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Altered Carbon 2 review: A great premise that's become too serious

In Altered Carbon’s version of the future, our identities are stored in chips and can be switched between bodies. The first series was a hoot. The second, however, is a bit too earnest, says Emily Wilson

By Emily Wilson

15 April 2020

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Anthony Mackie plays the latest reincarnation of the lead character

Netflix

TV

Altered Carbon

Netflix

THE first season of Altered Carbon was highly imperfect, but it was a whole lot of fun and gorgeous to look at. Now it’s back… although somewhat altered. Altered Altered Carbon, if you will.

Based on an 18-year-old book by Richard K. Morgan, season one began with the tale of a super-soldier turned terrorist who wakes up, screaming and thrashing, in a new body. New to him, anyway.

The central premise of the show is that in the future, people’s identities are stored in a…

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