This Friday, Apple TV+ will premiere Murderbot, its new television show based on the beloved Murderbot Diaries books by Martha Wells. Wells' books are cult favorites among sci-fi readers and have racked up a number of major awards in the field like the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus. Saying anticipation is high for this series feels like a massive understatement; many people are dying to watch this show, and after reading the first book, I fully understand why.
Apple's TV show is created by Chris and Paul Weitz and stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular Murderbot, a self-hacking security construct which has found a way to bypass its failsafes and gain free will. As such, it no longer needs to listen to humans! Except that if the humans find out that it did this, they would melt it down for scrap. So rather than take any risks, Murderbot binge watches cheesy soap operas and generally tries to ignore the humans in its midst, often while thinking about what absolute morons they are.
This all takes a turn when Murderbot is brought on a surveying mission by the scientists of the Preservation Alliance, who it has been contracted to protect. These unwitting scientists find more than they bargained for on the remote planet they're exploring, and Murderbot finds that it has no choice but to get more involved in their affairs if it wants to keep them all alive. Which it doesn't care about, not really. Except that it does. Murderbot is all about the delicious contradictions.
I've seen all 10 episodes of Murderbot's first season, and am here let you know what's in store. Read on for a spoiler-free review of Murderbot season 1.
Murderbot show review
The first thing I want to drive home about Murderbot is that this is a very fun show. It grapples with existential questions, has good action scenes and a few moments that might make you gasp at the screen, but on the whole this is a sci-fi comedy and it feels like one. In many ways, the humor has been dialed up even more frim the books. Nine times out of 10 that's to the show's benefit, and fortunately, the occasional moment where the humor didn't quite click for me was barely a speed bump on the way to the next amusing or intriguing sequence.
All this is to say that if you're looking for a good escapist show, Murderbot is probably going to satisfy you immensely. I watched the season over the course of around a week and found myself really excited to sit down and watch every single time. That might not sound very remarkable — who doesn't love to watch TV? — but when it's your job to watch shows, sometimes it can devolve into putting on your work brain and taking notes. Not so here. I had an absolute blast with Murderbot and am eagerly anticipating giving it another rewatch watch as the season airs.
Part of what makes the humor work so well is that this isn't just a faithful adaptation of Wells' book, though it is that; if you loved All Systems Red, you will recognize almost every plot beat from the book in the show. But Paul and Chris Weitz have created a Murderbot story that makes the most of its new medium. With tight episodes that run less than a half hour, it comes in, delivers a bunch of fun material, and then gets out before it overstays its welcome. There are perhaps more jokes, but that's because each episode needs to capture the flavor and style of the overall series. There's also extra commentary about how we relate to media, and in this TV show version of the story, it takes on a different kind of meta context due to its medium.
Nowhere is that last point clearer than with The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon, the in-world soap opera that Murderbot is obsessed with. The Apple show blows up Sanctuary Moon into a whole production featuring guest actors like John Cho, Jack McBrayer, Clark Gregg, and DeWanda Wise. Sanctuary Moon has its own outrageous vibe, dialogue, and camera style, all of which makes it both engaging to watch and utterly hilarious. The concept of Sanctuary Moon is funny enough in Wells' books, but the show is able to utilize its medium to make it extra-special for this version of the story.
Now let's talk about the production itself. Unlike many of the other science fiction shows in our current age of genre television, which are suffused with darkness and moody colors, Murderbot isn't afraid to be bright and vibrant. The palette of the show is a breath of fresh air, and that's before you factor in the neon-drenched colors of Sanctuary Moon. Murderbot is a pleasure to look at, from the production design of its sets and props to the visual effects of its data overlays and its creatures.
The cast is also wonderful. Skarsgård's SecUnit is obviously the star of the show, and it steals just about every scene it's in. The actor's performance is perfectly awkward, milking comedic beats just the right amount. Skarsgård has had a lot of excellent roles over the years, but this is one of my favorites for him as an actor. The writing is also extremely sharp, especially in Murderbot's narration. The SecUnit's voiceovers are a cool way to honor the tone of the original source material in addition to adding to the light tone of the show. After watching, I want Murderbot audiobooks narrated by Skarsgård, because there's no doubt they'd be great.
But Skarsgård isn't the only cast member giving a fantastic performance. Each member of the Preservation Alliance team gets ample screentime and opportunities to shine. Noma Dumezweni and David Dastmalchian are especially solid as Doctor Mensah and Gurathin, respectively. Akshay Khanna also has a lot of fun with the role of Ratthi.
For as much as I've sung praises about Murderbot's humor, this is also a show that does a good job with tension. There are some genuinely emotional scenes throughout, and the push-and-pull dynamics of the dysfunctional group at the heart of the show leaves plenty of room for drama. It also leans into exploring mental health for several of its characters in ways that I thought were excellently handled. Murderbot has heart as well as humor, and that makes it much more than just a standard comedy.
Whether you're a diehard Murderbot book fan or you're just now hearing about this show, I'd recommend marking your calendar. The team behind this series did great work with it, and I have a feeling it's going to be very well received.
Verdict
With Murderbot, Apple has added another gem to its ever-growing stable of adult science fiction series. But unlike Silo, Severance, or Foundation, this series prioritizes fun alongside its mind-bending elements. The result is a show that feels fresh, charming, and utterly delightful to watch. I hope Apple renews this series as soon as possible, because Murderbot fans will absolutely be eager for more by the time the credits roll on the season finale.
Season grade: A-
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