Netflix's Most Expensive New Show Already Dethroned by a Biblical Docudrama, of All Things

Summary

• On March 21, a sci-fi series based on Liu Cixin's novels was released on Netflix, one of the most expensive in the streaming service's history.
• However, it was recently surpassed by a documentary drama based on biblical stories.
• As a result, Netflix may have to rethink its business model.

3 Body Problem, the sci-fi series based on the book trilogy by Liu Cixin that debuted on March 21, has become one of Netflix's most expensive series. In addition to the showrunners and Game of Thrones crew members working on it, the streaming service organized an incredible promotional campaign around the world. The phrase 'You Are Bugs' appeared on billboards in 28 countries, and the streaming giant even cleared its release schedule for the show for the week following its debut.

And while the marketing clearly paid off, as 3 Body Problem instantly became one of the most popular shows on the streaming service, its ratings proved somewhat unsustainable. Despite the insane amount of money invested, it lost out to another series in the Top 10 less than 3 weeks after its premiere. Moreover, the new series is not a high-octane sci-fi epic, but a Biblical docudrama.

New Series Has Surpassed 3 Body Problem in Ratings

There is a strong Christian audience on Netflix, which helps drive ratings for the historical and faith-based series and movies, such as The Chosen and Ordinary Angels. In addition, Noah, starring Russell Crowe, recently surprised many by breaking into the Top 10 most-watched movies in the US.

And now, the documentary series Testament: The Story of Moses, released on March 27, 2024, has made its way into the Top 10 most watched movies and shows (and this time, not just in the US, but worldwide). It is a 3-part series that, as the title suggests, chronicles the life of Moses, from the Prophet's upbringing in Egypt to the Exodus of the Israelites and his death.

On March 28, it became the #1 most popular series on Netflix in the US and on April 1, it broke through to #1 in the Global Top 10. The series has received rather cool reviews due to its interpretation of sacred texts, but its ratings suggest that any newcomer can quietly dethrone 3 Body Problem, for which interest seems to be waning.

But What Does This Mean for 3 Body Problem?

However, given all of Netflix's moves in recent years, the logical question is what the streaming service will do with 3 Body Problem, given how much it has invested in its production and promotion.

For the week of March 18-24, 3 Body Problem landed at number two in the Top 10 most-watched English-language TV series worldwide. It totaled 81.7 million hours and 11 million views. By comparison, One Piece had an impressive 19.3 million views in its first week, while the other live-action show that followed it, the new Avatar: The Last Airbender, had 21.2 million views. In other words, even the last one, despite all the fear and controversy leading up to its release, had a much better start. Now let's compare those numbers to the budgets: 3 Body Problem cost an incredible $160 million, while One Piece cost about $144 million and Avatar: The Last Airbender cost $120 million.

And considering that 3 Body Problem has a 78% fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes (not the worst, but not the best either), Netflix is certainly considering whether or not it's worth renewing the series. However, it's unlikely that 3 Body Problem will follow the scenario of, say, the canceled 1899, given the big budget and the need to adapt the remaining two books.

Furthermore, the showrunners themselves are quite optimistic that another season or two will see the light of day, but it's likely that the budget will be cut significantly this time around. Hopefully this won't affect the quality too much.

Both 3 Body Problem and Testament: The Story of Moses are available to stream on Netflix.