3%

There's plenty to recommend this low-budget, futuristic Portuguese- Brazilian 8-episode SciFi teleseries. It has a gripping plot, the characters have plenty of magnetism and the situation of poverty versus privilege will ring true with many.

It's about a futuristic, real-life competition designed to choose the optimum 3% of new adults, who deem their skills sufficient to "pass" a truly grueling selection process. Successful candidates are rewarded with a life in a man-made paradise "Offshore", whereas the rest are doomed to continue living "Inland" - a huge poverty-stricken, environmentally degraded favela. There's plenty of sub-plot, social current and Machiavellian wickedness to keep viewers on the edge of their seats till the last episode. Despite the DIY feel of the close sets there are fortunately enough locations to relieve viewers of claustrophobia, that hampers many other cheap SciFi productions. I think this one (thanks to a good English dubbed version) will catch on with a wider TV audience than the normal Portuguese, homespun audience.

I was really surprised by the fact that this show is really unknown. It is a great tv series that definitely deserves more recognition. Some of the reviews say that they couldn't get past the first episode. The show does get better. It is not perfect. It takes a while to get you hooked and it has a lower budget than other Netflix series. But overall, it is a clever and great series, with good themes, complex and grey characters, and an intriguing plot. It is a dystopian YA thriller with a lot of depth. At least, that is the case for seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 was a disappointment, which is the reason why I did not rate this show higher. Season 4 was intense and complex, and a great conclusion to this great tv show that will always be on my Netflix list

Definitely Recommend It

Cinematically and visually stunning, a political, hunger games-esque storyline with believable acting and I thought very interesting, life-like characters. The script is intelligent, the characters are strong, and the interaction is elegant in it's simplicity and natural air.

Excellent directing and cinematography here, a lot of subtle commentary in say a picture or shot (a thousand words). I believe it is the same cinematographer of City of God and the resemblance is there.

This won't have you walking away with too much feel-good or inspirational qualities. This does not much inspire you with it's beauty to be a better person, or help you in your struggles at an honest life, but it is a beautiful work of art that is gripping, entertaining, and has much fodder in the subtleties, particularly the social dynamics and the display of humanity in each of the varied characters. It is an exploration of psychology, social experiment, morality, and what humans are made of. It might make us ask along the way what we are made of.. but that is the extent of its ability to inspire.

If you believe we are heading into a 1984 era, you might welcome the realism in this work. Otherwise, it is a nice futuristic escape and exploration into what that might be like, while at the same time appreciating the human capacity in us all.

As I'm scrolling around through Netflix trying to find something to watch I come across 3%. I think to myself 'Hm, that's an interesting title' and without hesitation I clicked on the link.

I really had no expectations and didn't even bother reading the plot. Immediately the cinematography caught my attention. The show had a unique style with the camera angles, lighting and theme.

I particularly like movies/shows with actors I don't recognize because I feel the character is more real for me. I liked how every character was different and each had their own story. The script was well written and I focused a lot on that because it is subtitles for this show (unless you know what they are saying, cause I sure as hell didn't).

There were a couple things here and there that I didn't like. For example, The acting can be a little dull at times. I didn't like the romance between two characters because it was hard to believe they were really in love. The show wasn't perfection and the overall look might not be for everyone. The story is what really kept me into the show and I was hyped up for the last episode. The ending was amazing and I hope the story continues on for a second season.

The dubbed version is awful, always watch with subtitles, much better. Story development is excellent, the characters are deep and refreshingly multi dimensional. Can't wait for season 3.