In the last few years, Apple TV+ has proven itself as a titan of high-standard TV with shows such as Ted Lasso, Severance and Silo. Their approach to valuing quality over quantity is evident in the calibre of projects they produce, whether it's comedies, dramas or something in between. Murderbot, based on the critically acclaimed The Murderbot Diaries books by Martha Wells, is the newest addition to Apple's growing catalogue of shows, but does it live up to their normal standards of storytelling?
When a security robot (Alexander Skarsgård) hacks its own mainframe, renaming itself as Murderbot, it must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.
Murderbot is a show that seems like one thing on the surface, but presents something slightly different as it unfolds. It is, first and foremost, a sci-fi thriller at its core, but at the same time, it has a surprising amount of comedy thrown into the mix for good measure, and it certainly benefits from it in the long run. It's an odd tightrope act to attempt, but thankfully, it retains its identity and tone from the first episode to the last without falling too far into any of those categories.
The writing from Paul and Chris Weitz keeps a consistent ebb and flow going between moments of genuine suspense and unexpected laughs. The show also brilliantly develops the relationship between Murderbot and the humans it is supposed to protect in a manner that becomes more profound and moving as the series goes on.
It isn't just the writing where the show comes into its own, as it also displays a lot of flair with how playful it can be from a visual perspective. Paul and Chris Weitz, who also direct the show, take every opportunity to make the action sequences as kinetic as possible through the camerawork. The merging of visual effects is also impressive, as this show boasts some high-quality CGI that is utilised for many purposes, whether it's to enhance the sci-fi worldbuilding or to exaggerate the campiness of the soap opera Murderbot is obsessed with called The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.
A lot of the comedy in the show comes from Murderbot's narration and intrusive thoughts, which are delivered brilliantly by Skarsgård. He says what he thinks in a way that is always dry and brutally honest, never failing to gain a laugh. Even in his physical performance, Skarsgård brings a delightful concoction of endearment, sarcasm and confusion to the character, really emphasising the fact that Murderbot is constantly disgusted by human emotion whilst being strangely drawn to the people it has been ordered to protect.
The rest of the cast is also fantastic in bringing their own dynamics and comedic talents into the fray. Noma Dumezweni adds a level of uncertainty and cautiousness to group leader Mensah whereas someone like Akshay Khanna gives Ratthi a cocky idiocy that can be both charming and awkward.
However, the most notable cast member is David Dastmalchian, who plays the ever-weary Gurathin. From the very start, he suspects something is wrong with the security unit they've been given and he makes various attempts at trying to crack Murderbot's guise to no avail. Dastmalchian brings just as much sarcastic, deadpan humour to the proceedings as Skarsgård does, mostly through his line delivery, and it works almost every time.
Murderbot is a brilliant piece of comedic, sci-fi storytelling that intrigues as much as it entertains. It's a show that feels confident in its execution, and this is only reinforced by a fantastic cast who are all working at the top of their game, especially Skarsgård, who is at his funniest here. It doesn't disappoint and consistently delivers from start to finish. This is about to become a lot of people's new favourite TV show.
Murderbot premieres on Apple TV+ on 16 May.
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