3 Body Problem’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Makes Me Even More Worried About The Netflix Sci-Fi Show’s Future

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem has already received an early score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it paints a worrying picture of the future of the show. 3 Body Problem has been one of the most highly-anticipated shows of 2024 for a number of reasons. Based on the book by Cixin Liu, 3 Body Problem follows a group of scientists primarily in China as they struggle to prepare for a looming alien invasion. The books have been wildly popular entries to the science fiction genre, which is an excellent sign of the quality of the adaptation’s story, but it might not be enough to secure more seasons.

3 Body Problem was also written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the writers of Game of Thrones. While Game of Thrones season 8 was lackluster, the seasons they made based off of George R.R. Martin’s novels were excellent. Since Cixin Liu’s books have already been completed, Benioff and Weiss will have more than enough source material to create a fantastic show with, which also indicated that 3 Body Problem could be a hit. Despite everything 3 Body Problem has going for it, the show’s most recent Rotten Tomatoes score has become a worrying development.

3 Body Problem’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Good, But Not Great

3 Body Problem currently has a score of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. While that is a solid score, it also doesn’t live up to the high expectations many have put onto 3 Body Problem given its budget and talent. A score of 74% does not make 3 Body Problem a must-watch show, which likely does not meet Netflix’s expectations. Early reviews of the show have praised Benioff and Weiss’ ability to adapt the difficult subject material, though they didn’t nail every aspect.

Variety had an overall positive takeaway from the show, yet still said that “Benioff, Weiss and Woo aren’t always able to bridge the divide between [grandeur and grounded] poles.” Conversely, IndieWire called it a “brutal dud,” and had very few positive pieces of feedback.

What’s left is frustration after frustration over how familiar the broader story becomes, how little you feel for those involved, and how brutal things get, both onscreen and off.

Three Body Problem is clearly polarizing to reviewers, and even those positive reviews it has also contain critiques of aspects that could be improved. The show’s potential to similarly split audiences is worrying for its chances of being renewed for more seasons.

3 Body Problem Was Already A Risk, And Its Rotten Tomatoes Score Makes It Worse

Netflix made a huge investment in Benioff and Weiss, and 3 Body Problem had a similarly gigantic budget to work with because of it. Because of that huge budget, 3 Body Problem needed to be a smash-hit to turn a profit, and its Rotten Tomatoes scores indicate it might not be able to meet that metric. Since 3 Body Problem is such a high-concept piece of science fiction, it needed to be incredibly high quality to find a large following. Many viewers watch Netflix absentmindedly, which can make even average shows into giants of streaming, but that strategy won’t work for 3 Body Problem.

The complex story means viewers will have to watch intensely, and if 3 Body Problem fails to grab attention quickly, it will also fail to find viewers. Its 74% on Rotten Tomatoes seems to indicate that while the show is good, 3 Body Problem won’t be a big enough hit to justify its huge price tag. The show is already more expensive than most of Netflix’s original programming, and the streamer likely won’t shy away from canceling 3 Body Problem if it fails to perform, given its history with the science fiction genre.

3 Body Problem’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Similar To Other Sci-Fi Shows Netflix Canceled

Perhaps the best example of the challenge 3 Body Problem faces is Altered Carbon due to the striking similarities between the shows. Altered Carbon was an adaptation of a novel of the same name, just like 3 Body Problem, and it covered a similarly complex and cerebral science fiction concept. Altered Carbon‘s Rotten Tomatoes score was also almost identical to 3 Body Problem‘s, yet it was canceled after just two seasons. It highlights a trend Netflix has followed of canceling science fiction shows, and it could extend to 3 Body Problem.

Netflix’s penchant for canceling sci-fi shows extends well beyond Altered Carbon, though, and to even better-received series. Archive 81, Sense8, and I Am Not Okay With This, for example, all had scores in the mid-eighties, yet they were prematurely scrapped by the streamer. Some of those shows were also canceled despite ending on cliffhangers, which shows that Netflix doesn’t mind leaving loose threads. While Netflix’s handling of past sci-fi shows is a bad omen for 3 Body Problem, the show’s hopes of seeing subsequent seasons aren’t completely destroyed.

Why There’s Hope For 3 Body Problem’s Future

The main difference between 3 Body Problem and Netflix’s other scrapped sci-fi shows is 3 Body Problem‘s budget. The show’s huge budget will make it difficult to turn a profit if it fails to perform well, but it also means that Netflix is willing to take a chance on 3 Body Problem. Netflix obviously saw something in 3 Body Problem that made it worth investing $160 million in the show, and over $250 million in Benioff and Weiss themselves. It’s a considerable amount of money, and Netflix will likely give them every advantage possible, potentially including a second season, to succeed.

Netflix’s financial commitments make it more likely that 3 Body Problem will see at least a second season. In addition to that, Cixin Liu’s novels were also published as a trilogy, meaning that the story won’t be satisfied by the end of 3 Body Problem season 1. While Netflix has canceled shows before they could finish their stories, the success of the novels proves that there’s still ample opportunity for the show to bring in more value by being renewed. Netflix could still give Benioff, Weiss, and 3 Body Problem a chance to find a wider audience in a second season.