This is a spoiler-free review. While we touch upon certain basic plot points that have already been established in the trailers and marketing for Altered Carbon Season 2, we’re avoiding discussing any major revelations here. All 8 episodes will be available to stream on Netflix on Thursday, February 27, 2020.
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After two long years, Altered Carbon finally returns to Netflix for a second season, with Anthony Mackie taking over for Season 1’s Joel Kinnaman as Takeshi Kovacs. In many respects, Season 2 surpasses its predecessor with less Sherlock Holmes cyberpunk and more of a focus on exploring the depths of its universe with exemplary world-building, (mostly) interesting new characters, and lots of kick-ass action sequences that showcase Kovacs’ new sleeve upgrades – but more on that later. The pacing throughout is also much improved with newly appointed showrunner Alison Schapker (taking over for Laeta Kalogridis) trimming the episode count from a sluggish 10 in Season 1 to a more-focused 8 installments.
Mackie’s interpretation of Kovacs is vastly different than Kinnaman’s, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it does take some getting used to, especially in the first couple of episodes. Where Kinnaman’s portrayal of the last Envoy was more stoic and brooding, Mackie’s is a bit more impassioned, with plenty of charm and swagger. Then again, thirty years have passed since the Season 1 finale, so the fact that Kovacs has changed on an emotional level after killing his own sister (among other things) isn’t too far out of the realm of possibility.
For a glimpse at what’s to come in Altered Carbon Season 2, check out the official trailer below:
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In Season 2, after decades of searching for his centuries-old love, Quellcrist Falconer (Renée Elise Goldsberry), Takeshi is lured back to his birth planet of Harlan’s World in the hopes of locating her.
One of the major throughlines connecting both seasons is Kovacs’ desire to find Quell and continue their fight to reset the balance between life and death. In Season 1, most of the interactions between Kovacs and Quell take place during flashbacks, with Will Yun Lee’s (The Good Doctor) version acting alongside Goldsberry. But now that Quell is out and about in the “present-day” with Mackie’s Kovacs, it feels… different. Maybe it was Lee’s palpable chemistry with Goldsberry back in Season 1 that lent the storyline such weight, but in Season 2, it’s difficult to believe that these two characters were ever in love, undermining what should be the driving force of the story.
This season does do a nice job of interspersing flashbacks to Season 1 in case you forgot any pivotal scenes that add context to the plot twists of Season 2. But even those glimpses into the past that focus on Kovacs and Quell fail to capture the depth of their relationship or what’s driving their love story, because there are more interesting storylines that overshadow theirs.
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While Season 1’s rain-soaked streets of Bay City gave off some welcome Blade Runner vibes, Harlan’s World has an entirely different aesthetic, complete with seedy underground nightclubs, lush green forests, and a mysterious Elder orbital defense system that protects the planet’s surface. Journeying to a new planet this time around gives Altered Carbon’s universe a more grandiose feel, although it might’ve been interesting to explore more of Bay City, and Earth for that matter, to really expand the scope of the show. Harlan’s World also offers ample opportunities to learn more about the mysterious Elder civilization through the ruins and technology they left behind. Season 1 merely alluded to these ancient beings, so if you were hoping for an in-depth course in all things Elder, you’re in luck. The time spent on the Elders is a nice respite from the repetitive “Meths are bad” message usually spewed by Quell and her followers.
Kovacs’ sleeve upgrades are another nifty addition for Season 2, making him even more of a killing machine than he already was. Sure, these combat skills don’t add any narrative weight to the story, but they do look super cool, especially the “mag plates,” which allow Kovacs to call weapons that are biometrically coded to his sleeve — think Kratos summoning his Leviathan Axe in God of War. Overall, the action and fight choreography are top-notch, with meaningful, character-driven battles towards the latter half of the season that carry emotional weight for key characters.
Joining Kovacs on his interstellar quest to find Quell is fan-favorite Poe, once again played by Chris Connor. The AI continues to strive to be more human than digital code in Season 2, which sometimes takes him on side-quests that detract from the main storyline. However, Connor’s performance is so endearing that, if you’re a Poe fan, the meandering narratives probably won’t ruin the story — even if they sometimes stall the season’s momentum. And just like with Kinnaman’s Kovacs in Season 1, Connor and Mackie have great on-screen chemistry — bickering and making up again in true bromance fashion.
In case you forgot just what in the heck happened last time around, be sure to check out our Altered Carbon: Season 1 recap below:
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On the villain front, Season 2 has a couple of baddies trying to get in Kovacs’ way, but sadly, one of them is more memorable than the other. Lela Loren’s Governor Danica Harlan is your typical power-hungry politician whose only concern is self-adulation (she’s also dealing with some serious daddy issues). Loren does her best with the what’s she’s given, but her character lacks the nuance needed to make her stand out among an otherwise dynamic cast.
Torben Liebrecht’s Ivan Carrera packs a more powerful punch as an adversary for Kovacs, and it has nothing to do with brute strength. Without venturing into spoiler territory, we’ll just say that Carrera’s relationship with Kovacs is one of the more interesting narrative threads throughout Season 1. Liebrecht gives a commanding performance here by imbuing his character with ample amounts of bravado and vulnerability. And depending on the scene and who he’s interacting with, you’re never quite sure which version of Carrera will show up.
