Altered Carbon launches out of the gate like a winning stallion. The world of Altered Carbon is rich and interesting. And, the introduction to all the terminology, tech, and culture is deftly handled. Kovacs, played by the always enjoyable Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, House Of Cards, Robocop) is a man out of time, lost in history, having been brought back from an indefinite prison sentence 250 years after being incarcerated. The twist is, he's been re-sleeved, meaning his "stack" (consciousness) now inhabits a new body with military enhancements. It's not an unfamiliar premise. But Altered Carbon is so well executed, it's just fun and intriguing to watch.
The show runners take full advantage of the highly developed backstory and culture available from Richard K. Morgan's detailed source material. This is an immersive story that doesn't take time to explain itself. The plot moves quickly forward through this futuristic, yet somehow familiar world where people commonly switch languages as they speak to one another. Cars fly, and police officers seem pretty much the same as they are now.
Visually, Out Of The Past is stunning, Art Direction, Cinematography, Direction, digital artwork, all is top echelon. Comparisons to Bladerunner are inevitable. But, the look is so good Altered Carbon stands on its own.
At the center of the story is the mystery of who and what Kovacs is. We know he is an Envoy and we know how he died. But, there is more to him, more to his past, and more to his abilities than we understand. He has a destiny.
The only weak element is Ortega's unexplained hostility towards him. Why is she so pissed that he was brought back? But, this is not enough to drag the episode down. Altered Carbon is dressed to impress!
