Kovacs finds out the truth about the previous owner of his body and discovers that the former occupant is as much a wanted man as old Kovacs was.

Altered Carbon is now firing on all cylinders, with less reliance on the future noir Blade Runner settings and focusing primarily on the investigation and a bigger human story. Kovacs and Ortega’s storylines finally intercept in a meaningful way, and while the time spent in establishing the latter’s home life might have seemed less consequential at the time, we’re finally getting some payoff.

As is de rigueur with this show, it’s not long before the clothes are off and we have another sex scene, but contextually it’s spot-on and in keeping with what’s happing now. There’s a neat cameo from erstwhile Max Headroom Matt Frewer as the garishly altered Carnage, not a million miles away from his previous glitching persona.

What sets this episode apart from the others is an outstanding final sequence. Jessica Jones and The Defenders director Uta Briesewitz is no stranger to action, and the bust-up in a lift is brutal and shocking.

Verdict: Altered Carbon is now pulling itself away from its more obvious influences and playing by its own rules. It’s a rough, tough, adult future and incredibly compelling. 8/10

Nick Joy