Netflix
- Netflix's new sci-fi original series "Altered Carbon" has an interesting concept, but it gets caught up in excessive violence and terrible dialogue.
- It's heavily influenced by existing sci-fi, especially "Blade Runner," and it's distracting.
- It also depicts a lot of violence and mistreatment of women, a sci-fi trope that feels outdated in 2018.
The marketing for "Altered Carbon" (out Friday), has been bigger than any other freshman Netflix series in recent memory.
Last month, Netflix announced that in 2018, it will increase its marketing budget by 50%, to $2 billion. And "Altered Carbon" is setting the tone. For most shows it has put out, including "Stranger Things," Netflix's marketing has been either non-existent or incredibly subtle, allowing its viewers to determine what becomes a hit. Now, Netflix is deciding what it thinks will be the next big show.
Set more than 300 years in the future, "Altered Carbon" is based on the 2002 novel of the same name, written by Richard K. Morgan. In this future, human beings can live well past their natural death through technology that allows their consciousness to transfer to new body after they die. These bodies are called "sleeves." Think that sounds cool and amazing for everyone? There's a catch: the richer you are, the better sleeves you get.
The mind of criminal Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman, "House of Cards") was frozen for centuries until Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy, "Rome"), a very wealthy man, brings him back in a new sleeve. In exchange, Kovacs has to help Bancroft solve a case: Bancroft's murder. Kovacs' investigation, as expected, leads to a grander conspiracy that could affect the entire world.
The heavy marketing for this first-season original means that Netflix really believes in "Altered Carbon." And it probably will be a hit. It looks cool, it's well cast, the sets are stunning, and the story is easy to follow even for casual viewers, especially considering it's a sci-fi series.
Unfortunately, "Altered Carbon" suffers from issues that make it rather unremarkable compared to other Netflix originals, other television shows with massive fictional worlds, and other sci-fi. It's not a waste of time, but you will probably be disappointed, especially if you find the premise intriguing.
Excessive violence toward women
The 10-episode series is a very direct adaptation of the novel by showrunner Laeta Kalogridis. Though Kalogridis made some alterations from the book - including a bigger role for a female character. But a more prominent role for a woman doesn't give the show the feminist update that might suggest.
For a show that's trying to be subtle - to balance its outlandish atmosphere and premise - "Altered Carbon" is rather ham-fisted, from clunky exposition and cliche dialogue to violence, particularly against women. There are dozens of mutilated bodies in "Altered Carbon," and the majority of them are young women.