Netflix’s Expanse Replacement Deserves Kudos For Respecting Viewers’ Intelligence

The Expanse has etched its own legacy in the sci-fi genre. Owing to this, not too many sci-fi shows even manage to come close to matching its ambition and scope. However, one acclaimed sci-fi show on Netflix seems to hold immense potential after one season and could eventually become The Expanse's perfect rival. Like The Expanse, the show deserves immense praise for respecting the intelligence of its viewers.

Based on Cixin Liu's Remembrance of Earth's Past book series, Netflix's 3 Body Problem has been created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss of the Game of Thrones fame along with Alexander Woo. Like most adaptations, the Netflix sci-fi show, too, takes some creative liberties to ensure it fits its source material's vision into its limited runtime.

However, as 3 Body Problem season 1's positive reception suggests, the series never tries to diminish the original books' vision. Instead, it holds on to the high-concept sci-fi ideas captured in the Cixin Liu novels while adding some of its own original lore to the source material's story. 3 Body Problem has also been renewed for two more seasons on Netflix, which guarantees it will reach its natural conclusion.

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem Embraces Its Source Material’s High-Concept Sci-Fi Ideas

Many mainstream sci-fi adaptations try to oversimplify the plots of their high-concept source material. They often strip away the theoretical physics and philosophical nuances that made their original books appealing in the first place. If Netflix's 3 Body Problem had taken the same approach, it would have seriously harmed the entire franchise.

Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem almost reads like a theoretical physics paper layered with cosmic thriller elements. It features many high-concept ideas surrounding quantum entanglement, dimensional subatomic engineering (the Sophons), and the sociological axioms of the cosmos. Its very title has been drawn from a real concept from classical physics.

The Netflix sci-fi show fully embraces its source material's vision and respects viewers' capacity to sit with confusion, wonder, and complex theoretical frameworks. While it does compress some aspects of the book to be able to fit it into its 8-episode runtime, it ensures that it lays a solid foundation for future seasons to cover the scope of their ambitious ideas.

For instance, from its early moments, the Netflix series establishes everything from the San-Ti communication breakdown to the looming shadow of the Dark Forest theory. These early narrative seeds are bound to get compelling payoffs in future installments as the show delves deeper into the book trilogy's story.

3 Body Problem’s Ambitious Approach Ensures It Will Get Better In Seasons 2 & 3

Netflix is making some big bets on 3 Body Problem and has renewed the show for two more seasons after the opening installment. In three seasons, the sci-fi adaptation has to wrap its run, which can prove to be a problem because of the source material's vast storytelling scope. However, it is hard not to have faith in David Benioff and D. B. Weiss' ability to adapt existing source material after Game of Thrones.

In the original book series, the first novel, The Three-Body Problem, is more of a thriller built around a few core mysteries surrounding the disappearances of scientists. Book 2, however, turns into a chessboard with political and psychological elements.

In the third book, which will likely be adapted by season 3, the story stretches across centuries, pushing theoretical physics to cosmic and existential extremes. If the Netflix sci-fi show closely adapts its source material even in upcoming seasons, it will only get better with each new installment like The Expanse.

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  The Expanse

  

  10/10

  Release Date 2015 - 2022-00-00

  Network SyFy, Prime Video

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    Dominique Tipper

    Naomi Nagata