©Courtesy of Apple TV +
It is a sarcastic robot, much like the ‘bots on MST3K. However, it is much more forgiving of cheesy videos. (Cheesy people? Far less so). All the boot really wants is to be left alone to watch soapy space serials. However, the relcutant robot must interact with people, whether it likes it or not (and it doesn’t) in creators Chris and Paul Weitz’s 10-episode “Murderbot“, based on Martha Wells’ novella All Systems Red, which premieres this Friday on Apple TV+.
Its original name was a long string of serial numbers, but after it hacked its restraining governor module, to give itself free will, the security android (or “SecUnit”) dubbed himself “Murderbot,” because it sounds fierce and cool. However, Murderbot continues toiling for stupid humans, because if it shows signs of independence or rebellion, it would surely be melted down.
Indeed, humans get rather twitchy when it comes to rogue robots, because there have been incidents of the machines rising-up, massacring the people around them. Maybe Murderbot was even involved in one such incident. The bot can’t tell for sure from the memory fragments remaining on its hard drive, but what it is there, looks very disconcerting. Regardless, Murderbot is in full security mode now, because its clueless new human custodians need all the protection they can get.
©Courtesy of Apple TV +
The scientific scouting party from the Preservation Alliance, outside the Corporation Rim, had to lease a SecUnit to qualify for insurance. Not surprisingly, the beat-up Murderbot was the cheapest model available. The hippy-dippy scientists disgust Murderbot, especially with all their gross relationship jealousies and sexual angst. (Frankly, the android is not wrong in that respect.) They also creep it out when they try to treat the android like a sentient human, because of its artificial intelligence and hybrid biological tissue.
Consequently, Murderbot spends a great deal of time “checking the perimeter,” which is just as well, because hostiles will definitely try to kill the Preservation explorers—both alien monsters and more mortal threats.
Alexander Skarsgård finds the perfect tone for Murderbot, sort of like a slightly deranged Data from Star Trek Next Gen. He is very funny, a little bit sad, and a tiny bit unnerving. Nevertheless, Murderbot is only too right when iit complains about the annoying Preservation Alliance humans.
Noma Dumezweni brings some grace and dignity to the series as the Alliance’s elder statewoman, Mensah. David Dastmalchian also adds some nervous paranoid energy as Gurathin, the digitally augmented human, who yet remains acutely human and deeply suspicious of Murderbot. Unfortunately, the rest of the humans are a dull, neurotic lot.
©Courtesy of Apple TV +
In fact, there are a number of familiar cliches baked into the first season, starting with the evil “Corporation,” which acts like an uninspired carbon copy of the malevolent intergalactic corporate behemoths of the Alien franchise and any number of subsequent polemical science fiction films. The jokey interludes depicting scenes from Murderbot’s favorite serial, The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon (featuring John Cho and Clark Gregg) also yield rapidly diminishing marginal returns.
However, the visual effects look surprisingly polished, especially the scenes of Murderbot in various states of disrepair. The battery of directors, including Paul Weitz (director of American Pie), Chris Weitz (director of About a Boy), Toa Fraser (The Deadlands), Aurora Guerrero, and Roseanne Liang (Shadow in the Cloud) keep the pacing snappy. The shorter episode length, usually 25 to 30 minutes, also makes the Murderbot series highly bingeable.
Regardless, this is Skarsgård’s show, because the titular bot is the main attraction and the best thing going throughout the series. Frankly, the rhythm of his constant interior monologue greatly helps the show’s flow. As a sub-genre, comedic science fiction has a very mixed record, but Murderbot the character consistently hits the right, snarky note. Recommended almost entirely for Skarsgård and his android persona, Murderbot starts streaming this Friday (5/16) on Apple TV+.
Courtesy of Apple TV+
Grade: B
If you like the review, share your thoughts below!