Netflix has a long list of adaptations of popular media under its belt and shows like “Cowboy Bebop” have had terrible receptions.

The series “3 Body Problem” has avoided some of the negative reviews, but it cannot be called a faithful adaptation. “3 Body Problem” adapts the “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” trilogy taking the name of the first book. The book series is one of my favorite stories. When I heard the series would receive a show, I was ecstatic. To my disappointment, the Netflix series takes so many creative liberties that the original plot gets lost.

The most notable changes are in the setting and the characters. The first book in the series took place almost entirely in China, which in the Netflix series is changed to London. The change affects more than the background. Many characters in the show have different names and some are entirely different characters. 

The worst character change is the main character of the first book. Wang Miao is totally erased from the story and his plot points are divided among four new characters. The role of Miao in the story, which is to explore the three-body video game, is given to two of the new characters. His most important role as the creator of the nano filament used in the story is given to another who seems to be a minor character. 

The set-up of Season 2 has another new character take the place of the main character of the second book, and the change erases the existence of the second main character. Another change to a character sees Shi Qiang, a detective who is important in the first and second books, become Clarence Shi. The change to Shi just seems unnecessary, and all the changes seem geared toward simplifying matters for English-speaking viewers.

With so many changes to the characters and setting, it is natural that the plot of “3 Body Problem” flies off course of the original book series. The new characters form a group non-existent in the books, and the drama between the new group is the focus of many scenes. I would not have considered the changes as such a powerful deterrent if the show had not scrapped important moments from the books. 

One of the most important moments in the first book is when the police raid the antagonists group meeting. In the book series, the scene evolves into a standoff with the group and detective Shi where he proves himself to be a fiercely competent detective and at the same time is inadvertently dosed with a small amount of radiation. In the show the standoff never occurs, which in my opinion leads to a lack of character development for detective Shi. The radiation Shi is exposed to also provides the reason for his appearance in the second book, and without the scene with the radiation Shi loses his original plot line for following seasons. The situation with detective Shi is not a solo incident and there are many other scenes that miss the mark or are cut entirely.

On the other hand, the show has some merits. Some scenes are executed well, notably the boat against the nano-filament. Although they were not in the books some of the new characters are very likable and provide compelling performances. The relationship between the new characters, Jack Rooney and Will Downing, is one of the best parts of the Netflix series.  

In my opinion, the show fails to live up to the excellence of the “Remembrance of Earth's Past” trilogy, but “3 Body Problem” still has its moments. I would rather have seen Miao as the focus of the season, but some new characters have compelling stories. The problem with the series seems to lie in its attempt to appeal to a wide audience instead of science fiction fans or fans of the original series.

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