2024’s Most Exciting Sci-Fi TV Show Will Be Complicated For Game Of Thrones Fans
Netflix’s 3 Body Problem looks like it could be the next best sci-fi series, but Game of Thrones fans might have a hard time getting on board.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’ Netflix series, 3 Body Problem, will begin streaming in 2024, but Game of Thrones fans will likely be critical of the new project. The creators of the massively popular HBO series have become villains in the eyes of society since the approval rating of Game of Thrones took a nose dive after its season 8 ending. The writing duo’s new science fiction series could turn all this around, allowing their old fans to finally forgive the disappointing end they gave the likes of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen—but 3 Body Problem may not be enough to wash away that sour aftertaste.
Based on the novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, Weiss and Benioff’s new sci-fi TV show (created alongside True Blood’s Alexander Woo) will tell a non-linear story spanning several centuries leading to an alien invasion. Suspense will be the name of the given, as 3 Body Problem will dive into the cultural complexities of impending doom. As a book-to-screen adaptation, this Netflix series should be right up Benioff and Weiss’ alley, which is likely why the pair didn’t scrap this project like they did their Star Wars plans. In truth, the trailer for 3 Body Problem looks pretty excellent, so it might just be enough.
David Benioff & D.B. Weiss’ 3 Body Problem Looks & Sounds Great So Far
Though Game of Thrones fans might be reluctant to admit it, 3 Body Problem’s trailers look great. The series seems to be a science fiction lover’s dream, with elements of virtual reality, political strife, and the mysteries of ancient history coming together to form a story with just as much potential as Game of Thrones. Though the Netflix series isn’t set to begin streaming until March 21, 2024, the trailers released so far are highly polished and visually stunning, which is saying a lot since many recent fantasy or sci-fi series’ trailers have been criticized for watching unfinished.
The story itself is deeply intriguing as well. In the novel The Three-Body Problem, “Three-Body” refers to a virtual reality game that transports players to highly realistic recreations of the past. This futuristic technology is teased in 3 Body Problem’s trailer, where the character played by John Bradley (who played Sam in Game of Thrones) puts on the metallic headgear for the first time. The world he finds himself in looks painfully real, foreshadowing the adventures and misfortunes that the characters of Benioff and Wiess’ new series have come their way.
Will 3 Body Problem Make Audiences Forgive Benioff & Weiss For Game of Thrones Season 8?
Since the poor reception of Game of Thrones season 8, Weiss and Benioff have been unable to regain public approval. Their decision to cancel their Star Wars plan, despite the belief that this project was the reason the writing duo rushed the end of Westeros’ story, has only made them sink lower in the realm of public opinion. This is undoubtedly something that Benioff and Weiss are aware of, and since they were once praised for their ability to bring a novel to life on screen, they must be eager to turn things around. Benioff and Weiss may see 3 Body Problem as the perfect story to make this happen, and based on the trailers, they wouldn’t be wrong.
By its nature, 3 Body Problem will be a deeply immersive story. The trailers indicate that a great deal of attention has been funneled into the visual effects, which are sure to captivate audiences to the point that they forget any qualms they might have had with the show’s writers. Additionally, 3 Body Problem is based on a book series that has already been completed, so Benioff and Weiss shouldn’t wind up in a position similar to Game of Thrones where they must proceed without the source material. If 3 Body Problem can keep viewers entranced by the sci-fi action throughout season 1, Benioff and Weiss may have earned redemption—but it’s a complicated road ahead of them.