Altered Carbon - Season 2

ALTERED CARBON - NETFLIX

An extended couple of years has passed since Altered Carbon debuted on Netflix. Being set in the dystopian future where one's consciousness can be uploaded into different bodies, it's quite a disappointment that what could've been a thought-provoking cyberpunk science-fiction about life and mortality is overshadowed by a by-the-books mystery that takes centre stage in a structurally-muddled narrative composition.

The first season felt longer and more convoluted than necessary, but it replaces these cool concepts in favour of using them as means of action-packed set-pieces. While the first season never nails its balance of philosophical exploration and eye-catching spectacle, this is not saying that it is terrible. For what it is going for, it's a pulpy, blood-soaked piece of popcorn entertainment with the aforementioned elements in place to keep audiences watching. 

ALTERED CARBON - NETFLIX

In the second season, the series once again focuses on Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie) as he's transported back to his home planet along with his A.I companion, Poe (Chris Conner) in search for his long-lost romantic interest, Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry). It bears equivalent characteristics, but it has a greater handle on them. A massive strength of the original is that every major character is at least memorable enough for the audience to grasp onto. Despite an almost entirely new cast in the second season, the characters remain a constant presence including new ones. Because the characters keep on switching from body to body, the casting is as refreshingly diverse as they are surprising when they appear. 

New additions include Simone Missick's Trepp, a tough-as-nails bounty hunter that is another addition to the series' collection of bad-ass female characters; Dina Shihabi's Dig 301, an A.I. archivist that Poe meets and forms an unlikely bond to; Torben Liebrecht's Colonel Ivan Carrera, a highly-intimidating soldier who is hell-bent in hunting down Kovacs; James Saito's Tanaseda Hideki, who Kovacs has personal history to; and Lela Loren's ever-confident Danica Harlan, a politician who does what she wants with her power.

Anthony Mackie's interpretation of Kovacs has quite some swag compared to Joel Kinnaman's stoic but not entirely impassive style, but the character's no-nonsense attitude remains intact. However, fan favourite Chris Conner is the season highlight as Poe, Kovacs's artificially-intelligent bellboy (sorry, companion), whose charismatic role unexpectedly acts as the narrative's beating heart and soul. 

Back in the first season, the wheels had only started turning when it reverts its attention away from the conventional puzzle and towards the heavily inspired history and machinations of the dystopian setting and the people living in it. The second season learns from that. Shortened into eight tightly constructed episodes, it boasts a drastically different vibe in what begins the traditional whodunnit tale that slowly intertwines itself into a confidently told character-driven narrative. It still jumps around multiple plotlines that hastily swivels left and right with momentous revelations in midst of flashy gunfights and brutal fisticuffs. However, the direction manages to keep the plot largely crystal clear and flourished as its stunning visuals. 

ALTERED CARBON - NETFLIX

Creator Laeta Kalogridis decides to lean towards the more essential futuristic concepts that exist in this fictional universe. This serves as a grand opportunity to explore vital themes. While it doesn't offer anything new in their examination, it is mostly purposeful and advantageous in adding to the character arcs with considerably more emotional weight and consequence. However, it nonetheless continues to add absurdly artificial plot contrivances on some of the techno-gadget gimmickry, despite them being cool and noteworthy in appearance and function. 

Altered Carbon will be dealt with a challenge of whether or not its new season can maintain its viewership numbers and be approved for a third season after the long wait. That still remains uncertain and the middle section does suffer from uneven pacing, but its sophomore effort surpasses expectations by narrowing the focus more on the foundations that make the big picture substantial and pleasurable to witness.

ALTERED CARBON is streaming exclusively on NETFLIX February 27th 2002