The recently released Netflix series, 3 Body Problem, has taken the internet by storm. Whispers of its greatness have been heard in all corners of Hollywood and it has done an excellent job adapting from its source material, a 2008 book of the same name written by Cixin Liu. However, when words on paper are turned into something like action, plot lines are bound to get changed and things get lost in translation.
Although the series was heavily praised for its loyalty to the book, there were some major changes made to it in regards to the story, especially on the global scale. While the creators made such a change to introduce a bigger playing field for story-telling, one country has become quite upset with how it was portrayed.
David Benioff Had A Grander Vision For 3 Body Problem
David Benioff has gained a reputation in Hollywood for creating excellent cinema, with his significant contribution to the Game of Thrones series. 3 Body Problem seems to only be adding to this as the series has gotten a lot of love from all directions. The writer recently gave an interview with The Guardian about the changes he made to the original story, as well as the intentions behind why he did so.
“We wanted people from all over the world. We tried to make this a very diverse, international cast to represent the idea that this isn’t just one country’s struggle – it’s a global struggle to survive.” said Benioff.
The writer revealed that he had a specific vision when creating the series; he wanted to truly encapture the global effect of a threat as significant as aliens. He believed the perfect way to do this would be through the addition of people from all over the world into the story.
Although the changes Benioff made to the original story have added more diversity to the 3 Body Problem series, many are not happy about the parts that were cut out. Considering how Cixin Liu is Chinese, a huge chunk of the book, Three Body Problem, had its roots in China.
To make space for the other stories and reflect the vision Benioff had, some changes were made and aspects of the Chinese side of the story were removed.
3 Body Problem Has Gotten Backlash
The scene where Ye Wenjie’s father dies in a “struggle session” during the Cultural Revolution, was moved to a different point in the story in 3 Body Problem. While in the Chinese adaptation of the book the scene was dead in the middle of the show, in the Netflix series, it was moved to the beginning, staying true to the books.
This change has made more than a few viewers upset, as they think the series is setting up how the audience is going to feel about China. They believe it to be unfair that it is showing the country at such a negative point in its history at the very beginning of the series. Speaking on this, Chinese actress, Rosalind Chao, who played the role of Wenjie, gave an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I think it’s important to have an international version of the story,” she explained, adding a bit later, “I love that this has been made more international for a wider audience.” She also said, “It’s so ingrained not to discuss [the Cultural Revolution], whereas it’s a huge part of history and the fact that it can be told here in a way that also embraces the sci-fi genre, it’s kind of exciting. It’s important for people to understand world history and what makes people the way they are.”
The actress seems to be in support of the decision, agreeing with Benioff’s vision. She loves how this time period in Chinese history is being portrayed for the international audience that the show has. Although Chao’s opinions on the matter are quite interesting, not everyone agrees with what she has to say.
