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Bulletzen72
Member
The VR headsets do not stay that long. Just long enough to convey to the viewer what the actual 3 body problem is and what the consequences of it actually means to everyone. More interesting things happen afterwards.
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Hardensoul
Member
Episode 4 ok really hooked and then holy fuck episode 5!! 3 more to go for me!
Grildon Tundy
Member
If I wasn't already going to watch it, this sealed the deal.
kittoo
Cretinously credulous
So did the book, as surprising as it was for me when reading it (given that it was Chinese writer).
Sentenza
Member
I've read plenty of chinese commenters noting that it's actually quite safe to criticize that historic period even in China.
The predominant sentiment today is that a lot of the extremism of that particular transition wasn't exactly the best way to handle things.
Fun fact: even the current Chinese leader had his entire family persecuted during the cultural revolution. He had to start from the bottom of the ladder and climb his way up to political relevance.
EDIT - Another fun fact: what's happening today in a lot of American colleges (and not just there) mirrors dangerously close the attitude a lot of Chinese students had during the cultural revolution.
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Hardensoul
Member
The recent Tencent adaptation left that out.
Sentenza
Member
No, it didn't?
I know because i watched that too.
It just made the scene a bit less "hamfisted" in its presentation.
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Hardensoul
Member
Ok I miss understood the changes. I’m starting the Chinese version and didn’t see it.
I just know that both western adaptions have the cultural revolution scenes are in the beginning.
DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
I'm on the first episode... The first 5 mins hooked me!
Holy shit this is good...if not great! It's been a hot minute since I've read the books but they are hitting every highlightvi can recall. It looks fantastic and everyone is holding their own. I'm totally in love with Jin/Copernicus. Crazy eye girl is luscious as well.
I'm fascinated by all the smoking. Haven't seen a "here is a light" scene, much less TWO, in years.
They MUST keep going, based on ep3 so far they are doing the lords work on this and I want it ALL!!!!!
I'm fascinated by all the smoking. Haven't seen a "here is a light" scene, much less TWO, in years.
They MUST keep going, based on ep3 so far they are doing the lords work on this and I want it ALL!!!!!
Hardensoul
Member
They need to commit to doing all 3 books because I’m hooked
Heard they already started on season 2? But like any Netflix show, if it isn’t drawing viewers!
Sentenza
Member
After binging the entire season yesterday (minus the last episode today) I had to wrestle a bit with my feelings to decide if I liked this one or the Chinese version made by Tencent the most.
All things considered, I think it's the latter.
The Netflix version has a clear edge when it comes to budget, production value, visual effects, etc... And to their credit they kept a brisk pace to the point that in barely 8 episodes they are already somewhat past the first book.
But In almost every other possible sense I liked the Chinese version more. The characters, the actors' performances, the dialogues (I find almost anyone except Wade in the Netflix version to be insufferable and too focused in persona shit I don't care about) and being more faithful to the source material, more in general.
P.S. For the people unaware of it, the amount of race/gender/nationality swap in the series is so extensive that it becomes almost a bogus point trying to keep track of who's supposed to be who compared to the books.
The entire cast is basically a gallery of new characters replacing the originals and overlapping only on some plot-related elements.
All things considered, I think it's the latter.
The Netflix version has a clear edge when it comes to budget, production value, visual effects, etc... And to their credit they kept a brisk pace to the point that in barely 8 episodes they are already somewhat past the first book.
But In almost every other possible sense I liked the Chinese version more. The characters, the actors' performances, the dialogues (I find almost anyone except Wade in the Netflix version to be insufferable and too focused in persona shit I don't care about) and being more faithful to the source material, more in general.
P.S. For the people unaware of it, the amount of race/gender/nationality swap in the series is so extensive that it becomes almost a bogus point trying to keep track of who's supposed to be who compared to the books.
The entire cast is basically a gallery of new characters replacing the originals and overlapping only on some plot-related elements.
Grildon Tundy
Member
That opening scene is like something out of a nightmare. Anyone know how accurate it is to what actually happened?
Hardensoul
Member
From what I read the Cultural revolution struggle sessions are accurate.
But seeing it depicted on screen, is a tough watch. Had me also questioning that something this horrible actually happened.
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
Watched the entire season over the weekend. It was good. As a science nerd I have some technical nitpicks with the plot and some of the writing, but overall enjoyed it a lot. There are enough profound scifi ideas in here to keep my mind busy even when certain other parts don't make as much sense, and there is a wealth of meaningful social commentary too.
Ikutachi
Member
3 Point Problem.3/5
3 Body Problem Season 1 Review - This Isn't the Next Game Of Thrones
3 Body Problem Season 1 Review - The creators deliver a larger-than-life series without a coherent script to keep you invested.readysteadycut.com
Grildon Tundy
Member
I'm on episode 3. It combines so many ideas I like to see in sci-fi (hard-ish science, aliens, neural link VR), so I'm wondering if those middling reviews are from people not inherently interested in those things because it's undeniably well-made. And unlike Lost, I feel like they have answers to the mysteries they're setting up, so I'm all for it.
It's got me so onboard that I actually find myself laughing at Samwell Tarly's comic relief. Also, the actress that plays Auggie is beautiful--very important to note.
It's got me so onboard that I actually find myself laughing at Samwell Tarly's comic relief. Also, the actress that plays Auggie is beautiful--very important to note.
StueyDuck
Member
So I've just started it and good lord it's full of all the Netflixisms one expects.
I mean we are at Oxford and there's no white scientists
. Except the the cuckold and the loser who makes chips.
There's a correction from "he" to "she" about a neurologist
.
All the embarrassing people in the bar are white people who are dumb apparently
Does it continue like this throughout or is it just Netflix from start to end
I mean we are at Oxford and there's no white scientists
. Except the the cuckold and the loser who makes chips.There's a correction from "he" to "she" about a neurologist
. All the embarrassing people in the bar are white people who are dumb apparently
Does it continue like this throughout or is it just Netflix from start to end
Just roll with it. In this case I think the casting is a fairly acceptable compromise from the source which would be almost all chinese. Just be glad all the girls are hot and there are no danger hairs. Everyone acts fairly smart. For such a complicated set-up I think they are doing well, though I think a lot of reviewers, unfamiliar with the books, would have benefitted from a VERY basic "here is the plot" bit of exposition. The time jumps and array of characters, most just referred to by name, makes this a tough show to follow at times.So I've just started it and good lord it's full of all the Netflixisms one expects.
I mean we are at Oxford and there's no white scientists
There's a correction from "he" to "she" about a neurologist
All the embarrassing people in the bar are white people who are dumb apparently
Does it continue like this throughout or is it just Netflix from start to end
DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
Episode 5 was AMAZING!
StueyDuck
Member
Yeah I watched ep 2 and the netflixisms disappeared.
But fuck you know Netflix forced that shit like they always do. Its why i basically dont watch much on netflix anymore. We all remember that episode of stranger things
The "he" "she" line about the neurologist was so stupidly on the nose I cringed hard, I gotta be honest I almost noped out.
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DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
Will is my favorite character in the show by far
Grildon Tundy
Member
I can see where you're coming from. Here are other possible perspectives/additional context:So I've just started it and good lord it's full of all the Netflixisms one expects.
I mean we are at Oxford and there's no white scientists
There's a correction from "he" to "she" about a neurologist
All the embarrassing people in the bar are white people who are dumb apparently
Does it continue like this throughout or is it just Netflix from start to end
The cuck becomes very sympathetic later on. The loser who makes chips is a millionaire. One of our protagonists assumed the neurologist was "he" instead of "she", which is ironic because earlier she implicitly told that guy hitting on her at the bar to sod off by saying what she did for a living. The embarrassing people at the bar are shown to be having way more fun than our protagonists, who come off like literal buzzkills.
Yeah, the "talk like we are really smart to the barfly doofus" is pretty sexist trope that really just highlights why these ladies are fundamentally kinda unhappy. Even Jin with her Bondlike Naval boyfriend doesn't seem to be in a great place, much less carbon tube lady who gets pissed the black guy sleeps with other women.
Grildon Tundy
Member
Just finished episode 5. This is some good sci-fi. Hell yeah.
Rocinante618
Member
Whole show is most of the first book and weirdly ~80-100 pages of the third.
Adaption is pretty mediocre for me, they have dumbed down the science and poorly cast the leads (the whole 5-people from Oxford is not in the books, Auggie isn't a model rather an intelligent 30-40 year old billionaire, etc). Boring "pretty" for the masses. Writing is very teen-like - academics do not talk about science like those (teen dialogue) experts. Maybe I set my exceptions too high, I thought this would like Dark, Stranger Things. It's not even a competition.
That being said, I enjoyed Episode 5.
I do recommend the books but with a caveat: the English translation isn't that great and the story picks up momentum after ~80% of the first book. If you can overcome the excruciatingly bore of a start, you'll find it very compelling to read the rest. The third book especially is such a thrill ride.
FullMetalx117
Member
Thought it was excellent! Bring on season 2
Finished it and never read any of the books beforehand so this is all new to me.
Overall I liked the Asian characters, Ser Davos, and Amanda Waller but found the other scientists from the gang of 5 to be dumb and self-centred. It makes me wonder if the novels actually had these characters the way they are of if this is something the producers added to cater to Western audiences.
Also, a Chinese General is going to be as much an expert in winning battles and settling conflicts peacefully as much as a Russian one would. That’s just pure propaganda there.
What I really liked most was setting up an interesting and existential challenge for humanity to overcome. A really good puzzle for the mind to chew on.
Overall I liked the Asian characters, Ser Davos, and Amanda Waller but found the other scientists from the gang of 5 to be dumb and self-centred. It makes me wonder if the novels actually had these characters the way they are of if this is something the producers added to cater to Western audiences.
Also, a Chinese General is going to be as much an expert in winning battles and settling conflicts peacefully as much as a Russian one would. That’s just pure propaganda there.
What I really liked most was setting up an interesting and existential challenge for humanity to overcome. A really good puzzle for the mind to chew on.
DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
The time jumps are important to the story. They stop after episode 4.
Chittagong
Gold Member
I am trying to finish book three this week before diving in. The second half of book two was insanely good, kept me glued page after page.
What A Shame...
Banned
I've only seen the first episode so far. If it weren't for my love of the books I wouldn't bother continuing.
The majority of scenes in London felt awkward... almost like a student project with a decent budget behind it. I was much more engaged with the Cultural Revolution stuff, maybe because the language barrier masks any bad acting. And were they using StageCraft for that opening scene? The background looked horrid.
Given the mixed reception online I won't be surprised if we never see a Season 2.
The majority of scenes in London felt awkward... almost like a student project with a decent budget behind it. I was much more engaged with the Cultural Revolution stuff, maybe because the language barrier masks any bad acting. And were they using StageCraft for that opening scene? The background looked horrid.
Given the mixed reception online I won't be surprised if we never see a Season 2.
Judging plots for episodes, they introduce
wallbreakers
StueyDuck
Member
I agree with what you are saying...
But that's just because adding these sorts of things are usually done by bad writers and end up being hypocritical as you point out.
I just know the intent wasn't that and the intent was to reach "modern audiences"... I just know the green haired Jabba the hut who rolled on set that one day as the Netflix liaison or whatever they are considered to be would've pushed those moments and lines thinking they are literal moments of genius.
Luckily it seems the creators manage to get the whale off set for the rest of the show. Although I have yet to finish it so I can't say for sure, but there's nothing more like it so far, just that first episode had "modern" writing galore
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Lukaku's First Touch
Member
Watched first episode and I'm very intrigued.
Sentenza
Member
God, that line was so ridiculous.There's a correction from "he" to "she" about a neurologist
"I've seen my neurologist"
"What did he say?"
Auggie in an alarmed tone "What did SHE say!"
Her friend "Oh GOD I'M SORRY" said with all the guilt of someone who just accidentally insulted your dead parents.
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Yeah, that lone did stand out. I can only imagine it was a legacy of an earlier draft where auggie was more dismissed because she's a woman or maybe there was an extended but where she went to several doctors and only the female one took her seriously. So reason for her to be so sharp about it.
But as it stands, it's a bizarre reaction for sure. Still, after the first ep there is really very little of it, other than maybe "Ally" being the boyfriend of the cops son, they lean into that line a bit hard as well juuuust to make sure the audience heard it
Never read the books, finished the Netflix series yesterday. It’s a mixed bag for me. Episodes of enthrallment and genius, mixed with some dialogue heavy episodes that I fell asleep to 
Overall a very interesting high sci fi story that makes me want to watch more, but it definitely has some boring low points. The former GOT actors, especially that guy that played Ser Davos, were fantastic. If you can make it to episode 3, it’s worth the pay off of watching the full thing. Episode 5 with the boat was my favorite and the best episode by far.
Overall a very interesting high sci fi story that makes me want to watch more, but it definitely has some boring low points. The former GOT actors, especially that guy that played Ser Davos, were fantastic. If you can make it to episode 3, it’s worth the pay off of watching the full thing. Episode 5 with the boat was my favorite and the best episode by far.
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