Think, Ghost in the Shell and Blade Runner mashed together in a futuristic messed up world. If you are rich enough, you die and come back in a better body. If you are super Rich you die and come back in a carbon copy of your previous body. But you can be executed if someone destroys your stack (an implant in the back of your neck). Again, if you are rich enough, when you die, it automatically loads up your clone.

Originally released as a book back in 2002, written by Richard Morgan, the world is expanded to interstellar travel! Where all you need to do is transfer your stack to another sleeve. The only thing limiting you then is how quickly you can transfer data. Making space travel easier!

The story follows Takeshi Kovacs, a re-sleeved freedom fighter (known as Envoy or terrorist by present day in the show.) who has been brought back to find the killer of an Meth (An extremely wealthy person who has become almost immortal, called after ‘Methuselah’ from biblical references)……OK this show has a lot of terminology! So let’s move past all that and just talk about the show!

The setting isn’t all that new, just super futuristic. However, I can not think of any TV show that has been able to pull it off as well as this show. Thank you Netflix for allowing big production value! The places seem real and expansive, the mix of old and new in a lot of the shots (especially the Police Station) is absolutely wonderful! In fact, Altered Carbon is touted as Netflix’s most expensive TV series to date but without official numbers, we have to assume that it is still less than Bright!

The characters are varied if not all a little angry and shallow. However, this is probably an accurate representation of how we are moving forward with technology currently…..that is for a different post! Joel Kinnaman has never been the most outstanding actor in the world and has been really underwhelming in previous performances, such as Suicide Squad. However, so far I haven’t had much to complain about in the first 2 episodes. Two of the stand outs for me so far have been Martha Higareda as Officer Ortega and Chris Conner as Poe. Both of these are really adding to each scene they are in, and a lot of questions about what is really going on with the former!

The budget and production levels are high and the show is a lot of fun, with a most definitive adult theme to it, (nakedness and blood but not as bad as Game of Thrones). I will check back in after I have completed the first season, 10 episodes. I am hopeful about this show but have been burned before so will have to just wait and see!

One thing I will say before I go, I don’t know why more people are not talking about this show! Maybe you can tell me in the comments below! Until next time!