.

Filming for the series began in July 2020 and lasted 126 days. The Beijing Electron–Positron Collider II doubled for the particle accelerator scenes in the series.

On February 10, 2024, NBC released the complete 30-episode English-subtitled version on its Peacock streaming platform. The series is also available on Amazon Prime in the US and UK.

Cultural Impact

Three-Body received wide acclaim in China:

• Critical Reception: Douban rating of 8.7; viewers praised the overall production quality, faithfulness to the source material, and casting
• International Distribution: Premiered on New York PBS affiliate WNET (December 2023), later available on Peacock and Amazon Prime
• Sci-Fi Breakthrough: The series is considered a major breakthrough for Chinese science fiction television, paving the way for future sci-fi productions
• Source Material Promotion: The popularity of the series further promoted Liu Cixin's novels globally

References

1. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-Body_(TV_series)
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/三体/18739806
3. Douban: https://movie.douban.com/subject/26647087/
4. PA-NDAily: https://www.pandaily.com