The Netflix Sci-Fi Crime Thriller Series We Can’t Believe Is Canceled
The universe of Netflix original productions is ever-expanding, including significant triumphs and major stinkers–but few titles have managed to capture the imagination quite like Altered Carbon. Based on Richard K. Morgan’s celebrated 2002 novel, the project amounts to a cyberpunk extravaganza. In the hands of talented creator Laeta Kalogridis, the series transported streamers to a futuristic world where consciousness could be shifted between different bodies, referred to (brilliantly) as “sleeves.”
Only Two Seasons Of Altered Carbon
Richly crafted, visually stunning, and boasting an original and enjoyable narrative, the series was sadly canceled after two seasons. The sudden end to the engaging journey leaves fans yearning for more mind-bending sci-fi goodness.
The series premiered on Netflix in February of 2018, introducing audiences to a dystopian future 260 years from now, mainly in the year 2384. In Altered Carbon’s incredibly compelling narrative, human consciousness is stored in devices dubbed “cortical stacks.”
Said stacks permit individuals to shift between bodies, thereby effectively living forever—provided they can foot the bill, of course. The concept of digital immortality lent the project legitimate originality and served as a backbone for the series’ excellent exploration of identity, morality, and socioeconomic disparity.
A Cyberpunk Mystery
The show begins with its protagonist, Takeshi Kovacs—a former soldier turned investigator—released from prison and freed by the wealthy Methuselah Laurens Bancroft. In a noir-y turn that hooks sci-fi viewers to the streaming series from its onset, Kovacs is tasked with solving Bancroft’s own murder.
Joel Kinnaman’s portrayal of Kovacs in Altered Carbon, alongside comparably strong acting by James Purefoy and Martha Higareda, enriched the show and set a high bar. The series’ intricate plot, which merged stunning visuals—hearkening to iconic works of cyberpunk like Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell—with a unique sensibility all the show’s own, also enriched the show and set a high bar.
Personnel And Pacing
The second season saw Anthony Mackie take over the role of Kovacs, as the hero perseveres in his quest to find his lost love, Quellcrist Falconer. While switching lead actors can sometimes condemn a series, the swap was well-received, with many considering Mackie’s performance to contribute welcomed intensity to the role.
Both seasons of Altered Carbon earned solid responses, with the show’s first season boasting a respectable 70 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and the second season enjoying an improved 81 percent. Critics enjoyed the first season’s ambitious visual style and the robust depth of its cyberpunk setting. However, some experts ventured that the series’ complex plot hindered its own forward momentum.
Critics did, however, laud the second season for its more defined character development and streamlined plot.
A Necessary Cruelness
While the show won praise, it was not without controversy. Some critics and viewers objected to Altered Carbon’s depiction of violence, in particular, the violence against women. Defenders of the series argued that such depictions, however painful to watch, were nonetheless faithful to the source material and necessary to depict the cruel realities of the dystopian world.
Stream Altered Carbon On Netflix Today
Although the series unfortunately concluded prematurely, it nonetheless impacted sci-fi in an undeniable way. The show stretched the confines of television production with its big-budget visuals and thought-provoking themes. Additionally, an accompanying anime film, Altered Carbon: Resleeved, expanded the universe all the more, providing fans windows into new, exciting facets of the intricate world.
To appreciate all the nuances of this world, stream Altered Carbon on Netflix today.
