The new Netflix rendition of Three-Body Problem, based on a collection of books written by Chinese writer Liu Cixin, has sparked mixed reactions on Chinese social media.
The eight-episode series, 3 Body Problem, was released in full on Netflix on Thursday. It is based on the first book in Liu’s trilogy, an ambitious sci-fi series spanning civilisation from the 1960s to the end of humanity.
The TV show was developed for Netflix by a team including David Benioff and DB Weiss, who are known for Game of Thrones, and Alexander Woo, a writer for True Blood. They collaborated with director Derek Tsang.
The public response in China has been varied but extensive, despite the fact that Netflix cannot be reached due to the country’s internet restrictions. As of Friday morning, a hashtag for “The Three-Body Problem” on the social media platform Weibo had received 2.23 billion views and sparked 1.424 million discussions.
There have been objections to Netflix’s adaptation of a primarily Chinese narrative, as it relocated a significant portion of the plot to the United Kingdom and featured a diverse cast. Additional criticism was directed towards the decision to change the gender of the main character, although reports from GQ suggest that the concept originated from Liu and was approved by the show’s producers.
The creators of the series have stood by their decision for the casting. Netflix has stated that 3 Body Problem intends to have a diverse and international scope, featuring different continents, cultures, and time periods.
According to Benioff, our goal was to have a diverse group of individuals from various parts of the world. We aimed to create an international cast to showcase the concept that this is not solely one country’s battle, but a universal fight for survival.
Parts of the negative feedback stems from political tension with the US, provoking feelings of nationalism and claims of American influence on the narrative.
“Flat and shallow, the difficult concept of science fiction is roughly transformed into a simple visual spectacle,” said one commenter on Weibo, accusing the creators of “orientalising” the Chinese background story and making a Hollywood story of western heroism instead.
Numerous Chinese audiences are drawing comparisons between a 2023 Chinese rendition, created by the tech giant Tencent. Supporters of the latter have characterized Netflix’s project as “General Tso’s chicken” – a Chinese cuisine popular in the US but not commonly found in China – while Tencent’s production is considered a “banquet”.
Last month, Tencent released their series to US streaming viewers. It is considered to be a more accurate rendition of the books, although it spans across 30 episodes.
Conversations on social media also touched upon the fact that Netflix has greater artistic and political liberties. One viewer commented, “The main advantage of Netflix’s adaptation of Three-Body Problem is the absence of censorship and restrictions.”
The first episode of the Netflix show features a violent scene in which a Communist party conducts a struggle session against the main character’s father during the Cultural Revolution. In comparison, the Tencent version portrays the same time period but with less intensity.
The creator of the Netflix show expressed to Radio Free Asia that it has become increasingly challenging to accurately depict the Cultural Revolution era in China.
Tsang stated that although it may be a significant aspect of history, if we confront it truthfully, we can gain valuable insights from it. It is crucial to expose the absurdity of that era to everyone.
The books also treat the topic differently. The English translation of the first novel opens with the struggle session, while the Chinese version buries that scene in the middle, a decision Liu and his publishers reportedly made to make the book less politically sensitive in China.
Certain viewers are pleased to witness the story being shared with a wider audience. According to the Chinese film review site, Mtszimu, the adaptation is not only a fresh take on Liu Cixin’s original work but also a significant addition to the world of science fiction literature.
A Weibo user expressed their thoughts, stating that everyone has their own interpretation of the Three-Body Problem. They personally have a positive attitude and see it as an IP that they helped create, now being shared with the world. They hope it will be well-received and make an impact.
This report was contributed by Chi Hui Lin.
Source: theguardian.com
