Next week, Apple TV+ will premiere its new science fiction series Murderbot, and viewers should be prepared for a wildly entertaining ride. Murderbot is based on the award-winning Murderbot Diaries book series by Martha Wells, about a self-hacking security construct who has to grapple with suddenly having free will — so long as the humans around it don't find out its secret. It handles its newfound existential questions just like any of the rest of us would: by binge-watching cheesy television shows in hopes of avoiding the pesky humans demanding its attention, and maybe finding some truth-through-media along the way.
If you can't tell from that description, Murderbot is a series which toes the line between hilarious and contemplative, and I can't wait to see how viewers react to Apple's new television adaptation. Alexander Skarsgård stars as the titular Murderbot, but he's far from the only compelling cast member we'll be meeting this season. Murderbot season 1 follows the events of Martha Wells' book All Systems Red, where a group of scientists from the Preservation Alliance system buy a surveying contract on a remote planet from the greedy powers of the Corporation Rim. As part of their contract, they have to bring along Skarsgård's SecUnit to defend them from any unforeseen threats.
Just like in Wells' books, the Preservation Alliance team is filled with interesting personalities who each have their own views on interacting with the SecUnit and navigating their scientific mission. That includes Dr. Ayda Mensah, the group's leader played by Noma Dumezweni; and Gurathin, an augmented human played by David Dastmalchian who serves as the group's data specialist.
We had the chance to sit down with Dumezweni and Dastmalchian to talk all things Murderbot, what they're most looking forward to fans seeing in this season, and more:
Winter Is Coming: What most drew each of you to your characters in this series?
NOMA DUMEZWENI: Getting the gig! Getting the gig, seriously. I didn't know Martha's books before...but I got to meet [showrunners Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz], and then I went 'Oh, I like these people.' Read the script, 'Oh, I like this, there's a funny humor underneath this thing.' And then realizing these stories came out of Martha Wells's head, I was like, 'Oh, I'm in, I'm in. Please let me get the job.' And I got the job and I was very, very happy.
DAVID DASTMALCHIAN: I loved, with my character Gurathin, there's this like Doctor Bones kind of quality to him, if any Trekkies are out there. I think he's got all the elements of the character that's the curmudgeony, like 'Wait a second, before we go in there I need to say a few things!' [Wags finger disapprovingly.]
DUMEZWENI: Everyone needs those. Everyone needs the cynic.
DASTMALCHIAN: Yeah, I love it. The cynic.
WiC: Speaking of being the cynic, both Mensa and Gurathin each have a complicated relationship with the SecUnit. Can you talk a little bit about how you approached playing that? Was there anything you had to do differently than when you were playing off the other "human" characters?
DASTMALCHIAN: I mean for me when I'm in my most triggered state as David, when I'm most dis-regulated, I have such a difficult time trusting others and being able to be open or, you know, not wary of other people because I have such a fear of abandonment and betrayal. So for Gurathin, that's vital because ultimately, we all are gonna have to, if we're going to survive something like what, you know, Preservation Alliance is going to survive, they're gonna have to come to trust one another.
DUMEZWENI: For me...I like people. I like meeting people and going, 'Who are you? How are you?' This sentient construct arrives in our world, we didn't want...we don't want to treat it like a slave, as which the Corporation Rim would do. And then trying to figure out what is the heart of this creature that is in front of us, because it's sentient, it's a construct. It's robot and human vat-grown flesh. And with that comes an adventure. And for me playing Mensah, you go, 'Great, I can tap into that more and more and then follow Paul and Chris's lead.'
WiC: What are you most excited for fans to see this season?
DUMEZWENI: To see it. To see [the show]. I'm so curious because it's unlike anything I've ever seen because it's sci-fi, it's comedy, and it's drama and it's emotion. And Alexander's work is beautiful, and as our titular hero-heroine-it, it's glorious. The work...yeah, you want to follow Murderbot.
DASTMALCHIAN: Cannot wait for people to see Alexander Skarsgård's Murderbot. I think it's just sublime and divine. And I can't wait for people to see the relationships between the characters, and I can't wait for people to see Gurathin fall madly in love with Doctor Mensah and see how his heart will be shattered into a million pieces. [Makes a shocked face.] Just kidding!
A huge thank you to Noma Dumezweni and David Dastmalchian for taking the time to talk Murderbot with us!
Murderbot premieres its first two episodes May 16 on Apple TV+. New episodes will follow each Friday for the rest of its 10-episode first season.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.