Altered Carbon season 2
S went away for a couple of days so I did something I very rarely do and binge-watched something on TV. This was a re-watch of season 1 of Altered Carbon followed by all of season 2.
Spoilers behind cut.
Most reviews I've read seem to be of the opinion that there'll be a season 3 of this show, but I've a feeling that may not be the case, seeing as it's based on a series of novels (three, in fact, I haven't read them) and while season 1 dealt with the story of the first novel, season 2 smooshes events from the second and third novels together. So in fact, as I understand it, they have now run out of story.
That kind of suggests to me that the people making the show were told season 2 would be the last some time ago and were trying to do the entire story justice in the time they had. I did have an impression of trying to cram a lot in in season 2, and of there being not much room for any what you might call grace notes (which could possibly explain why they yet again did so little with the gender fluidity angle that the stacks/sleeves concept would make so interesting - and I can even remember Laeta Kalogridis the showrunner saying after season 1 that they wanted to do more of that in season 2 when in fact they've done less). I dunno. We'll see, I suppose.
There's certainly an awful lot more that could be done with the concept - the stacks, the different 'sleeves, the elders and whoever the hell they were - the whole dystopian set up. On the other hand, the story of Takeshi Kovacs and Quell came full circle and was resolved, so if the story of Kovacs (both versions of him) is to carry on, they'd need something else for him to focus on than Quell and the fallout from Rei's betrayal, and he's been so all about Quell that it's hard for me to imagine him not being.
Anyway, whatever happens, I really enjoyed season 2 (it helps that Anthony Mackie is possibly the handsomest man in the world - see icon - and had great chemistry with Renee Elise Goldsberry who plays Quell). I liked that Quell was humanised and not so much on a pedestal as in season 1(though I do enjoy the slight Spike/Buffy-ish feel of the Kovacs/Quell relationship), was very glad that Poe came back, and I really enjoyed the new characters of Trepp and Dig. Was also great to see Ortega and Elliott back briefly - even if it wasn't really them - and Lizzie, of course.
On the other hand, Danica Harlan wasn't nearly as chilling a villain as Rei, or even the Bancrofts. But that's not necessarily a bad thing IMO, as it made for less of the sickeningly sexual aspect to the violence in the show - and it was still very violent.
There was a lot less nudity, though, which I was pleased about -though I did see one review complaining about that and saying there has to be more again in season 3!!!
But like I said, I'm doubtful there'll be a season 3, and although I'll happily watch more I can live with that. At its base Altered Carbon is a big, soppy love story and without that aspect to underpin it, I have trouble seeing where the story could go next.
Probably lack of imagination on my part.
This entry was originally posted at https://shapinglight.dreamwidth.org/3798637.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Spoilers behind cut.
Most reviews I've read seem to be of the opinion that there'll be a season 3 of this show, but I've a feeling that may not be the case, seeing as it's based on a series of novels (three, in fact, I haven't read them) and while season 1 dealt with the story of the first novel, season 2 smooshes events from the second and third novels together. So in fact, as I understand it, they have now run out of story.
That kind of suggests to me that the people making the show were told season 2 would be the last some time ago and were trying to do the entire story justice in the time they had. I did have an impression of trying to cram a lot in in season 2, and of there being not much room for any what you might call grace notes (which could possibly explain why they yet again did so little with the gender fluidity angle that the stacks/sleeves concept would make so interesting - and I can even remember Laeta Kalogridis the showrunner saying after season 1 that they wanted to do more of that in season 2 when in fact they've done less). I dunno. We'll see, I suppose.
There's certainly an awful lot more that could be done with the concept - the stacks, the different 'sleeves, the elders and whoever the hell they were - the whole dystopian set up. On the other hand, the story of Takeshi Kovacs and Quell came full circle and was resolved, so if the story of Kovacs (both versions of him) is to carry on, they'd need something else for him to focus on than Quell and the fallout from Rei's betrayal, and he's been so all about Quell that it's hard for me to imagine him not being.
Anyway, whatever happens, I really enjoyed season 2 (it helps that Anthony Mackie is possibly the handsomest man in the world - see icon - and had great chemistry with Renee Elise Goldsberry who plays Quell). I liked that Quell was humanised and not so much on a pedestal as in season 1(though I do enjoy the slight Spike/Buffy-ish feel of the Kovacs/Quell relationship), was very glad that Poe came back, and I really enjoyed the new characters of Trepp and Dig. Was also great to see Ortega and Elliott back briefly - even if it wasn't really them - and Lizzie, of course.
On the other hand, Danica Harlan wasn't nearly as chilling a villain as Rei, or even the Bancrofts. But that's not necessarily a bad thing IMO, as it made for less of the sickeningly sexual aspect to the violence in the show - and it was still very violent.
There was a lot less nudity, though, which I was pleased about -though I did see one review complaining about that and saying there has to be more again in season 3!!!
But like I said, I'm doubtful there'll be a season 3, and although I'll happily watch more I can live with that. At its base Altered Carbon is a big, soppy love story and without that aspect to underpin it, I have trouble seeing where the story could go next.
Probably lack of imagination on my part.
This entry was originally posted at https://shapinglight.dreamwidth.org/3798637.html. Please comment there using OpenID.