Based on Richard Morgan’s book of the same name, Netflix’s Altered Carbon is “dystopian science fiction cyberpunk” that looks at life, thrills and crimes in a world where bodies are just “sleeves”, and consciousness is stored in a small disk embedded in the spine.

It’s dark, it’s graphic, and it’s gripping.

Ten episodes, just under ten hours. Lots of graphic violence, especially against women, but not without thought and care.

I’ve not read the books, but apparently the show stays fairly true, with some notable exceptions, ranging from issues with the Hendrix estate, to a desire to give a relatively minor book character “a voice and a chance to change and do something about what happened to her.”, as well as fixing “part of the torture scene that was less interesting and more horrifying”.

It’s far from light-weight dinnertime viewing, but I’d recommend it.

For other worlds with uploaded consciousnesses and transient body-death, see Charles Stross’s Glasshouse and Peter F. Hamilton’s Commonwealth Saga.