Altered Carbon Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

6. It's Surprisingly Funny

The biggest difference between this show and something like Blade Runner is that Altered Carbon doesn't dare to take itself all that seriously.

Sure, there are dark, adult themes and a lot of unpleasant things, but it's never more than a few minutes away from a pithy one-liner or a quirky character.

In that sense Altered Carbon feels like it's filling the Blade Runner niche for those who find Blade Runner too severe or self-serious.

Especially note-worthy is Chris Conner's riotous performance as Poe, an Edgar Allan Poe-themed AI who runs a hotel - called The Raven, of course - that Kinnaman's Kovacs resides at. He serves as terrific comic relief throughout the show, especially during his interplay with the more serious-minded Kovacs.

There's also some wry social commentary, especially regarding the state of modern America, which helps prevent things ever getting too dark or serious for their own good. That it pulls all this off without causing any tonal whiplash is impressive.