What would you do if you suddenly gained autonomy? More specifically, what would you do if you gained independence after years of seeing the absolute worst of humanity? Apple TV+’s new series Murderbot answers that question pretty quickly. While our titular robot doesn’t commit any actual murder (that we know of), they think about it a lot. Which proves to be a problem when you need to protect a group of humans.
Based on the book series The Murderbot Diaries, the show follows the self-titled robot, referred to by others as Sec Unit (short for security unit), as it tries to hide newfound autonomy. Sec Units are programmed with a “governor’s module” that prohibits them from disobeying commands and disabling it is grounds for a trip to the acid bath. This means our Murderbot must hide their freedom from those around it. Which usually entails watching cheesy television and interacting with the human crew as little as possible. A problem that grows trickier once it’s revealed there are hostile creatures in the area.
The supreme talent of Alexander Skarsgard holds Murderbot together. Skarsgard’s dry wit takes over much of the show as he narrates the human’s antics and shares his, often exasperated, thoughts. It’s a joke that could easily grow stale, but there’s just enough nuance to the interactions with crew members to make it work. Where Skarsgard’s real skill comes in is his facial expressions. More accurately, in the lack of them. As a robot, there aren’t many authentic emotions we see from Murderbot, but the discomfort from interacting with humans is clear even as they try to hide it. It’s a tricky act to pull off, but part of the program’s joy is seeing it all in action.
As a half-hour series, Murderbot keeps a brisk pace. It works out wonderfully for the plot, which involves the mystery of these hostile creatures and why all the team’s maps have missing spots. Where the format falters is with the human cast. The series mostly sticks to Murderbot’s perspective. Even when they’re not in a scene, they’re usually able to see and comment on it thanks to the security feeds. It’s a fun idea, but hampers our understanding of some of these characters. As a team of scientists, nobody is what you’d call “traditionally dumb,” but they’re all prone to avoidable mistakes that our robotic protagonist can see coming.
So far, the only real standout is David Dastmalchian’s Gurathin. Gurathin is an augmented human which allows him to process data at a faster rate. Not as fast as Murderbot, as they helpfully point out, but still pretty fast. Naturally, he’s the first one to notice something off with our hero. This adds some much needed tension and an interesting dynamic to their interactions.
Whatever Murderbot lacks in heart, it more than makes up for with big ideas. There’s a clear theme here with autonomy and how one uses their free will. Not to mention the interesting planetary mystery that seems to be this season’s arc. Even without diving into those heavier topics, it’s hard to deny the relatability of a robot who just wants to spend its time distracted by television. That charm is what keeps the series going and, hopefully, what keeps you watching.
Murderbot is currently streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes release on Fridays.