Want more ‘3 Body Problem?’ Here’s how to watch the Chinese adaptation ‘Three-Body’

Captivated by the mind-bending series that is Netflix’s 3 Body Problem? Sad that you have to wait for a second season? Don’t have time to read the books the series is based on, the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy by author Liu Cixin? Then allow us to turn your attention to the Chinese adaptation that came before it. If you want to consume more of the larger-than-life sci-fi story, here’s what you need to know.

When will Season 2 come out?

While Netflix’s 3 Body Problem hasn’t officially been given the green light for a Season 2, the showrunner team of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are optimistic. “Honestly, the ending of the third book is one of my favorite endings of any giant saga of all time, so we want to get there,” Benioff said in an interview. “The hardest thing is always the first season. Can we justify the big investment from Netflix? I feel like this will grow as it grows. I’m hopeful.”

Season 1 has earned some mixed reviews (check out our full review of the series), but one thing is certain: audiences are intrigued. It may not follow the book as much as people had hoped, but it still sits at a 79% rating (both critics and audiences) on Rotten Tomatoes. Will that be enough for Netflix to take the gamble?

In the meantime, you can consume all 30 (yes, you read that right) episodes of the Chinese version.

Wait…there’s another adaptation of The Three-Body Problem?

Yep! A Chinese adaptation from Tencent, dubbed Three-Body, aired in China last year. Conveniently, per The Hollywood Reporter, Peacock acquired the rights to it in early February. Like the new Netflix series, Three-Body is adapted from The Three-Body Problem, the first novel in Liu’s trilogy, and offers a different perspective on the story. A presser from NBCUniversal stated, “With all the buzz surrounding Netflix’s English adaptation, we’re excited about the opportunity for sci-fi and Chinese drama fans to watch the Chinese-language original (with English subtitles) ahead of the Hollywood adaptation.”

Here’s a trailer for the Chinese adaptation:

What’s the difference between Netflix’s 3 Body Problem and Tencent’s Three-Body?

The most obvious difference is that one is in English and the other is in Chinese with English subtitles. Netflix’s 3 Body Problem is also just eight episodes, while Tencent’s Three-Body is a whopping 30 episodes. Obviously, with 30 episodes, the Chinese adaptation is able to stay more true to the content of the book, while the English adaptation takes a few more liberties in order to condense the plot and still remain comprehensible. Each has its perks and its criticisms, of course. You’ll have to watch them both for yourself in order to choose which adaptation is better.

How to watch 3 Body Problem

In case you’re late to the game, 3 Body Problem is a Netflix Original Series. That means the only way to watch it is with a Netflix subscription. Currently, there are three different Netflix tiers: Standard with ads, Standard, and Premium. If you don’t mind watching a few ads here and there, the Standard with ads plan is by far the most affordable at just $6.99 per month. To remove the ads, you’ll have to fork over $15.49 per month or $22.99 per month for the Standard or Premium plans, respectively.

How to watch Three-Body: Is it streaming?

If you’ve already made it through all eight episodes of 3 Body Problem and you’re patiently awaiting Season 2, Three-Body will make for a good binge-watch while you wait. As of Feb. 10, NBC released the complete 30-episode English-subtitled version of Three-Body on Peacock. It’s also streaming on Prime Video, so you have a couple different options for watching. Peacock is the more affordable option, with plans starting at just $5.99 per month, while Prime Video will run you $8.99 per month (as a standalone service) or $14.99 per month as part of a Prime membership.

Best Peacock streaming deals

Before you sign up for Peacock to watch Three-Body, do yourself a favor and check out the deals below to see if you’re eligible for a discounted subscription. You may even qualify for a free account.

Best long-term Peacock deal

You can get more bang for your buck if you choose to subscribe to an annual Peacock plan as opposed to a monthly plan. It’ll cost you either $59.99 per year (Premium) with ads or $119.99 per year without (Premium Plus) — that’s 12 months of streaming for the price of 10, or about 17% in savings total. If you’re not interested in sticking around long-term, however, you’re better off just signing up for $5.99 per month, then cancelling.

Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers

Xfinity customers: check your Peacock Premium eligibility through your account. You might be able to stream for free. Here are the deets:

Xfinity Internet users on the Gigabit or Gigabit+ plans can score free Peacock Premium for two years (offer ends June 25, 2025).

Xfinity Internet customers that are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can also score Peacock Premium for free as a reward. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then wait for your email (it may take a couple hours) with instructions on activating the offer.

NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.

New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.

Best Peacock Deal for students

Students can sign up for Peacock Premium for only $1.99 per month for an entire year. The only requirement is that you can prove you’re actually a student via SheerID. Once you pass the verification process, you’ll get a unique promo code to secure the discount. Just note that the code can only be used once — no sharing!

Best Peacock deal for first responders

Likewise, if you’re a first responder, you can score Peacock Premium for only $1.99 per month instead of $5.99 per month. You’ll have to verify your first responder status through SheerID and sign up using the unique promo code sent to you. Each year you continue to meet verification qualifications, you can renew the deal. Just note that you’ll have to go through the process and receive a new promo code each time. Learn more about eligibility terms and requirements.

Best for Instacart users

As 2023 was wrapping up, Instacart announced a new partnership with Peacock: New and existing Instacart+ members ($99.99/year) now get Peacock Premium included for free with their subscription. That’s a $59.99 per year value. If you’re an Instacart+ member, be sure to take advantage of this freebie if you haven’t yet. Instacart+ membership costs $99.99 per year and includes free grocery delivery on orders over $35, lower fees, credit back on eligible pickup orders, and more. Not to mention, your first two weeks are free, so you could potentially watch all 30 episodes of Three-Body without paying a cent.

Best for JetBlue members

Last but not least, JetBlue TrueBlue members with Mosaic status can get an entire year of Peacock Premium for free ($59.99 value) through July 2025. The offer is only valid for new Peacock subscribers, though. If you’re not a Mosaic status member, you can still earn 1,000 free TrueBlue points when you sign up for Peacock on your own. Learn more about eligibility and terms over on Peacock’s special offer page.

Prime Video streaming deals

Best Prime Video deal for students

Like Peacock, Amazon offers students a discounted Prime subscription. Kick things off with a six-month free trial, then enjoy all the Prime perks, including Prime Video, for only $69 per year — that’s 50% off a typical annual Prime membership. You’ll just have to prove you’re a student through SheerID. Note that the free trial period is only available to new members.

Best for everyone else

You can save some money — $6 per month, to be exact — by subscribing to Prime Video as a standalone service, rather than paying for a full Prime account. A full Prime membership will run you $14.99 per month (or $139 per year, which breaks down to $11.58 per month). Meanwhile, Prime Video on its own is just $8.99 per month. That’s not as cheap as Peacock, but you will save $6 per month overall.

Naturally, Amazon wants you to sign up for a full Prime membership. Therefore, signing up for Prime Video only can be pretty tricky. When you go to sign up for a subscription, be sure to select the option to “see more plans” or “change plan” and navigate to the Prime Video only option for $8.99 per month. You can cancel whenever you please — no strings attached.

Best long-term value

If you want all the Prime perks, you can also choose to sign up for an annual membership for $139 and save about 22%. That drops the monthly cost to just $11.58 instead of the usual $14.99. You’ll enjoy access to Prime Video to watch Three-Body (and plenty of other shows and films), plus fast and free shipping, free Grubhub+, access to Amazon Music, and exclusive shopping deals for an entire year.