"Murderbot" looks like it could be the next great Apple TV Plus show. At least, I'm certainly sold after watching the first trailer.
In this sci-fi action comedy, Alexander Skarsgård plays a security robot "built to protect and obey" humans. It's based on the popular book series "The Murderbot Diaries" by Martha Wells and created by Oscar-nominated writers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, who are writing, directing and producing the series, with Wells in a consulting role.
But Skarsgård's SEC Unit doesn't want to do sit around and protect "idiots." It just wants to watch TV shows like "The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon" on the company dime.
As a person who literally watches shows for a living — I, too, have probably watched "7,532 hours of content" — I'd be lying if I didn't feel connected to Skarsgård's murderous android.
Which is probably one of the great strengths of this show, based on the trailer.
This is an awkward robot, doing a job it doesn't want to do, who dislikes humans and likes TV. It struggles to handle interactions with people and, upon discovering free will, struggles with this major life change. It has a borderline mid-life crisis: it picks up a new hobby (watching TV) and gives itself a cool nickname (Murderbot).
Killing machines — they're just like us!
But seriously, I think that this sci-fi comedy, which tonally strikes the right balance in this trailer between comedy, action and drama, will easily connect with viewers, and that's a recipe for success. I know I'll certainly be watching the two-episode premiere on May 16 on Apple TV Plus.
Who is in 'Murderbot'?
Including Skarsgård as the titular killing machine, here's the full cast of "Murderbot":
- Alexander Skarsgård as Murderbot
- David Dastmalchian as Gurathin
- Noma Dumezweni as Mensah
- Sabrina Wu as Pin-Lee
- Tattiawna Jones as Arada
- Akshay Khanna as Ratthi
- Tamara Podemski as Bharadwaj
- Clark Gregg
- John Cho
- DeWanda Wise
- Jack McBrayer
- Anna Konkle
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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