One of the most beloved sci-fi novels of the 21st century finally has been adapted for television to huge acclaim, and it’s out now. No, I’m not talking about the much-anticipated Netflix adaptation that is headed to the streamer in 2023 created by Game of Thrones-helmers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and starring Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, Avengers: Endgame), Tsai Chin (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings), I’m referring to the live-action Chinese adaptation done by Chinese streaming platform Tencent Video–which you can watch for free, with English subtitles.
Yep, the first two episodes are now available for free online, and they’re already getting great reviews online, with an 8.7 IMDb score for the adaptation that is being acclaimed for its faithfulness to the original bestselling novel.
The Tencent series stars Luyi Zhang as Wang Miao, Kenan Heppe as Mike Evans, Hewei Yu as Shi Qiang, Xiaoran Li as Sheng Yufei, Ji Chen as Ye Wenjie, and many more.
It was directed by Lei Yang (Legend of Naga Pearls) and was adapted by Liangliang Tian (Zhong ji bi ji).
Want to watch it for free with English subtitles? We’ve embedded each episode below, so scroll through to watch each on this link, and don’t forget to bookmark it, as we will add more as more arrive.
Three-Body Problem: Episode 1
Watch the first episode here.
Three-Body Problem: Episode 2
Watch the second episode here.
If you want to continue, three more episodes are available on Tencent Video, which you can subscribe to on YouTube.
The links to the (currently locked) episodes are below, but are available to members now.
Three-Body Problem: Episode 3
Three-Body Problem: Episode 4
Three-Body Problem: Episode 5
Rave reviews for Tencent’s the Three-Body Problem adaptation
YouTube users are pouring massive acclaim on the first two episodes thus far.
“The is the BEST version so far. Loyal to the book, good actors and actress, and humble director, that’s all we need. Good job,” said YouTuber Twilight Rush.
“Finally, a loyal adaptation! Every word from the book is on screen, and the actors even added nuances I didn’t expect were there! I was so anxious about this, but all my worries are gone. Thank you, Tencent! I look forward to the entire trilogy adapted this way!” added TheHollowShrine.
“Love it so far, really exceeded my expectations on how loyal to the books this adaptation is! Can’t wait to watch the other episodes” chimed in Jennifer Franca.
Wait, what is The Three-Body Problem?
If you’re not aware, allow us to fill you in: The Three-Body Problem is the name of a novel by Liu Cixin that begins the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, which also includes The Dark Forest and Death’s End, which is not only the most successful Chinese science fiction novel of the century so far, but likely the most successful and acclaimed science fiction series in the world since 2000, winning the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award for Best Novel, beloved by George RR Martin, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama. The author has been called China’s Arthur C. Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey, Childhood’s End) by The New Yorker.
To put it simply, the series is about a conflict between humans and aliens, starting in China in the 1960s during the Cultural Revolution and continuing ‘through the end of time.’ The series begins with Ye Wenjie, an astrophysicist, who gets a message from an alien pacifist from the planet Trisolaris. In the message, he’s told not to make contact, but invites them anyways–a people called the Three-Body–starting a whole host of problems that continues through the past, present and future, as the looming arrival of the aliens 450 years in the future gets closer.
According to the author, the series tries to “tell a story that transcends time and the confines of nations, cultures and races; one that compels us to consider the fate of humankind as a whole.”
The Three-Body Problem Netflix adaptation: When is it out?
The huge-budget Netflix adaptation by Benioff and Weiss and produced by Brad Pitt and Rian Johnson (Glass Onion) began production in 2021 and entered post-production at the end of 2022, and Netflix has said it will be coming out in 2023.