Violent mercenary Takeshi Kovacs wakes up after a 250-year sleep, in the body of another man, and presented with an offer that he can’t refuse.

Netflix’s 10-part adaptation of the first of Richard K Morgan’s Takeshi Kovacs cyberpunk series arrives with immaculate timing. Blade Runner 2049 is released on home entertainment this week and there’s buzz around Secret Cinema’s presentation of Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Just to seal its PKD credentials, the original novel won the 2003 Philip K. Dick award for best novel. But while the future dystopian Dick and Ridley Scott comparisons are inevitable, there’s just enough originality in the story to let the show create its own identity and audience.

Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad, RoboCop remake) is the current version of Kovacs, his body being the ‘sleeve’ for the anti-hero’s consciousness, a ‘stack’ in the back of his neck. In flashback he’s played by Will Yun Lee (The Wolverine, True Blood).

In this opening episode, directed by Game of Thrones’ Miguel Sapochnik and written by series creator Laeta Kalogridis (Terminator Genisys) does a lot of world-building in setting up the premise and introducing the key players. And there’s lots of full-frontal HBO-style nudity reminiscent of Westworld and early Game of Thrones. I have no issue with this titillation, and certainly it’s in keeping with the way that bodies are used and ditched as disposable sleeves, but a show can be adult without making itself prohibitive to younger viewers. It’s also very violent.

As we get to look at Bay City – a dysfunctional shell of San Francisco – there’s flying police cars, giant animated billboards, street food and Japanese neon signs; this series wears its references on its sleeve.

Verdict: With neither Ghost in the Shell nor Blade Runner 2049 finding much love from audiences, will Altered Carbon be able to buck the trend? There’s intrigue and promise… and a heavy dose of deja vu – let’s see what happens next. 8/10

Nick Joy