Altered Carbon, the cyberpunk gem Netflix let die

Netflix decided to cancel Altered Carbon after two seasons, despite it being a solid cyberpunk series with a futuristic premise about souls swapping bodies. Viewers invest time in complex stories, but the platform often cuts series before they develop their potential, leaving unresolved plots and unanswered questions.

futuristic cyberpunk cityscape at night, holographic data streams flowing from a broken console screen, a human hand reaching toward a discarded neural interface stack on wet asphalt, glowing blue and red neon reflections on metallic body armor, cinematic photorealistic style, dramatic high-contrast lighting, rain-slicked surfaces, abandoned tech debris, cables sparking with electricity, dark purple skyline with distant skyscrapers, moody atmosphere, ultra-detailed texture on synthetic skin and circuit components, action frozen in time during a moment of loss

The technology of cortical stacks and its truncated development 🤖

The series introduced cortical stacks, devices that store human consciousness and allow it to be transferred between bodies or sleeves. This technology raised ethical and social dilemmas, such as immortality for the rich. However, the script barely explored its deeper implications. The second season simplified plots and reduced technical complexity, likely to cut costs, which limited the development of a universe with potential to address themes like identity or inequality.

Netflix, the machine that cancels series with class 🎬

Netflix promised us a bright cyberpunk future, but in the end, it acted like a corporate executive: if it's not a massive hit in two days, we cut it. It's as if Takeshi Kovacs changed bodies every season so that we, the viewers, are left with the feeling that our souls have been stolen. Good thing we can always comfort ourselves by watching the eighth season of The Crown.