Murderbot is marching toward Apple TV+. Will it be a Severance-like masterpiece?

As Silo season 2 and Severance season 2 have come to an end, Apple TV+ subscribers may be looking around for another tasty sci-fi series to sink their teeth into. The opportunity may come soon, as Murderbot, led by Alexander Skarsgård, is coming to Apple’s streaming service this spring.

Compared to Netflix or Disney+, Apple TV+ may be an under-the-radar streaming platform. However, it offers its subscribers something that long ago went by the name of quality television. During a time when there’s a surge in productions whose creators have little faith in their viewers, Apple offers subscribers not only well-written stories and excellent acting, but also space to think.

We think that that the story of the robot with a penchant for soap operas has a lot of potential – here’s what to expect from the new Apple TV+ series.

Is Murderbot based on a book?

Yes. The new sci-fi show from Apple TV+ is based on The Murderbot Diaries, a series of books by American author Martha Wells. The series contains five novellas and two novels:

• All Systems Red
• Artificial Condition
• Rogue Protocol
• Exit Strategy
• Network Effect (a novel)
• Fugitive Telemetry
• System Collapse (a novel)

The books are set in a distant future dominated by advanced technology and hyper-capitalism. Thanks to wormhole technology, it has become possible to colonise distant planets. Artificial intelligence is everywhere – whether in the form of bots piloting spaceships, cyborgs taking part in dangerous missions or sex bots employed by escort agencies.

The main character of Martha Wells’ books is a Security Unit (SecUnit) cyborg (or android, depending on your point of view) – a combination of organic and cybernetic parts.

Several years before the action of the first story, SecUnit hacked its own control system, in the process gaining free will. From that point on, it calls itself Murderbot, not identifying with any gender – or even with humanity. The books, which are presented as personal diaries, cover Murderbot’s inner journey from a corporate device to conscious being.

The stories in The Murderbot Diaries series have received many accolades, including the Nebula and Hugo Award.

When will the Murderbot series be released?

Murderbot will debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, 16 May 2025, with the first two episodes airing together. New episodes will be released every week until 11 July. The show will consist of 10 episodes.

What is the plot of Murderbot?

Apple hasn’t given much information about the series’ plot. The official description states:

“Murderbot” is a sci-fi thriller/comedy about a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Played by Skarsgård, Murderbot 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.

The series’ first season will likely be based on the first novella, All Systems Red. The story is set on a distant, uncolonised planet, where a group of scientists from an independent world called PreservationAux are conducting research. They are equipped with the titular Murderbot, which is supposed to keep the team safe – as it ironically states, to protect them from external threats and prevent them from killing each other.

In the book, Murderbot doesn’t pay much attention to its job, which it finds tedious. Whenever possible, it immerses itself in downloaded multimedia, including its favourite soap operas. Moreover, Murderbot hates interacting with humans – it’s extremely shy, perhaps even suffers from a social phobia, and most of all enjoys sitting alone in its cabin.

Unfortunately, Murderbot can’t just dive into the new episodes of The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon whenever it wants. When the scientists come under a vicious attack, the rebellious cyborg needs to take care of “its” people.

As we’ve already mentioned, All Systems Red is a novella. Therefore, the series’ creators may want to expand the first season’s plot to include threads from the second novella, Artificial Condition, in which Murderbot goes on an interplanetary journey.

Who will be in the cast of Murderbot?

The show’s main character, a security construct who calls itself Murderbot, will be portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård, known for his roles in True Blood, Big Little Lies and Succession.

We also know who will play the group of scientists under Murderbot’s guard. The series will feature:

• Noma Dumezweni as Dr. Mensah
• David Dastmalchian as Dr. Gurathin
• Sabrina Wu as Dr. Pin-Lee
• Akshay Khanna as Dr. Ratthi
• Tattiawna Jones as Dr. Arada
• Tamara Podemski as Dr. Bharadwaj

Who is the crew behind the Murderbot series?

Murderbot was created for Apple TV+ by Academy Award nominees Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Mozart in the Jungle). Alexander Skarsgård will not only star as the titular character, but also executive produce the show.

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