Altered Carbon Series Review (Season 1)

Released: February 2nd 2018

Created by: Laeta Kalogridis

Number of Episodes: 10

Where to Watch: Netflix

Starring: Joel Kinnaman, James Purefoy, Martha Higareda, Chris Conner, Dichen Lachman, Ato Essandoh, Kristin Lehman and Renee Elise Goldsberry

While numerous efforts over the years have taken big-screen audiences beyond the stars, the realm of the space-faring future on smaller counterparts have been dominated by one big series every now and again, be it Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica or the cult favourite Firefly. Netflix has been gaining ground in the science-fiction genre and their latest effort is an adaptation of Richard K. Morgan’s novel of the same. Altered Carbon has its strong moments, but never really takes the source material to the heights of other, better contemporaries.

Set over 350 years in the future, mankind has moved both beyond Earth and, for a lucky few, death. Memories are stored in cerebral stacks, which are transferred between bodies (known in this universe as “sleeves”). Against this backdrop, deceased mercenary Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) is placed into a new sleeve to solve a murder, that of multimillionaire Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy). In his new body, Kovacs reluctantly agrees and as we follow him across the ten episodes, his past on both sides of a war long past becomes clear. The action unfolds from both his perspective and other main characters including police detective Kristin Ortega (Martha Higareda) who seems to have a personal interest in the resurrected soldier. Just like the main character, we’re dumped into the future city which does work at establishing perspective, though not so well for introducing us to the world portrayed. The series is slow for the first few episodes as Takeshi finds his first leads on the investigation, during which you’ll have a tough time getting into it though the pace does pick up with a handy twist or two at the halfway point. Thematically, the series revolves around life and death, the endless struggle between rich and poor, as well brief smatterings of artificial intelligence and while these fit nicely into the narrative, it isn’t enough to overcome other problems. The storytelling could have used some tuning up; while there are some breadcrumbs alluding to Kovacs’ past, things go sideways with episode 7, which serves as one big exposition dump; the story pauses for a moment here and while the backstory delivered is strong, it could have been layered more organically across the rest of the series.

The performances of Altered Carbon are mostly well done by the very diverse cast, though much like the initial stages of the plot, you may not get into their struggles so easily. Takeshi as an anti-hero isn’t so easy to root for at first, his older persona commanding more intrigue and Ortega is a standard cop with close family ties. As things go on though, they do grow on the audience, particularly as they’re placed in more desperate situations and the investigation heats up. Ato Essandoh’s Vernon Elliot (despite at times just sitting around as the sidekick) is also good, with an especially poignant family backstory keeping the viewer invested. Chris Conner was the most unexpected highlight as the smartly dressed, ambiguous hotel operator Edgar Poe who has plenty of smooth mannerisms and cocky comments to deliver throughout the ten episodes. Unfortunately, some of the side characters feel very underdeveloped and are often missing backstories; Ortega’s colleagues at the police department, especially Waleed Zuatier’s Samir Abboud isn’t given much to do and other components of the science fiction world such an underground combat arena and clinic specialising in psychological interrogation get only minor mentions, making for some weak-world building.

The show is appropriately stunning with plenty of budget thrown behind its special effects; the rain-soaked cities and underground pleasure domes look forebodingly grotty and uninviting, a contrast against the immaculate whites seen in Bancroft’s home in the clouds. The fight scenes, despite having a few hiccups with editing are effectively choreographed, often delivering bloody carnage that reinforces the unforgiving nature of the setting. Outside of its central sleeve concept, Altered Carbon doesn’t do much that you haven’t seen in the genre; futuristic yet dimly lit city environments, reflections on the past through flashbacks, virtual constructs that bend the rules. It’s all tried-and-true which does diminish the series ability to immerse. The city is traditional cyberpunk fare and with long shots few and far between, we’re never given any sense of geography, or the sense that it’s a living, breathing environment. Altered Carbon looks brilliant at times, but it doesn’t always have the substance to draw the audience in to its dystopian future. You’ll often be reminded of Blade Runner throughout the production and while the series apes this inspiration well enough, you’re left wishing it would do more of its own thing.

Altered Carbon is conflicting as a series; offering strong effects, acceptable characterisation and a troubled method of storytelling and world-building. Things do get better further down the line, but if you’re looking for a science-fiction series to rival the very best in the genre, Altered Carbon isn’t quite it.

Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)