TV Show of the Week: Altered Carbon

This has been given an 18 rating by the BBFC.

This show is based on a book of the same name, but I haven’t read it. To be honest, I didn’t even know about the book or the show before I saw it being advertised at the cinema. The idea intrigued me, and was highly original. This review will focus only on the show, more specifically, the first three episodes.

The first episode introduced us to the new, original and unique world, and the main character, Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) who died 250 years ago, but due to some highly advanced alien technology that has been reversed engineered, he was resurrected. This technology, called Cortical Stacks, are disk-like objects that are implanted in the person’s vertebrae and store that person’s memory, so when they do die by any means, they can be brought back to life in another deceased or synthetic bodies, known as Sleeves are used as vessels. Joel is brought back to solve the murder of a highly powerful Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy), one of the richest men in the new world.

The way this built the new world was intriguing and captivating, because it explored ideas not explored on TV before. Those three episodes I have watched I have enjoyed. A lot has happened in those three hours and I do want to watch more to find out who murdered Laurens Bancroft and what other agenda does he have with the main character, Takeshi, because he isn’t any ordinary human brought back to life, he is the sole surviving soldier of those defeated during the new world uprising.

It’s dark, gritty, and violent. It doesn’t hold back on its punches, including its inclusion of nudity. This show has been given an 18 rating by the BBFC, and quite rightly so. The way the violence and nudity has been weaved into the show, it does seem that it would be hollow without it as it does provide an idea of what the new world is like. The new world essentially allows you to live forever, and so that sense of freedom is explored in various ways, including these two elements, which does help with world building for the audience, to give them a better understanding of how that particular world works. Whilst each of the three episodes I’ve seen does have its fair share, and I’m sure the following episodes will also, it doesn’t entirely give off the notion it’s over the top. It did come as a bit of a shock at first, but being an original show, exploring an idea not previously seen on screen, the audience needs to get used to the concept, so they can better understand and enjoy the story. However, you may enjoy it that bit better if you did have some idea of what is included in the series, so it doesn’t throw you around too much and focus on the story, not just those two elements.

If you’re not used to this particular genre before seeing this show, then it may be difficult to enjoy properly, but if you’re looking for something original and intriguing, then I do recommend it. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted. I for one will be watching the remaining seven episodes in the series, and whilst those three episodes have given me an idea of what to expect, I’m still wondering if it will all turn on its head.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)