Ask Matt: Two Views on ‘9-1-1,’ ‘3 Body Problem’ Adaptation, ‘Abbott’s New Superintendent & More
Welcome to a Q&A with TV critic — also known to some TV fans as “TV therapist” — Matt Roush, who will attempt to address whatever you love, hate, are confused or frustrated or excited about in today’s vast television landscape. (We know the soundtrack is loud, but there’s always closed captioning.)
One note: This is a spoiler-free zone, so we won’t mention upcoming plotlines or developments here unless they’re already common knowledge. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]. Look for Ask Matt columns most Tuesdays.
Is 9-1-1 better than ever, or is it jumping the shark?
Commentary: Last week’s 9-1-1 episode, the second of three about the cruise ship disaster, was absolutely incredible. The cruise ship scenes were cinematic in scope. Angela Bassett gave an Emmy-worthy performance. (If this were a movie, I’d give her an Oscar.) The subplot was solid, too, unlike last week’s awful subplot (a couple having sex in a hot tub that can’t be separated). That had to be the dumbest subplot ever. And that’s saying a lot, because 9-1-1 has a lot of dumb rescue stories. — Fred
Commentary: I’ve been watching 9-1-1 for years, but this move by ABC felt like a “jump the shark” moment, not because they’re doing it with the new version of The Poseidon Adventure. While 9-1-1 shows can be ridiculous at times, these opening episodes are getting more and more silly. I also found the dialogue between Athena and Bobby as they face certain death to be poorly written. I like that Hen is a captain, and there could have been a deeper exploration of her promotion instead of a storyline where she makes a decision that could get her fired. As a new season, the rest of the cast is wasted in these early episodes. I’m not sure about you, but it should have been a 10-42 for the team at 9-1-1 when it was canceled at Fox. I’ve always loved your writing! — Steve
Matt Roush: I love when we get such mixed reviews, reminding us that one person’s treasure is often another person’s trash. But in this case, I sensed such a fondness from both viewers for a series that routinely goes over and beyond—the technical term is “over the top”—that I’m not sure a show like 9-1-1 could “jump the shark.” It would just add the shark to the regular cast, or at least build an arc around it. Seriously, though, I get what 9-1-1 and ABC are doing with this homage to Poseidon Adventure on a yacht. Like the show in previous seasons, and especially now with the changing channels, it makes sense to create a buzz to launch (so to speak) with a Big Event. And while it may be cheesy to some, this is absolutely within the realm of 9-1-1, and if you don’t watch with your eyes constantly rolling, you might need to go check it out.
When is an adaptation too far from the original?
Question: I’m writing this the day before 3 Body Problem hits Netflix. I’m a big fan of the novel series it’s based on, but from everything I’ve seen of the adaptation, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are taking some serious liberties with the story as the author envisioned it. There seems to be a clear attempt to “Westernize” it, perhaps to make it more palatable to a wider audience. The Chinese adaptation of the first novel, currently streaming on Peacock, seems much closer to the source material and is still a fun and engaging show.
While I understand that this has to be done when adapting a book to a different medium, as the new medium requires a different kind of storytelling, at what point is an adaptation no longer an adaptation? Should it be something “inspired by” the source material? If they’re going to slap a 3 Body Problem label on the show for name recognition, they should try to stick a little closer to the source material. Thanks for all you do to help us navigate the ever-changing television landscape. — Tony M.
Matt Roush: I tend to give adaptations a fair amount of freedom with plot and character if the resulting film at least reflects the tone and spirit of the source material. (One example: Showtime’s excellent limited series adaptation of A Gentleman in Moscow, which premieres this weekend.) I’ll be curious to hear what Tony has to say after he’s finished watching the series on Netflix.
