Altered Carbon Season 2 2020 (Netflix Series)

I was excited to find out that Anthony Mackie would be headlining season 2 of Altered Carbon.  It is odd when a show comes back for season 2 with a new lead actor – but in the case of this show where characters come back in different bodies or “Sleeves” it makes sense.  His performance in the show was great,  unfortunately the story in season 2 just felt uninspired. 

Season 1 dropped us into a Blade Runner type future with some people living for generations in new bodies and had some interesting themes.  The plot of season 2 just didn’t seem fresh or new in anyway.  There were some cool scenes –but as a whole the whole season just feel flat for me.   I  finished the season – but this was a perfect example of a show that if it was a weekly show I may not have stayed with it.  As a short binge watch dumped all at once I worked my way through it quickly.

One of the problems I’ve noticed about several Netflix shows is that you binge them and then generally forget about them.  The gap between season 1 of Altered Carbon and season 2 was so long that season 1 pretty much is wiped from your mind by the time season 2 comes out.  Even shows that you really like become disposable in a way- because the dump the season and binge watch it model.   I’m finding that I enjoy shows like the Mandalorian and Clone Wars much better than Netflix shows.  A part of the that is that they are Star Wars and a part of that is that you get to let the episodes sink in and get excited again for the next week.  That is badly missing from NETFLIX shows that dump all at once.  With shows like Altered Carbon it is binge it and completely forget about it.   I don’t think I would have made it through season 2 of LOST in Space if it was a weekly series, so maybe NETFLIX Is getting me to watch shows I wouldn’t normally watch with this dump the season model.