Subtitle timings in episode 13 way off 😝

#ThreeBody #ThreeBodyProblem

Final thoughts 💜

30 hours of THREE BODY. Incredible.

The bad first:

Non-Chinese actors did not come across as great (e.g., sorry Kenan Heppe as Mike Evans)...unclear how much was due to directing, writing, production, acting, casting, etc.

Quality of final 4 episodes seemed like a step-down (Judgment Day scene a notable exception)

Wei Cheng (Jian Zhao), the math genius husband of Shen Yufei, was overacted/a miss. Again, not sure how much on the actor vs. production.

The bad (cont.):

The in-universe virtual-reality game Three-Body: voice-acting & motion capture was uneven

Anachronisms: 1970's console displaying anti-aliased fonts and emitting "chime" system alert sounds (?)

Detective Shi Qiang so effortlessly interrupting the meeting of all the combat zone liaisons...really? 🤔 Note: this may represent an issue with adapting the source material.

Watching as the computer server somehow survives at the center of the collapsing tanker infrastructure 🫠

The bad (cont.):

Nano filaments: How does one transport and install large quantities of invisible thread that cut through everything like butter? And in 4 days, half a world away. More a curiosity than a fault. Braid it? Manufacture on site? Etc.

Chen Xue (played by Vian Wang): How did she transform--so remarkably--from a shattered teenage niece of Ye Wen Jie, to an elite assassin/bodyguard? Note: this seems weak in terms of writing; Wang was perfectly fine as an actress in this guest role.

The good:

How can this not represent the definitive Three-Body adaptation? Epic.

All mostly great: Casting, music, editing, art design, set design, visual effects, costume & wardrobe, location scouting, etc.

Production seems pretty faithful to the book.

It builds slowly, but in interesting locations (to me): modern domestic, academic/scientific, & military institutions, or in manicured temple grounds, or in desolately pristine mountainous terrain.

They spend ages talking...about science 💜

Shen Yufei (played by Li Xiaoran, 李小冉, also known as Li Xiao Ran, or Xiaoran Li)

She was amazing. Her expressions reminded me of Lily Gladstone.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2273079/

#ShenYufei #XiaoranLi #LiXiaoran #李小冉 #ThreeBody #Tencent

Yu Hewei as detective Shi Qiang

They reminded me a bit of the intensity of actor Al Pacino.

In this scene, Shi Qiang enjoys spoiling Wang Miao's endearing daughter DouDou (YingYing Cai), while Wang Miao plays the virtual-reality game.

As an aside, not sure if intentional, but I sensed unspoken chemistry in his interactions with Mu Xing (not shown; played by actress Rong Yang).

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3388842/

#YuHewei #ShiQiang #HeweiYu #于和伟 #ThreeBody #Tencent

Yang Rong as Mu Xing

This seemed like such a great casting choice 💯

Smart, spunky, sensitive, ambitious, clever.

#YangRong #MuXing #ThreeBody #杨蓉