About 3 Body PROBLEM
Post 1523:
You know the one about the frog that dies because he gets boiled slowly? It’s an overused example of gradual pain and how it confuses our senses until we’re burned to the bone.
Anyway, that’s what watching 3 Body Problem was like. At first, I was intrigued by the mystery. It seemed deep and scientific, like I was going to be led into unknown crevices of the cosmos. The cast is comprised of good actors. The production looked to be high-budget and the direction more than adequate. I had never heard of the book and it seemed complex and original.
So I watched. The water got warmer.
Keep in mind, spoilers.
From the jump, I noticed something about the characters. None of them are particularly likable. This is a problem, because while I’m willing to let a slow story unfold, I need to have some investment. The group of friends that includes most of the main cast are friends for no good reason. The writers tell me they went to school or something. That they were chosen for some program and thrust together by another character. It doesn’t matter. They don’t act like people. None that I know, anyhow. And I’ve met literally dozens.
This is one of the biggest problems. Supposed humans living in the modern world don’t act right. I get they’re smarter and set apart because they’re good at science—who cares. They can be brilliant and special and also behave somewhere in the emotional-rational continuum.
There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense. The alien plan to come here is weird. The cult that worships them is dumb and I don't think people who worship reason would fall into its clutches.
Well, maybe that last part is believable.
Every story has problems and inconsistencies, so I won’t spend forever counting flaws. The main issue is self-hatred. We’re supposed to understand the Chinese woman, I think, because she was totally screwed over by the Communists back in the day. In fact, I did understand. Until she asked frigging aliens to come and conquer us because we stink as a species.
See, and I’m glad you’re reading this: We’re terrible. Humanity has made no advancements. Barbarism is the same as it was everywhere in the world. There is no charity. We all sit around and think about ways to ruin the natural world and satiate our impossible greed. Me and my pals get up every morning and pour toxic waste into a nearby river before needlessly cutting down an ancient tree. I say we press Y when an unknown civilization offers to come and tell us how humans should be human.
Perhaps this show was written by extra-terrestrials. In any case, I’m well and truly burned.
I recommend reruns of MacGyver. Something more scientific. Cheers and see you after.
