Why 3 Body Problem Season 2 is all but confirmed to happen

Fans of Netflix's science fiction series 3 Body Problem can hope for good news. While a second season for the intellectually stimulating show has not been confirmed, a new report showing its large viewership numbers indicate that it's likely to happen.

Based on the Hugo Award-winning novel by Liu Cixin, the first season of the show follows a group of scientists who become targets of a cult as they try to solve an unsolvable scientific problem. As per Netflix, the synopsis for the show reads:

"The story begins in 1960s China when a young woman makes a fateful decision that reverberates across space and time into the present day.

"When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel, a tight-knit group of brilliant scientists must join forces with an unflinching detective to stop humanity’s greatest threat. 3 Body Problem is an epic story that redefines sci-fi drama with its layered mysteries and story of human connection."

The first season of 3 Body Problem was released on March 21, 2024, and received mixed to positive reviews.

---

What does the ratings say about 3 Body Problem?

A still from the show (via Netflix)

According to Nielsen, Netflix's 3 Body Problem had the most viewership numbers among streaming titles across all platforms in the last week of March from the 25th to the 31st of the month in 2024.

As per their website, the science fiction show topped not only the Original series chart but also the Overall charts, as it garnered 1.79 billion minutes of viewership. It beat out other series like The Resident and The Testament: The Story of Moses which also had over 1 billion minutes viewed each.

Here's a list of the Overall chart (March 25-31) as provided by Nielsen:

1. 3 Body Problem (Netflix), 1.79 billion minutes viewed
2. The Resident (Hulu/Netflix), 1.48 billion
3. Testament: The Story of Moses (Netflix), 1 billion
4. Bluey (Disney+), 963 million
5. NCIS (Netflix/Paramount+), 912 million
6. Family Guy (Hulu), 837 million
7. Road House (2024) (Prime Video), 812 million
8. Grey’s Anatomy (Hulu/Netflix), 778 million
9. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Netflix/Peacock), 714 million
10. Homicide: New York (Netflix), 680 million

A still from the show (via Netflix)

Moreover, 3 Body Problem was number one on Netflix in over 20 countries and gained considerable attention, especially from Chinese viewers and science enthusiasts. While Netflix has not announced a plan for season 2 yet, viewers and creators are eager for more.

As per an April 14 article by Deadline, co-creator D.B. Weiss said that the second season "gets really wild in the best possible way." He said:

"With something that’s that wild, there are a lot of choices to be made and a lot of things to be figured out. We’ve been putting our heads together to figuring them out recently especially the past couple months."

A still from the show (via Netflix)

With such strong viewership numbers, it's likely that season 2 will be given a greenlight, but a confirmation from the studio is still being awaited.

---

The cast of 3 Body Problem Season 1

A still from the show (via Netflix)

The first season of the Netflix series comprised a huge ensemble cast from different backgrounds. Some of the major cast members are listed below:

• Jovan Adepo as Dr. Saul Durand
• John Bradley as Jack Rooney
• Rosalind Chao as adult Dr. Ye Wenjie
• Zine Tseng as young Ye Wenjie
• Liam Cunningham as Thomas Wade
• Eiza González as Dr. Augustina "Auggie" Salazar
• Jess Hong as Dr. Jin Cheng
• Marlo Kelly as Tatiana Haas
• Alex Sharp as Dr. Will Downing
• Sea Shimooka as Sophon
• Saamer Usmani as Prithviraj "Raj" Varma
• Benedict Wong as Clarence Shi
• Jonathan Pryce as Mike Evans

---

All eight episodes of 3 Body Problem are available to stream on Netflix.