Altered Carbon

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Feb 2, 2018
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 696 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 555 out of 696
  2. Mixed: 83 out of 696
  3. Negative: 58 out of 696
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  1. psychomuse
    Feb 18, 2018
    2
    Such a poorly-acted, terribly-scripted derivative of Blade Runner. Trying way too hard to be a clever, sci-fi crime drama, it fails on every level except special effects. There are a few great moments but the spaces in-between are so meandering and complicated; the payoff is just not worth the time it takes to get there. Did I mention that the script and acting are bad?
  2. MahbubAli92
    Nov 27, 2018
    0
    Altered Carbon is a terrible show, an awful, fifth-rate, cheapo Westworld/Blade Runner knockoff that staggers like an obese drunk under the weight of its cliches, wooden performances, and hacky script, until it finally collapses into a gutter of oblivious pointlessness.

    More specifically: - There is nothing remotely fresh or creative about it. From the plot to the character    Altered Carbon is a terrible show, an awful, fifth-rate, cheapo Westworld/Blade Runner knockoff that staggers like an obese drunk under the weight of its cliches, wooden performances, and hacky script, until it finally collapses into a gutter of oblivious pointlessness.

    More specifically:

    - There is nothing remotely fresh or creative about it. From the plot to the character archetypes to the twists, it constantly rips off both old-school noirs like The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon, and cyberpunk sci-fi like Blade Runner and The Matrix. It does this in a very heavy-handed and amateurish way.

    - The characters are all thin and unengaging. The good guys are all superficially cynical but with idealistic hearts of gold beneath. Their relationships to one another are forced and implausible. The villains are all simplistically irredeemable **** You'll forget everyone's name within 24 hours of finishing the last episode.

    - The premise of "stacks" and "sleeves" never rises beyond the level of a gimmick. It doesn't lead to any truly interesting examinations of human nature, aside from the very obvious and cliched conclusion that such a technology is hubristic and inhuman and ought to be destroyed.

    - The show seems to think it's very funny when someone gets put in the wrong "sleeve" and e.g. a hulking tattooed biker guy needs to pretend to be a Mexican grandma, but it's nothing we haven't seen a million times before and isn't handled with any particular wit here.

    - It thinks it's "deep" but it actually has a childishly black-and-white moral universe, where the bad guys like to rape and murder women for kicks and the good guys want to stop them. The villains are so cartoonishly evil and one-dimensional the show might as well be scrawled in crayon.

    - It's larded with grating political correctness (this is becoming a huge problem with most Netflix content). By the time you meet the 5th or 6th female minority character who just so happens to be both an ass-kicking kung fu master (despite weighing 120 lbs) AND a STEM genius l33t hacker, even the most diehard SJW will be rolling their eyes. The tokenism is off the charts.

    - Meanwhile other than the protagonist every white man is either a gangbanger (LOL realism!) or a comically sociopathic and megalomaniacal villain.

    - Since Netflix desperately wants to be a "prestige" studio like HBO, it's tarted up with lots of gratuitous and pointless nudity, Tarantino-esque gore, and crappy quick-cut kung fu fight scenes.

    - Even so, it looks cheap, like most Netflix content. Aside from a few pricey-but-brief CGI establishing shots, the sets and props look like cosplay gear, and there are no truly impressive action setpieces (mostly just kung fu fights in living rooms and corridors).

    - Relatedly, the camera almost never follows the characters through a scene because the sets are small and isolated. Spectacular events like the death of all the Uprising fighters always happen off-camera. Details like these add up and make the show's world feel fake and non-immersive.

    - The action scenes are terrible, both over-choreographed and poorly executed. They use lots of fast cuts to make it look like the scrawny women characters can fight, but it just looks like a joke. It's also absurd and cheesy that in this high tech future so many people fight with samurai swords (LOL wut?) and knives.

    - Remember that cool iconic gun the hero got that can shoot flechettes and magnetically pull them back? He uses it exactly once, then we never see it again (special effects cost money after all!)

    Avoid this show, it is dull and stupid and not worth your precious time.    … Expand
  3. jcprovince
    Feb 5, 2018
    3
    I really was looking forward to a good show here, but was quite disappointed. Creaky dialogue, badly miscast female detective (who I really had a hard time understanding most of the time) = me cringing most of the time. I'm sorry, I'd rather watch Blade Runner 2049 again.
  4. Hooflugpoo
    Feb 10, 2018
    2
    Do the people who own the rights to the all time greatest science fiction film "Blade Runner" realize that this cheap ass flick is evidence of copyright infringement? The entire set looks as if it's been copied. There's numerous events in the film that mirror those that occurred in Blade Runner story. Numerous editing bloopers - did anyone catch the part where Kovacs hands were misplacedDo the people who own the rights to the all time greatest science fiction film "Blade Runner" realize that this cheap ass flick is evidence of copyright infringement? The entire set looks as if it's been copied. There's numerous events in the film that mirror those that occurred in Blade Runner story. Numerous editing bloopers - did anyone catch the part where Kovacs hands were misplaced just before the bloody shootout scene began in the Raven hotel lobby? The writing is also horrible, Ortega doesn't want to be bothered with "the paperwork"? Everything is digital, so what "paperwork" is she referring to? I doubt a character 250 years from now would even know what that is. Also, why would an attorney have to carry around a brief case 250 years from now? The whole thing stinks and is poorly made in my humble opinion. Thumbs DOWN!… Expand
  5. DamnedThing
    Feb 5, 2018
    3
    Sorry, can't take this beyond 2 episodes. Life's too short and TV is too peak.

    It looks awful, like an 80s pop video with ideas above its station. Every scene is lit by whatever light source can have a coloured gel duct taped to it, and when all the colours are used up they'll throw some fake bokeh overlay on top in post. Everywhere looks the same, apparently there's only one interior    Sorry, can't take this beyond 2 episodes. Life's too short and TV is too peak.

    It looks awful, like an 80s pop video with ideas above its station. Every scene is lit by whatever light source can have a coloured gel duct taped to it, and when all the colours are used up they'll throw some fake bokeh overlay on top in post. Everywhere looks the same, apparently there's only one interior designer on the whole planet and nothing looks lived in. The Expanse looks far better, feels more real and has far better plot and character development - cost per episode for either are hard to find but Expanse seems to be $3m-$5m while Altered Carbon is a good chunk more at $6m-$8m.

    The editing is just abysmal, whoever is in charge needs to calm the hell down and let scenes breathe. Any time there are two people just talking we end up with twenteen different snap cuts and none are from the same damned angle: left, right, near, far, mid, mid-long, high, low, passing left, random boob shot, passing right, etc.

    The camera work is all over the place, it feels like it's shot by someone who doesn't know what they want to achieve and they've ended up going for coverage so that the editor can choose the best bits. Except the editor is off their meds: see above.

    The dialogue is the kind you zone out of and check Facebook updates to because no one believes in what they're saying enough to distract you from the real people you barely know taking dumb online personality tests which none of the characters in Altered Carbon would pass.

    Two episodes in and I know there's been a murder and the lead has checked into a hotel. Kinnaman has lost any screen presence he once had in the likes of the Killing, he's just a skinsack of bulging walnuts walking around being terrible at being moody, a lot like he was in House of Cards where he was totally miscast as a political up and comer; I suspect they told him that his character in that show would be flexing his political muscle, and Kinnaman bulked up for the role thinking he was playing a henchman. There's also a female cop who doesn't like him much, but she's a walking dead zone of empathy.

    There's nothing much here to relate to in terms of anyone being remotely likeable, so continuing to watch what happens falls between 'is there anything else on' and 'must do last years accounts'.

    Awful tosh.    … Expand
  6. mmxxtj
    Feb 17, 2018
    0
    Altered Carbon - Where to begin... Story begins with promise as the general premise is interesting but is almost instantly drug down by flat characters. More over as the story develops it turns out the “mystery” is exactly what all the flat characters assumed it was in episode 1. Really disappointed - it’s hard to follow a show whose characters you care so little about the entire wayAltered Carbon - Where to begin... Story begins with promise as the general premise is interesting but is almost instantly drug down by flat characters. More over as the story develops it turns out the “mystery” is exactly what all the flat characters assumed it was in episode 1. Really disappointed - it’s hard to follow a show whose characters you care so little about the entire way through (characters who make illogical decisions at ever possible turn to the point of you almost wish they’d go ahead and be killed off... but they can’t because that’s the premise... so who really cares about any of this storyline?).… Expand
  7. JimmyBaginski
    Feb 25, 2018
    3
    I managed an episode and a half before being justifiably confused and disorientated by the convoluted plot elements and overwrought world building. Visually, this comes across as both very expensive yet equally uninspired, evoking a 90's attempt at a Blade Runner aesthetic, only with the added improvements of cutting edge CGI to maximise the gawky. Its the film every sci-fi directorI managed an episode and a half before being justifiably confused and disorientated by the convoluted plot elements and overwrought world building. Visually, this comes across as both very expensive yet equally uninspired, evoking a 90's attempt at a Blade Runner aesthetic, only with the added improvements of cutting edge CGI to maximise the gawky. Its the film every sci-fi director would've made in the 90's if they had unlimited cash - only it's 10 episodes long. It's influences are obvious too. I know nothing about the source material or when it was written but this is Demolition Man, with the disinterred release of a previous criminal to help solve a crime, the Hispanic female sidekick (with a scar on her eyelid) and the jabs at political correctness (no smoking etc). Only, this is too overblown and confused about its own identity to be as punchy and welcomingly ridiculous as Demolition Man, with its humour and tongue firmly in cheek. Okay, maybe it's a nod to fans of the genre, but that won't save this alone. The other obvious influence is Blade Runner, of course, with all its existential angst and blurring of the corporeal realm and the artificial. That's fine. But, this employs a direction overly fixated on body parts, breasts, asses, dicks, flesh, to really feel any pathos for the characters. It's jarring. As a result, its full of emptiness and a kind of seasick pushing of sex and edginess that leaves me unsettled and categorically not entertained. This is a criticism of many tv shows in the modern era. The tv format is long and can be arduous if the material/characters aren't easy enough to spend a long time in the company of. A film, for me, would have been much better, and this typically noiresque storytelling isn't the kind of story that needs 10 hours to tell. Instead we get lots of irrelevent world building (as I've said) and the endless introduction of subtle features and detours to pad out the time. Yeah, amazing, hyper real, detailed environs and visual flares are great but it can also just feel like being sprayed down with LSD from a firehose when too much is fed to you. Lastly, what makes some films so timeless and beautiful is that we get a glimpse of a world long enough to understand the characters on screen. We can fill in the rest by inference through their emotions and a few striking visuals to feed from and create the rest in our heads. That's enough. This just falls flat despite all it's energy. I didn't understand all the subplots, whole sentences went over my head and many decisions by the characters seemed implausible or convenient. Anyway, the actors are very good, and the visuals are expertly rendered. If that's enough for you then fill your boots.… Expand
  8. Tom360
    Feb 9, 2018
    3
    This show was not good! The plot was entirely convoluted; almost impossible to follow. Also pretty amateurish in a few ways. 1) Certain sets show the budgetary constraints, which I can forgive. 2) The acting!!! I can't understand how a show that has such talent behind the camera has such C-
    performance in front of the camera. Watching Joel Kinnaman mumble his way through the script with    This show was not good! The plot was entirely convoluted; almost impossible to follow. Also pretty amateurish in a few ways. 1) Certain sets show the budgetary constraints, which I can forgive. 2) The acting!!! I can't understand how a show that has such talent behind the camera has such C-
    performance in front of the camera. Watching Joel Kinnaman mumble his way through the script with all the liveliness of a giant ground sloth on Quaaludes is almost painful. How does this guy get work??? He has given exactly the same performance in every role since Robocop! I really wanted to like this show but with acting so sub-par it's extremely difficult to focus attention.    … Expand
  9. james-cordoban
    Feb 7, 2018
    1
    The pictures are nice and (not having read the book) many aspects of the story would have given great opportunity to ask interesting questions but are only touched slightly. Unfortunately the series focuses on fighting scenes, torture scenes and naked or scantily dressed women. Overall the image of women in the series is devastating. There is not really a strong female character (if thenThe pictures are nice and (not having read the book) many aspects of the story would have given great opportunity to ask interesting questions but are only touched slightly. Unfortunately the series focuses on fighting scenes, torture scenes and naked or scantily dressed women. Overall the image of women in the series is devastating. There is not really a strong female character (if then only for a short amount of time, before their strength gets negated again) but women are beeing humiliated (very often half or completely naked) seems to be a main topic of the series. So I was kinda suprised finding out that the series was not created by a male... but as jews can be antisemites, women can be sexistic and antiemancipatoric.… Expand
  10. katezoe
    Mar 10, 2018
    1
    Bad acting, terrible direction, dumb & dumber actions sequences. Major disappointment.
  11. Lsherman3
    Feb 2, 2018
    3
    It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve seen. However with all those special effects and production values they still managed to make an incredibly boring show. It is slow, uninteresting and lacks emotional connection to the audience. You can tell that the production team studied Blade Runner because they copied shots from it identically, however they didn’t understand what that story actuallyIt wasn’t the worst thing I’ve seen. However with all those special effects and production values they still managed to make an incredibly boring show. It is slow, uninteresting and lacks emotional connection to the audience. You can tell that the production team studied Blade Runner because they copied shots from it identically, however they didn’t understand what that story actually meant. I was really hoping to like this, but alas knuckle draggers are running the show...Next.… Expand
  12. HarryNuggets
    Feb 6, 2018
    1
    Awful, horrible screenplay, horrible directing, horrible dialogue and poor casting. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this hot mess. It looks like I directed it. Why? Cause I have no idea how to direct.
  13. Metalomaniac16
    Feb 21, 2018
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Could not pass the pilot. The ending just got me on my nerves.

    "I don't want to work for the millionare guy. But wait, the female character is telling me i have to accept the job just because. For the sake of mistery. Ok, so it's decided, i'll take the job"

    That was it. Bye bye Altered Carbon.    … Expand
  14. zado
    Feb 4, 2018
    1
    Altered Carbon was such a disappointment after all the hype. Tried watching longer than I should have hoping it would merit hanging in there. It didn't and I didn't. Just awful.
  15. Ramn
    Feb 4, 2018
    0
    The series is not bad, but sadly the series have completely missed the point of the books, and the many and extensive alterations to the plots, characters and the complete alteration of Kovatch him selfe, is confusing to a fan of the books, to say the least. The alterations to the story and making Kovatch "the last onvoy" completely breaks the possibilities of making an other seasons dueThe series is not bad, but sadly the series have completely missed the point of the books, and the many and extensive alterations to the plots, characters and the complete alteration of Kovatch him selfe, is confusing to a fan of the books, to say the least. The alterations to the story and making Kovatch "the last onvoy" completely breaks the possibilities of making an other seasons due to the story of the later books. The violence is toned down to a children's book standard comparing to the novels and the smoothing over of Kovatch complete destain hate and disgust with religion leaves the series without the original message, making the tv series a life less sci fi action like any other, disappointing to say the least.… Expand
  16. Aryaman
    Feb 2, 2018
    0
    Thank you very much Netflix!!! But i think I'll give this one a HARD pass!!!1
  17. agagil
    Feb 6, 2018
    0
    Spartacus in the future. That's the level of this terrible adaptation of some great sci-fi. Pity, I was really looking forward to this :-(
  18. JoyBell
    Feb 2, 2018
    0
    Absolutely Terrible. There's no chance this is the future. I mean unless the smart people left the lazy people to do their own future, and the smart are on another galaxy or something, and that's the future of the lazy and of the dump, that would be the only explanation of this bad written series.
  19. OlivierPiel
    Mar 19, 2018
    1
    Only fit for teenage boys. Intellectual masturbation at its worst. Boring boring boring. Gave up 30 min in
  20. Huey_Kratos
    Nov 5, 2019
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Ending Sucks, i mean who chooses a new piece of ass over their own sister. Who had been looking for you so long.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed TV Season of 2018
30
#30 Most Shared TV Season of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. The Detroit News
    Reviewed by: Adam Graham
    Mar 1, 2018
    50
    Big issues of body, mind, identity and technology shuffle around the Altered Carbon universe, but the show often drags its feet in order to fill its individual episodes’ running times.
    Read full review
  2. Vox.com
    Reviewed by: Emily VanDerWerff
    Feb 5, 2018
    80
    For a series that makes a lot of basic storytelling stumbles and often seems to feature characters who can only speak in exposition, Altered Carbon’s first season is surprisingly gripping, especially in its superior back half. This is probably the best first season of a Netflix drama since The Crown’s first year dropped in late 2016.
    Read full review
  3. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Sophie Gilbert
    Feb 5, 2018
    50
    Altered Carbon is so busy trying to wow viewers by constantly one-upping the imagery and the intensity that it barely pauses to consider its story. The writing is also distinctly clunky: a hodgepodge of vacant platitudes and canned spirituality.
    Read full review
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