4 Years Before Severance, Dichen Lachman Starred in One of the Best Sci-Fi Shows on Netflix

Though Ms. Casey/Gemma doesn't have much screen time in Severance and her emotional range is muted for obvious reasons, Dichen Lachman's performance is engaging and leaves a sense of complex mystery.

Severance is known for its brilliant performances – and Dichen Lachman is no exception. She masterfully shifts from an aloof and robot-like innie to a vibrant and emotional outie, making her character one of the most layered in the series.

But even before Severance, Dichen Lachman starred in another outstanding sci-fi series that was canceled too soon – Altered Carbon.

What Is Altered Carbon About?

In the distant future, Earth has become a paradise for the rich – the technology of copying consciousness and placing it in another body has made people virtually immortal.

Immortal, but not invulnerable – the country's richest tycoon, Laurens Bancroft, is attacked and loses nearly all of his backup copies of his consciousness.

To prevent further attacks, Bancroft turns to imprisoned soldier Takeshi Kovacs for help – in exchange for a pardon and a new body, he must use the skills he has acquired through intensive psychological training to uncover the circumstances of the murder.

Altered Carbon and Severance Are Connected Not Only by Dichen Lachman, but Also by the Main Concept

Lumon's activities and its primary goal in Severance are still shrouded in mystery, but there is a theory that the corporation is attempting to achieve immortality by transferring consciousness into a new body.

In this respect, Severance echoes Altered Carbon, with Dichen Lachman serving as the link between the two.

In Altered Carbon, the actress played Reileen Kawahara, the sister of the protagonist, who eventually became one of the most powerful meths – people whose lives were extended by changing their physical shell.

Season 1 of Altered Carbon Was Brilliant, but Season 2 Disappointed Viewers

Altered Carbon is imperfect, but it is mesmerizingly beautiful and uncommonly deep. Immersing yourself in the world of the future, where bodies can be changed like clothes, will not be easy, but you will have a motivation to think about the questions of faith, personality, existence and free will.

However, if you decide to watch Altered Carbon, we recommend that you only stop at the first season – it received 91% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes, while the second season – only 37%.

The second season developed the Sequel Syndrome. The first chapter was so exciting that there was no way to raise the stakes in the second one. The uncomfortable world with all those bodies made of plastic bags was replaced by cyberpunk superhero adventures that did not suit the tastes of the viewers.

The outcome was predictable: Altered Carbon was canceled by Netflix after two seasons, so we will never see the finale of Takeshi Kovacs' story.