Altered Carbon (Netflix)

[Ashley R]

We've just subscribed to Netflix and Altered Carbon was the second show we decided to dive into.

Now finished season one and was totally blown away. No it isn't totally faithful to the books, but it makes up it in so many different ways that I actually prefer this adaptation.

Looking forward to finishing season two.

 

[Anthoney]

I actually prefer this adaptation.

Me too! At least I prefer the first season to the first book. I haven't finished season 2 yet.

 

[Jeffbert]

Binge watched s2 in 2 days. A mere 8 episodes compared to 10 in s1. Intense, but I had to stop at midnight Thursday, after just 3. Started at 7 last night.

Highly recommended!

 

[ctg]

Superb second season! I took my time to watch it. Not because I didn't like it. Quite the opposite, I love it, and I find it interesting that they decided again to twist the story. The original one is quite a bit different, but in the heart of it, it's another romance that was wrapped in chrome and blood, and then boiled hard. Thing is, the second season is easier to understand and it brings it almost to same conclusion as the book, even if the ending is super twisted. All you need to remember is that everything is connected. All you see has a meaning and a place in the story.

It was a right choice to switch the main actor as well. The sleeving technology allowed them to drop in another high class actor to really pull together the Kovacs story. But more curious choice was the bring back Poe and give him another hotel. The only thing that is not explained is how he survived the aftermath and how Kovacs stored/recruited him for the mission. Not that it really matters as Poe's presence made the story whole.

It is interesting that the AI, meaning our creation and not something that was borrowed from the Elders, is so powerful and yet, at the same time, so fragile. In Morgan's world AI's are not omnipotent. They are not gods even if they do godly things. And they have an ending as nothing can last forever. The real death is real, and in the second season the real death is only magnified, while at the background once again Meth's hold the strings.

You might start hating immortals while you're watching. Thing is, not all of them are bad. In Morgan's world the Protectorate is the fascist Authority that hovers over everything and everyone. Nobody can escape its rule, yet there is nothing they can really do against the alien technology. It is just so much more powerful than anything the humanity has managed to put together.

Eight episodes were short, but to be honest I don't think they needed anything else to wrap the package. The ending also leaves an opening for the third season. I wonder when they are going to announce it?

 

[ctg]

Altered Carbon - Resleeved is a very interesting project that has been penned by Cowboy Bepop's creator. I had not idea that there was more AC coming. You should be pleased that there's no nudity. Only violence and a hard-boiled story that goes more into Kovacs Japanese origins than anything Morgan has produced before. You don't even have to have seen the series before as the producers has thought everything.

It is a glorious miniseries that is set before the first season and it goes more into the role of Kovacs being an envoy than see in the Live Action. To be honest, whenever Kovacs is sleeved he ends up in really bad situations and solving cases that others would be frightened to take on. Curiously this version however doesn't show Kovacs as romantic. He doesn't even remember the previous relationships and losses. It is still however very nice piece for the AC fans.

 

[Dave]

I also enjoyed the second season more than the first. Am I right in thinking that this completes the three books (I never read the third book and it now seems like it might have been the best of the trilogy?)

The ending also leaves an opening for the third season. I wonder when they are going to announce it?

Without material from books to base it upon, the writers will have a difficult task to make the standard the same level.

 

[ctg]

Am I right in thinking that this completes the three books (I never read the third book and it now seems like it might have been the best of the trilogy?)

It's not complete. Mr Morgan left there opening for more. In fact, there were things in this series that appear in the third book, like the Dig, and the third book tells more about Kovacs relationship with the Authorities than before. It explores the Angels and their ship, while it partially happens in space. But if you look at this series, it can be easily extended to five series, giving a chance to expand Kovac's universe and tell those stories.

Without material from books to base it upon, the writers will have a difficult task to make the standard the same level.

Not a problem. They have already diverted a great deal.

 

[Rodders]

I finally got on to Netflix two weeks ago. Started this last night and my first impressions are good. Special effects are great and the acting isn't too bad.

I love the cityscapes. They look incredible and very Blade Runneresque.

 

[Rodders]

Finished the second series last night and was impressed. A very enjoyable series. Slick, action packed and a great soundtrack, in my opinion.

Poe was my favourite character, by far.

Is Woken Furies going to be adapted?

 

[ctg]

Is Woken Furies going to be adapted?

Dig is from the last book. So, yes, I believe it will be adapted, but it's going to take time before it appears because of the current pandemia.

 

[ctg]

“Altered Carbon” has been canceled at Netflix, Variety has confirmed.

The second season of the sci-fi series aired on the streaming service back in February, while the first season aired in 2018. An anime special titled “Resleeved,” which was set before the events of Season 1, was released in 2019.

The series was based on the novel of the same name by Richard K. Morgan. It followed the adventures of interstellar warrior Takeshi Kovacs, who was played by Joel Kinnaman in Season 1 and by Anthony Mackie in Season 2. According to an individual with knowledge of the decision, the decision to cancel the show was made due to Netflix’s traditional approach of cost versus viewership of a series.

Last week, it was announced that Netflix had pulled the plug on both “The Society” and “I’m Not Okay With This” due to budgetary issues surrounding increased health and safety costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both shows had been renewed for second seasons.

“Altered Carbon” took place in a futuristic world where the human mind has been digitized and a person can transfer their consciousness from one body to the next.

Season 2 of the series also starred Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lela Loren, Simone Missick, Chris Conner, Dina Shihabi and Torben Liebrecht along with Mackie. Will Yun Lee and James Saito guest starred.

From Skydance Television, the series was executive produced by Alison Schapker, Laeta Kalogridis, James Middleton, Rose Lam, Bradley J. Fischer, James Vanderbilt, Mike Medavoy and Arnold W. Messer, alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross for Skydance.

‘Altered Carbon’ Canceled After Two Seasons at Netflix

“Altered Carbon” has been canceled at Netflix, Variety has confirmed. The second season of the sci-fi series aired on the streaming service back in February, while the first season aire…

variety.com

 

[Rodders]

That's a shame. I really enjoyed the series.

I must confess that I appear to be one of the only people that enjoyed the second series more than the first. Maybe I missed something and need to re-watch it.

 

[ctg]

It's about the old thing Rodders. Cost of making the space and space-ship in the third series versus of how many people actually watched the series drove the decision. It simply wasn't successful enough. And to be honest, I don't think AMZ is going to save the product, because they've been cutting productions for same reasons.