‘Altered Carbon’ Explores Class, Immortality and Religion

In the year 2384, anyone can be immortal. Consciousness has been downloaded into cortical stacks easily inserted into bodies called sleeves.

Meths, a nickname for the ultra-rich, live high in the sky above the cyberpunk grime of the middle class down below with a parade of clones at the ready should anything befall their physical body.

The poor, however, come back as whatever they can afford. A little girl is returned to her parents in an old woman’s body, a mischievious abuéla rocks up to a conservative Christian family gathering as a white and tattooed skinhead and a cabal of AI laugh at the folly of man over games of cards.

This is ‘Altered Carbon’.

A Netflix original adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from the Richard K Morgan novel of the same name. An obvious ode to ‘Blade Runner’ and the ‘The Matrix’ in terms of grimy neon future world and virtual reality, ‘Altered Carbon’ explores themes of class, immortality and religion on an earth where nobody (with money) need ever die.

Starring a captivating Joel Kinnaman as rebel envoy Takeshi Kovacs who is spun up from his prison slumber to help a Meth solve his own murder, the series is one that demands you suspend your disbelief.

Also starring Martha Higareda, James Purefoy, Kristin Lehman, Chris Conner, Ato Essandoh and Renee Elise Goldsberry, ‘Altered Carbon’ is all hard exteriors in a tough world where nobody seems to stop to consider the trip that must be inhabiting other bodies.

Missing an opportunity to comment on the reality of race and gender swops once somebody is re-sleeved into an unfamiliar shell, ‘Altered Carbon’ is largely mute on what must be a wholly disorienting, sobering and educational experience.

Joining currently popular series such as ‘Black Mirror’ and ‘Westworld’ in as much as it explores future technologies’ effects on society, the series is a slick and watchable science fiction detective story that feels different enough from its influences to lock you in for a second season.

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