The Murderbot is a security android played gleefully with unemotional sarcasm by Alexander Skarsgård. Set in a semi-dystopian future, This human-faced machine has found the way to over-ride its governing program and now, beneath the surface, has free-will.
The story is told through Skarsgård as a first person narrator, so we see his interactions with humans while he openly gives us his true feelings about their ignorance and the dangers they face. The fun here is that even though Murderbot has gained provenance over his self, he still has no desire to be more like humans.
While the Apple corporate entity continues trying find a way to succeed with AI, Apple TV+ is getting it done with this snarky sci-fi, dark, binge-worthy comedy. Creators Chris and Paul Weitz, best known for their work on American Pie and About a Boy, create, write and share directing this 10 part series. It’s based on the book “All Systems Red” by Martha Wells, who also serves as a writer on the series.
Skarsgård went method for the role, without even being asked. He went hairless and still regrets putting himself through that process. He removed every hair from his body to look like a Ken Doll automaton for scenes showing him naked and with no genitals. Going hairless was a brave move he says he will not do again should there be a second season.
In the opening episodes, Murderbot is sold to an exploration team of clueless neophytes led by an over-emotional, but compassionate and kind mother-figure Mensah (Noma Dumezweni). Murderbot is a broken down bot that is refurbished, but nowhere close to top of the line, but it’s the only model this rag-tag group can afford. The team’s data collector, Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), is an augmented human who is secretive even though he has strong emotions, and is deeply suspicious of Murderbot.
Skarsgård uses the tiniest facial expressions to show his emotions to keep him machine-like while also relatable to the perils he, as well as his human cohorts face. He’s supposed to be protecting them. The rest of the crew are drawn mostly as stereotypes and don’t particularly stand out. An encounter with a cartoonishly lethal worm monster, where Murderbot jumps in to save them provides a test to gain some trust and empathy from the group.
What does Murderbot do when it can do whatever it wants? Skarsgård’s bot spends countless hours watching a second rate TV soap opera, The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon, a Star Trek-like series with numbingly dull characters played with overacted zeal. They are John Cho as a Captain Kirk stand-in along with Clark Gregg as Lieutenant and Jack MacBrayer with DeWanda Wise in the Navigation Unit adding spice to Murderbot’s view of humanity as a failing species.
A surprising aspect of this series is the Weitz’ decision to shorten the length of the episodes. The result is that this feels like a throwback to the early days of Webcasts that had fans eagerly watching half hour or less installments. It’s nice to have a show you can watch on a lunch break.
This series is a sly, smart series raising ethical questions about human control over technology, touching on capitalism and basic freedom. Skarsgård’s star android hates to make eye contact, but you should definitely plant your eyeballs on Murderbot.
Apple TV+ 10 Episodes TV-MA
