Over the past few years Netflix has tried hard to be at the center of the average persons’ TV watching experience, producing shows, like Altered Carbon, that are hidden gems waiting for viewers to find.

Based on the book written by Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon takes the watcher on an invigorating journey into the future where death is no longer a concern for humanity and the reality of this has drastically changed society for, in some people’s eyes, the worse. With people’s consciousness now stored on a chip in the back of their necks, their bodies also referred to as sleeves, are almost meaningless, easily killed and replaced with new ones. This fact, and the fear that one day the rich would take over the world, caused the main protagonist Takeshi Kovacs and a handful of other rebels called Envoys to fight back and stop this.

For reasons not understood until much later in the plot, the Envoys failed. Kovacs was killed, his chip imprisoned for some 250 years, and in this time span their greatest fears were realized. The rich became immortal, so powerful and wealthy they became gods, rising above the law, able to do anything they like with little to no repercussions. This is where the story of Altered Carbon really starts. Kovacs, the last Envoy “alive” is released from prison by one of the “gods,” Laurens Bancroft, to solve a murder, his murder.

From there the story of Altered Carbon takes its first steps on a winding, perilous, and intriguing path that leads audiences through a dangerous and starkly different world from their own. Eerily reseblenat to Blade Runner, Altered Carbon’s world is filled with neon lights, flying cars, and corrupt businesses. Any fan of the Blade Runner series would feel right at home watching Altered Carbon, enjoying the cyberpunk and neo-noir atmosphere prevalent throughout both.

Much like Blade Runner, Altered Carbon tells a very complicated story, easily confusing the average watcher if they are not paying close enough attention to the details. However, unlike Blade Runner, Altered Carbon is far more forgiving to the watcher, reiterating details that could have been easily missed and going out of its way to make sure that everyone watching fully understands what happened. In this respect Altered Carbon really stands out, offering watchers who like a challenge to try and figure out the story for themselves but also telling the audience later what everything means so that, no matter your watching style, things still make sense.

And this is a plot you will want to understand, a world you will want to get engrossed in. Throughout the ten episodes in season one the audience is introduced to an enjoyable and relatable cast of characters that get you invested in their stories and make you truly care about them and the plot. This Netflix show is another sleeper hit,  something you will want to watch and not put down until you finish it.