{"id":899690,"date":"2025-05-16T10:50:42","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T17:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/?p=899690"},"modified":"2025-05-16T11:43:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T18:43:24","slug":"murderbot-season-1-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cultofmac.com\/reviews\/murderbot-season-1-review","title":{"rendered":"3 reasons to watch Murderbot<\/em> on Apple TV+"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sci-fi action comedy Murderbot<\/em> season 1 is the hottest show premiering this weekend. Apple TV+ turned an award-winning collection of novels into a series that\u2019s fun to watch, with an enjoyable mix of laughs and fight sequences\u2026 with some suspense mixed in.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why you should tune in this weekend, whether you\u2019ve read Martha Wells\u2019 books or not.<\/p>\n

Murderbot<\/em>: Apple TV+ sci-fi show is best new streaming show<\/h2>\n

The Murderbot Diaries<\/em><\/a> is a collection of seven novels\/novellas about a cyborg \u2014 part robot, part human \u2014 built to provide security in very dangerous situations. Wells\u2019 action-packed bestsellers follow the cyborg as it breaks the programming that forces it to kill … and then goes looking for a purpose.<\/p>\n

An Apple TV+ adaptation started streaming Friday, May 16. TL;DR: Go watch it now<\/a>! (I compiled some reasons why for those who want to know more.)<\/p>\n

1. It holds true to the brilliant novels … mostly<\/h3>\n
\"Alexander<\/a>
Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd brilliantly plays the eponymous Murderbot in the Apple TV+ series.
Photo: Apple TV+<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a good chance you\u2019re reading this to find out if Apple TV+ butchered Martha Wells\u2019s books. I\u2019m happy to say the series generally keeps the spirit of the novels, and most of the details too.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a smart decision by Apple. Multiple books and novellas in The Murderbot Diaries<\/em> series won Hugo and Nebula awards. It could have won even more, but Wells started turning down award nominations after she thought she\u2019d gotten enough. Yes, the books are that<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, the series captures the tone of the written versions \u2014 an enjoyable cocktail of laughs and violence. Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd<\/a> is spot on as Murderbot, getting the character\u2019s combination of snark, awkward personality and fighting skills just right.<\/p>\n

But the Murderbot<\/em> season 1 isn\u2019t a slavish adaptation of All Systems Red<\/em><\/a>, the first novella. The most significant change is that the Apple TV+ show builds suspense by repeatedly raising the possibility that Murderbot could simply kill all the humans he\u2019s forced to deal with, something that Martha Wells mostly glossed over.<\/p>\n

Other changes are less significant. Dr. Mensah, the head of the PreservationAux survey team that the cyborg protects, is very close to the book character, but much of the rest of the team is much goofier. They\u2019re comedy relief \u2014 an improvement over the novella in which they often didn\u2019t have a lot to do besides be potential victims.<\/p>\n

2. Murderbot<\/em> is just fun to watch<\/h3>\n
\"Murderbot<\/a>
Murderbot<\/em> season 1 includes well-made CGI, action and laughs.
Photo: Apple TV+<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether you\u2019ve read the books or not, Murderbot<\/em> season one is fun. I like action shows and I like comedies, and this is both.<\/p>\n

In the first season of the series \u2014 both book and TV \u2014 Murderbot acts as a Security Unit for a team of scientists exploring a remote planet. When unexpected dangers threaten the expedition, they discover that their very heavily armed cyborg went rogue by secretly disabling its governor module and therefore doesn\u2019t have to obey them. Still, the SecUnit is their best hope, if it can get them to trust it.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the exciting part of the series, but Murderbot<\/em> is also a comedy. Part of the humor comes from the cyborg\u2019s extreme awkwardness around humans. Also, when it\u2019s not saving people, the SecUnit really just wants to be left alone to watch soap operas.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m so pleased that Chris Weitz<\/a> and Paul Weitz<\/a>, who adapted the books for Apple TV+, realized how important it is to embed The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon<\/em> into this story. This is Murderbot\u2019s favorite soap opera, and it\u2019s both a wonderful source of humor for the TV series and a way to humanize the cyborg.<\/p>\n

Beyond the excellent writing, Apple didn\u2019t skimp on the budget. The special effects are top-notch, which is critical for a sci-fi series like this one.<\/p>\n

3. Murderbot<\/em> is the opposite of a horror series<\/h3>\n
\"Murderbot<\/a>
Don\u2019t underestimate the actin in Murderbot<\/em> season 1, but it\u2019s not gratuitous.
Screenshot: Apple TV+<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With a name like Murderbot<\/em>, some viewers will likely tune in to see a Terminator<\/a>-like killing machine. Nope. The lead character calls itself Murderbot because it hates killing people even though killing people is part of its job. And it\u2019s very good at its job.<\/p>\n

Alexander Skarsg\u00e5rd is a wonderful choice to play Murderbot. He definitely has the body for an action hero, but his funny voice-over narration adds so much to the success of the TV show.<\/p>\n

Just don\u2019t think this series is like a made-for-TV Deadpool<\/em>, another action comedy narrated by the lead character. In that Marvel movie series, people get killed for laughs. Murderbot<\/em> includes nothing of the sort.<\/p>\n

The cyborg SecUnit, despite a scary name, is surprisingly relatable. So many of us have pondered the same questions that it does, like whether an acid bath might be preferable to being forced to make eye contact with someone we dislike.<\/p>\n

Murderbot<\/em> season 1 premiered today!<\/h3>\n