-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Altered Carbon Season 2 | OT | Out now on Netflix
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
- Start date
I had to stop after episode 3. It's just not good. Bummer, cuz I enjoyed season 1. I'd be surprised if they get a season 3 at this point, especially with this super hatcheted budget.
Honestly this show disappointed in season 1 and continued to deteriorate in season 2, which was insanely underproduced. It's clear Netflix has no faith in this show's potential for success. I doubt we get a season 3.
Season 2 for me very much had the same problem as season 1. They create a super compelling hard scifi background and then use that to tell a lowbrow derivative pulp story. What a waste. The noir whodunit of 1 was more interesting than the amnesia love story of 2 though. Also the environments took a hit, boy there were some crummy sets in there, where s1 at least tried. I think Mackie is a bit more believable than Kinnaman, but he had less to work with. I enjoyed my time with it, but at this point if it doesn't get another season I'm not too bothered, because the writers/showrunners keep dropping the ball anyway.
I liked season 1 even though it was a bit hard to follow but I didn't like this season that much. Mackie seemed worse as Kovacs and the environment was a huge downgrade.
Found Season 1 awesome. Season 2 is utter trash. Budget seems to be 1/3 of season 1 which is insane given that the "excuse" for the long production time was that this was going to be bigger/more expensive/expansive than Season1. Mackie was trash compared to Joel Kinnaman. All acting was rubbish other than Chris Conner. Action was trash (literally no gore at all which is the total opposite of S1 same for the total lack of nudity in S2..).
Thankfully Netflix didn't fuck up Narcos this year.
Thankfully Netflix didn't fuck up Narcos this year.
I loved season 1 with the exception of the one episode that Kinnamen wasn't in. He's the main reason the show was so good. Season 2 is not nearly as good and I'm not sure if that's due to the lowered budget or the main actor. I'm leaning towards budget.
I'm more interested in a Poe prequel spinoff than a S3 at this point. By far the most compelling story arc of the season.
The only things the first season really had going for it was the ambitious concept, huge budget, and the occasional gonzo flourish - all of which are unfortunately missing from season two. The story and characters are still lackluster and there's nothing else to make up for the loss of the above. Shame.
same here. I really enjoy this series. I hope we get a third season.
So I TOTALLY forgot this came out. I binged watched the entire season yesterday. Still processing my thoughts. A little sad it was only 8 episodes. It didn't feel rushed but definitely wish there was another episode or two. Pacing was good. Plot was easier to follow and to digest. Overall, I liked it. Each season has it's strengths and weaknesses.
Looked great in 4K and HDR too!
Looked great in 4K and HDR too!
Last edited:
I think I missed a few things/they went over my head
did Tak's sister coincidentally spin Falconer down next to the roots of the ancient's tree root thing? I get it was underground where they all used to hang so Tak would search there and be painfully close. How did the consciousness get from the roots into her stack?
Thread activity on Era does not equal popularity. There are loads of shows that get next to no attention on Era and yet get season after season.
same for but i stopped after episode 4. story is trash, mackie is fucking awful, slashed budget is super obvious and most of the actors are terrible.
i stil ldont know how they could fuck it up this badly. did they pump most of the budget into mackie?
true but those shows aren't usually as expensive as altered carbon, even with the obvious budget cuts for season 2. it took them 2 years to make season 2 for a reason. to be honest though i just watched the last episode and i don't really care anymore if they make another season or not, i didn't hate watching it but it also made me feel nothing, s2 was kinda boring for the most part and the writing is just not good enough.
Watching it right now. Episode 3. I think it's alright.
I'll finish it cause the next show I wanna watch - Elite - comes out till next week.
I'll finish it cause the next show I wanna watch - Elite - comes out till next week.
And I am not saying that you are not entitled to that opinion but it is just that. It's your opinion. you may not have enjoyed it but I actually enjoyed the hell out of it. Almost as much as the first season. And the few friends that I have that also watch the show felt the same. So I have a feeling this is going to be one of those things where it's divisive but not enough to cancel the entire series. Especially since Netflix is thirsty for original programming at the moment.
Regarding that:
The mind of the alien was saved on the tree and when the brother of the bounty hunter opened the cave with explosives, it broke the roots, spraying them with the consciousness. That is the reason why the brother and the entire team died.
ahh that makes sense, so she was strong enough to hold it. I think I was confusing myself with the whole imagery of the roots wrapping around the bed thing, thinking it happened when she was still in the pod
This season concentrated on the drama between the characters instead of exploring the Sci Fi concepts of the world and it was ultimately better for it but if it get's continued I hope they pump more budget into this and go full Sci Fi again.
The thing that weirded me out the most was the place of AIs in this world. They're basically godlike in this world but only hang around in VR and none of them actually seems to do any work that benefits humanity. I mean for example why not have an AI control an army of killer robots instead of using soldiers that can be permanently killed?
The thing that weirded me out the most was the place of AIs in this world. They're basically godlike in this world but only hang around in VR and none of them actually seems to do any work that benefits humanity. I mean for example why not have an AI control an army of killer robots instead of using soldiers that can be permanently killed?
Just finished season two. I thought the first season was better. The middle of season two was pretty meh, but I enjoyed the last two episodes. I absolutely loved Poe and Dig this season; in fact they were the characters and story line I found the most interesting. Poe's actor performed wonderfully.
One thing that really annoyed me was
One thing that really annoyed me was
Seeing that Poe someone has a dhf copy in him now. They should have just left Tak dead.
Regarding your spoiler:
It was kinda out of left field at first but it's not unreasonable to think Poe could make a backup of Tak if that's what Meths do all the day. The question now is from when that backup is. It could even be used for interesting philosophical questions since Tak literally becomes what Quell and the Envoys seek to end, even though it's involuntary.
Given what people are saying about S2 vs S1, I'm left feeling like not even bothering with S2.
S1 was interesting in a number of ways, and I felt it had room for real greatness. The combination of many sudden narrative turns (which made no sense to me) and my feeling that it was rushed left a sour taste for me.
S1 was interesting in a number of ways, and I felt it had room for real greatness. The combination of many sudden narrative turns (which made no sense to me) and my feeling that it was rushed left a sour taste for me.
do we know for sure that what Poe has is indeed Tak's backup? It was implied but not revealed afaik
i feel bad saying it, because a lot was asked of the actress this season, but i've never bought her as quell this ultimate badass
she just looks too...nice, like i want her to be cast as a schoolteacher or something wholesome. even when they tried to edge up her look this season with the haircut and the outfit, she never had that thousand yard stare down. quell should be on that The Boss shit
she just looks too...nice, like i want her to be cast as a schoolteacher or something wholesome. even when they tried to edge up her look this season with the haircut and the outfit, she never had that thousand yard stare down. quell should be on that The Boss shit
Overall it's middling, just like Season 1. The character drama bits sometimes do part of what they're trying, but often just feel forced, or badly written, or whatever. The SciFi elements feel even less like they are trying to explore something this season than last. Everything to do with the AI's and Constructs is basically bad, sometimes bordering on gibberish. People can control constructs with their minds in poorly explained ways, AI's are writing sticky notes to themselves and getting space dementia or whatever. Bleh. The main "threat" of the series and the capabilities of that threat are only half explained at best. "Oh it's just so advanced we couldn't explain it" yeah ok jan.
Also, I swear this scene happened 5 times in 2 seasons:
I rarely see such lavish budgets spent on content like this. I am an SF fiend historically so I go in wanting to like it, but really the show is a major waste of potential, and what's mainly letting it down is the overal plotting and the scripts. The music is fine, the cinematography and effects are outstanding for TV, the actors are mostly strong. But I can't recommend it except maybe as an HDR showcase.
Also, I swear this scene happened 5 times in 2 seasons:
I rarely see such lavish budgets spent on content like this. I am an SF fiend historically so I go in wanting to like it, but really the show is a major waste of potential, and what's mainly letting it down is the overal plotting and the scripts. The music is fine, the cinematography and effects are outstanding for TV, the actors are mostly strong. But I can't recommend it except maybe as an HDR showcase.
Last edited:
Holy shit the writing of season 2 is atrocious. I'm not saying the end of season 1 was well written. But I'm only a few episodes into season 2 so far and it's... Oh boy.
Personally imo only half of season 1 was even decent.
Personally imo only half of season 1 was even decent.
Last edited:
Seriously, it's an absolute shame. I stopped mid way through episode 4. I can't do it. It's like some CW writing.
Just wrapped up S2, the middle is meh but the last 2 episodes wraps everything up decently enough. Poe by far was my favorite character. I am going to read the trilogy for sure now.
It was okay, I didn't really mind the smaller scale and thought the acting was fine. The season felt more like a refresher to some of the first with a side plot and honestly I appreciated the refresher. It's definitely a different tone and cut back but I don't think those are the major issues, it's a bit middling, the stakes didn't seem that big a deal or the protectorate being a random goon squad.
I enjoyed the season well enough.
Pros:
+Glad that the actors for Quell and OG Takeshi got a bigger role
+Jaeger was a solid foil
+The Elder looked cool for the 4 seconds it was on screen
+Poe
+A few moments of the fight choreography were cool
+Enjoyed how they were able to integrate the S1 characters briefly
Cons:
-Jaeger's actor, while good, needs some hair plugs or something, it distracted me
-Budget/visual identity seemed compromised (as others have said)
-Mackie has this natural wry smirk that bled into scenes where it didn't belong
-Dig/Annabell felt kind of miscast, or at least not on the level of Poe's actor
-Like 15 scenes of people being surrounded by 5-10 people with guns and escaping
-Harlan Jr.'s plan being a pistol against the three toughest people on the planet was...bad
Pros:
+Glad that the actors for Quell and OG Takeshi got a bigger role
+Jaeger was a solid foil
+The Elder looked cool for the 4 seconds it was on screen
+Poe
+A few moments of the fight choreography were cool
+Enjoyed how they were able to integrate the S1 characters briefly
Cons:
-Jaeger's actor, while good, needs some hair plugs or something, it distracted me
-Budget/visual identity seemed compromised (as others have said)
-Mackie has this natural wry smirk that bled into scenes where it didn't belong
-Dig/Annabell felt kind of miscast, or at least not on the level of Poe's actor
-Like 15 scenes of people being surrounded by 5-10 people with guns and escaping
-Harlan Jr.'s plan being a pistol against the three toughest people on the planet was...bad
I am impressed by s2, to a degree I seldom am when it comes to TV.
Season one was a slog, and atrociously written and with a lot of weird deviations from the book and just eye-rolling Fan Service. "Nudy Reileens! Ten of her! Bewbs! Dominatrix Sexbot!"
However, it felt like a transhuman cyberpunk noir story, and it had the "Oh shit I've had enough!" moment that I just adore in the books.
Season two?
Uh, someone called it YA and that's not far from it. A story about True Love, that will overcome everything! Even the fact that Mackie either smirks like he is sitting on the best zinger ever, or if he's acting like the biggest goddamn asshole this side of Dark Helmet. At the end of the show, I had ZERO sympathy for him and actually cheered when I thought he died. He treats Poe like shit, he treats Trepp like she's expendable and doesn't give one damn about her wife and son or brother until the very end. He doesn't care about people dying in droves as long as he can get some hot Quell Ass gothdamnit!
Like, Carrerra drove the plot on more because he tried to solve the mystery of the revolt. Kovacs was just in it for love. (I sort of really prefer the third books love story, it feels organic and not "You are my CHosen WOman, I will do whatever for you! God has made us for each other!"
Danica felt way too much like "Ha ha I am so great at backstabbing and deception and MWAHAHAHAHAH!" so that I really felt she should have been ousted long ago for being in incompetent failure. And I can't recall if it's from the books but cloning being illegal? Uh, how the hell do you think you grow new sleeves?
Aaand, a final point. In the books Harlan's World is a shitty place, full of stormy seas, war-torn stretches of land and overall just not a nice place to live. In the show? Generic scifi city sets, and the forest outside the director's cabin.
Now, on to the good parts:
Poe is good, not great as before because too much time is spent on the twitches but I found the time he and Dig spent together sweet.
Quellcrist, while I have no idea why anyone would follow her has a way better arc than Tak, and she kicks way more butt than he does.
Original Tak is awesome, I like Will Yun Lee ever since Die Another Day.
Trepps wife seemed like a really interesting character and she could have had an arc of her own rather than being relegated to "Damsel in Distress to the Daftest Bounty Hunter Around" "What do you mean me helping Kovacs has consequences? Unheard of!"
Neal McDonough is a treat even if does nothing, and the Eldest (Preferred 'Martians' myself, less generic than 'Elder")
Carrerra was intimidating and tried to do something with the plot, though why he took so much shit from Danica felt weird when they make him out to be this scary War Crime Walking.
And seeing a naked Carrerra riding a pink balloon unicorn while saluting was hilarious.
Final rating: 3/10
Season one was a slog, and atrociously written and with a lot of weird deviations from the book and just eye-rolling Fan Service. "Nudy Reileens! Ten of her! Bewbs! Dominatrix Sexbot!"
However, it felt like a transhuman cyberpunk noir story, and it had the "Oh shit I've had enough!" moment that I just adore in the books.
Season two?
Uh, someone called it YA and that's not far from it. A story about True Love, that will overcome everything! Even the fact that Mackie either smirks like he is sitting on the best zinger ever, or if he's acting like the biggest goddamn asshole this side of Dark Helmet. At the end of the show, I had ZERO sympathy for him and actually cheered when I thought he died. He treats Poe like shit, he treats Trepp like she's expendable and doesn't give one damn about her wife and son or brother until the very end. He doesn't care about people dying in droves as long as he can get some hot Quell Ass gothdamnit!
Like, Carrerra drove the plot on more because he tried to solve the mystery of the revolt. Kovacs was just in it for love. (I sort of really prefer the third books love story, it feels organic and not "You are my CHosen WOman, I will do whatever for you! God has made us for each other!"
Danica felt way too much like "Ha ha I am so great at backstabbing and deception and MWAHAHAHAHAH!" so that I really felt she should have been ousted long ago for being in incompetent failure. And I can't recall if it's from the books but cloning being illegal? Uh, how the hell do you think you grow new sleeves?
Aaand, a final point. In the books Harlan's World is a shitty place, full of stormy seas, war-torn stretches of land and overall just not a nice place to live. In the show? Generic scifi city sets, and the forest outside the director's cabin.
Now, on to the good parts:
Poe is good, not great as before because too much time is spent on the twitches but I found the time he and Dig spent together sweet.
Quellcrist, while I have no idea why anyone would follow her has a way better arc than Tak, and she kicks way more butt than he does.
Original Tak is awesome, I like Will Yun Lee ever since Die Another Day.
Trepps wife seemed like a really interesting character and she could have had an arc of her own rather than being relegated to "Damsel in Distress to the Daftest Bounty Hunter Around" "What do you mean me helping Kovacs has consequences? Unheard of!"
Neal McDonough is a treat even if does nothing, and the Eldest (Preferred 'Martians' myself, less generic than 'Elder")
Carrerra was intimidating and tried to do something with the plot, though why he took so much shit from Danica felt weird when they make him out to be this scary War Crime Walking.
And seeing a naked Carrerra riding a pink balloon unicorn while saluting was hilarious.
Final rating: 3/10
Last edited:
In the books the Martians as they're called, due to being first discovered on Mars, are an avian race that you don't know much about. There's a corpse that makes an appearance and that's highly bad to touch, and the Angelfire has some neat functions that the show dumped for "Orbital lazers pew pew BOOM Happy ending! They're not really described as feral or anything, just alien."
Just finished season 2, I didn't hate it, but it wasn't very good either. My biggest gripe was that the plot was boring and nonsensical. Stuff happens because the next scene is supposed to happen, everything makes little sense. There is a lot of handwaving with technology, for instance I still don't understand how remote backups could have been corrupted. Everything felt very disjointed, as if they had an overall plot in mind but filled in the gaps with random twists and turns. I feel like they should have spent a LOT more time on the script, because there is some good stuff in there, but it doesn't really work as a whole.
It also looked cheaper than the first season so I'm not sure I even want to bother with this anymore.
It also looked cheaper than the first season so I'm not sure I even want to bother with this anymore.
It's just super small brain. You can have an interesting alien threat but it's functionally just a pissed off, weird-looking human with some wings.
Idk.. I remember liking the books after AC but I can't remember the plot details. This season was honestly pretty terrible -- which sucks because there's so much potential with this show.
I thought the plot was better this time around. I agree Mackie was kind of just generic. I thought the actress that played Quell was a little outmatched for some of her emotional moments.
CTAC keeping back-ups of favored soldiers rung super true. I do have to say, naming the back-up "Kovacs Prime" makes no sense to me.
The Poe memory plotline was a little tiresome; I find it hard to believe there's no standard way to rebuild an AI without wiping it. I also wasn't clear on how he was alive after last season.
There's no world in which Carerra, super-soldier gets taken down easily with a stun baton or two. That guy could have cleared out half of Harlan's security forces solo, I'm sure.
Also, for all the tech I'm willing to accept, I'm still not clear on how the hell the tech corrupting someones stack somehow destroys the back ups instantly. Or how Poe did some wireless instant back-up of Kovacs at the end. Which is a shame because I was ok with the story moving on to CTAC Kovacs and him reintegrating himself into the world.
I also wasn't entirely clear on the coils concept. I'm somewhat impressed by the shows willingness to just throw me in the deep end.
The Poe memory plotline was a little tiresome; I find it hard to believe there's no standard way to rebuild an AI without wiping it. I also wasn't clear on how he was alive after last season.
There's no world in which Carerra, super-soldier gets taken down easily with a stun baton or two. That guy could have cleared out half of Harlan's security forces solo, I'm sure.
Also, for all the tech I'm willing to accept, I'm still not clear on how the hell the tech corrupting someones stack somehow destroys the back ups instantly. Or how Poe did some wireless instant back-up of Kovacs at the end. Which is a shame because I was ok with the story moving on to CTAC Kovacs and him reintegrating himself into the world.
I also wasn't entirely clear on the coils concept. I'm somewhat impressed by the shows willingness to just throw me in the deep end.
Watched it.
Season 1 was better.
I cared more about Poe and Dig this season than the entire rest of the cast combined. Mackie tried but his material just wasn't great, same can be said about the rest of the cast.
I have no idea how this is reviewing better than the first one, honestly, it was generic to the extreme.
Season 1 was better.
I cared more about Poe and Dig this season than the entire rest of the cast combined. Mackie tried but his material just wasn't great, same can be said about the rest of the cast.
I have no idea how this is reviewing better than the first one, honestly, it was generic to the extreme.
One of the second season's problemas was that in the first, Kovacs didnt take himself very seriously, even mocking the concept of "Envoy Intuition" saying that t was just details that most people dont pick up. Mackie, besides being terrible in this, spouts he is the last envoy like he is some sort of Jedi and goes around like he is some sort of brooding, edgy fanfic hero.
Both Kovacs from season one and when he is on his original body act sardonic and even funny sometimes, with an "Gotta laugh otherwise I'm gonna cry" from all the shit that happened to him, this new one just feels "Look at my darrkkk passttt dont trifflee with meeeee last envoy-something".
Both Kovacs from season one and when he is on his original body act sardonic and even funny sometimes, with an "Gotta laugh otherwise I'm gonna cry" from all the shit that happened to him, this new one just feels "Look at my darrkkk passttt dont trifflee with meeeee last envoy-something".