Trigger Warning: This article contains references to suicide.
The makers of Netflix’s 3 Body Problem revealed that the show was ready to release in mid-2023, but it was delayed for months just to add one scene. The show is an adaptation of Liu Cixin’s novels, and the first episode intrigued viewers as the plot revolved around the mystery of the suicide of a top-acclaimed scientist. The show also includes some interesting characters to add more confusion to the storyline.�
The showrunners, David Benioff, Alexander Woo, and Dan Weiss, confirmed that after the show passed the post-production stage, they felt that something was incomplete and hence shot a scene before announcing the release date.�
What Was The Scene Inserted In The Netflix Series?
The makers of 3 Body Problem shared the scene inserted after the show was ready to be dropped. According to them, the showrunners created a scene where Auggie and Jin are having a drink in a bar, which was shot and added right at the beginning. In just five minutes, this scene accomplishes a remarkable amount of heavy lifting.
Auggie and Jin are introduced, given the opportunity to literally spell out their careers, given a glimpse into their romantic lives, given some explanation of how science has “broken,” connecting the two to Vera’s suicide, and gradually starting Auggie’s countdown clock.
The episode would have ended with Vera’s suicide and the Oxford Five getting ready for her funeral without the scene, with Auggie having already seen the countdown. It is difficult to imagine the episode functioning nearly as well without the scene.
ALSO READ: 3 Body Problem: Exploring Science Behind Netflix Show
The Reason For Series’ Delay
While one of the reasons for the delay of the Netflix show was the addition of a scene, the other reason was the writers’ strike, which caused a little more time for the series to come online.
Weiss gave insights into the process as he revealed to The Hollywood Reporter, “We got the scene written the day before the strike. It was literally five pages, but we really thought it was worth doing. Netflix was great about it. It would have been very easy for them to be like, ‘You have a finished show that is ready to air, for us to hold that [for a scene that’s] five minutes of two people in a bar… that it took some fortitude for them to just say, ‘Yeah.'”
The scripting head also shared, “I want to tell the best version of this story, and if there’s a critical moment that the producers want to capture and we have the time and resources to do it, I want to figure it out with them. They were total professionals, total collaborators and very clear what their vision was. I don’t want the audience to miss out on that. So it was not a hard decision for me.”
The show was dropped on the streaming platform last week while securing the position of No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 viewer’s list.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or is suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
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ALSO READ: 3 Body Problem: Everything To Know About The Upcoming Show’s Trailer, Cast, Release Date, And More
