Altered Carbon Review: Altered Carbon is a show from the cyberpunk genre and one of the hardest things about content in this space is that it can either be extremely exciting or mind-numbingly daft. While the first season of the show that is based on English author Richard K. Morgan's book by the same name received mixed reviews,  the second season recently arrived on Netflix and one of its biggest changes is that the series now stars Marvel (Falcon) star Anthony Mackie in the role of Takeshi Kovacs as opposed to Swedish actor Joel Kinnaman from season one. Mackie certainly brings his best to the eight-episode second season. For those who have followed the first season, it's slightly an easier ride to get the hang of this show. As for the second season, it has Takeshi Kovacs in search for his long lost love Quell Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry). This search lands him on his home planet, Harlan's World, but is he really ready to face the ghosts of his past is what is left to see. Altered Carbon Season 2 Trailer: Anthony Mackie Replaces Joel Kinnaman as Takeshi Kovacs and He's on a Mission to Find his Lost Love (Watch Video).

If you're confused about the whole home planet and this cyber world concept, the basic premise of the show is that in this futuristic world, death can be evaded as human personalities can be stored in blue chips and reactivated in different bodies, called 'sleeves' and the only way to kill a person is by destroying their chip and not the sleeve. The concept also works particularly well in terms of how Kovacs initially played by Kinnaman is now played by Mackie because he gets a new 'sleeve' (one could say bodily form). Also the leap from season one to two is about 30 years so a lot has changed. While Anthony Mackie's sleeve works for Kovacs' mind and body, there are some memories that it doesn't retain from its original sleeve. There's a lot of stuff from the protagonists' past that is out to chase him this time and among that is also Colonel Carrerra played exceptionally well Torben Liebrecht. Torben's antagonist brings a good amount of suspense to the show and is a chilling villain for sure.

The thing about science-fiction dramas is that either you're deep into it or you cannot go through it at all. With Altered Carbon season 2, this subjectivity is more crucial and unless it really piques your interest, this show won't be an indulgence for you. There's no doubt that Anthony Mackie does a great job at keeping you hooked to his character Kovacs' moves as he goes from one plot twist to another. The first two episodes do a great job of setting up the story and once you get comfortable with all the terms of this futuristic world, it makes for a decent watch. Not to mention Kovacs' Artificial Intelligence sidekick Poe is a major highlight and brilliantly played by Chris Conner.

Check Out the Trailer Here:

The lighting of the show is perfect to give you an idea as to what you're signing up for. The neon-lit action bits work well. The mystery built around Falconer's character and her motifs holds your intrigue and great visuals convey the same skillfully. One of the biggest drawbacks of season one though is that with each episode it keeps getting stronger on its connection with the season one and hence for new viewers who want to directly begin binging on the new season, there's so much lost out especially, the main dynamic between Kovacs and the Falconer.  Altered Carbon Season 2: Netflix Renews Sci-Fi Series With Takeshi Kovacs, Anthony Mackie Joining the Cast.

Yay!

- Anthony Mackie is effortlessly good

- Chris Conner is probably the best performer on the show

Nay!

- Too many connections to season one leave new viewers confused

- Cyberpunk jargons are not a cup of everyone's tea

Final Thoughts:

If you have watched the first season of Altered Carbon, it is probably much easier to not only follow but also like the show. While the visuals and performances are on point, much of the likability of this series also depends on your tastes when it comes to science-fiction/dystopian stories. Anthony Mackie seems a great choice for the lead role and if cyberpunk world excites you, then this show is your definite pick!

Rating:3.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2020 08:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).