Even if it’s dwarfed in viewership numbers by its rival streaming services, Apple TV is ahead of the competition when it comes to great science fiction programs. Between the mystery box intrigue of <em>Severance</em>, the space opera epicness of For All Mankind, the futuristic drama of Silo, and the epic mythology of <em>Foundation</em>, the streamer is making the type of smart, engaging sci-fi stories that aren’t seen nearly enough on the big screen. Although it may have been treated as a more minor endeavor because of its half-hour episode lengths, Murderbot is just as strong as any of Apple TV’s other sci-fi shows released in 2025. In its first season, the sharp, satirical adventure show managed to do something innovative and entertaining with the concept of artificial intelligence. Now that Murderbot has been picked up for a Season 2, there’s no reason not to watch one of the year’s most welcome surprises.

What Is ‘Murderbot’ About?

Murderbot is based on the acclaimed novel series of the same name by Martha Wells, which follows the adventures of an artificial private security consultant who is assigned to complete unwanted missions by its corporate employers. Traditionally adapting Wells’ novels was considered a challenge, as their first-person perspective and sarcastic sense of humor could have been tough to translate. However, <em>Murderbot </em>is both surprisingly moving and frequently hilarious thanks to a great lead performance by Alexander Skarsgård, who stars in the titular role of the SEC-UNIT that later dubs itself “Murderbot.”

Although the real world has been struggling with the scary ways in which real artificial intelligence is being utilized, Murderbot explores a future in which it’s become much more mundane. The titular character of Murderbot feels like a bored employee who detests having to do grunt labor, with a clear distaste for humans. Although its name would suggest that it’s obsessed with death and destruction, Murderbot is actually just bored by the indignities that humans suffer due to their mortality, and only selected its nickname as a joke. This premise isn’t just a fun way to do worldbuilding, but a great setup for a unique type of hero’s journey. Although Murderbot is initially not interested in any of the personal events in any of its human cohorts’ lives, it begins to realize that there’s something about humanity that it could learn to respect or even admire.

Murderbot is a great binge-watch because the half-hour episode lengths are the perfect way to keep the momentum going; while the series often feels like an adventure-of-the-week because of the various dangers that Murderbot gets into, it also has a sterilization component based on the growing complications of its mission. Although the first few episodes of the series do a good job at explaining what the role of artificial intelligence is in the show’s hyper-capitalist, technologically advanced society, the real core of the story emerges when Murderbot is called in to save its assigned crew of scientists on an unfamiliar planet. Although the show is light on the type of melodramatic moments that too often pop up in sci-fi shows, the viewer gets to spend so much time with Murderbot (who often monologues in order to record its own logs) that it ends up becoming a lovable character. The conclusions that the show reaches about the insidiousness of capitalism and totalitarianism are surprisingly profound; even if Murderbot does not respect the institutions that employ these scientists, it can still show compassion for each of them as individuals.

‘Murderbot’ Also Offers a Unique, Funny Take on the Space Opera

The most clever way that Murderbot can satirize other works of space fiction is a “story-within-a-story” device that bears a lot in common with the use of the fictional program Invitation to Love with Twin Peaks. Murderbot is a self-proclaimed television junkie who enjoys watching a science fiction drama called The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon, which feels like a cross between the original Star Trek series and a soap opera. Sanctuary Moon presents a very idealized version of what an intergalactic adventure would look like, which makes it even funnier when Murderbot’s more banal existence is brought up as a point of comparison. It helps that the cutaways to the show involve an extensive cast of well-known actors who are given the chance to chew the scenery with very over-the-top performances, including Clark Gregg, John Cho, Jack McBrayer, and DeWanda Wise. Murderbot’s obsession with a program that is so clearly ridiculous helps to explain its negative thoughts on humanity, but it eventually finds itself using various Sanctuary Moon storylines and dialogue in a misguided effort to bond with the humans it’s been forced to work with.

What’s most refreshing about the series is that Murderbot is unafraid to be unabashedly geeky with its science fiction concepts, even if there is plenty of physical humor to make it more palatable. While it may not require the same attention to detail as some of the year’s more convoluted sci-fi shows, such as The Last of Us and Alien: Earth, Murderbot gets into the nitty-gritty of obtuse scientific principles and existential questions about morality. Showrunners Paul and Chris Weitz, who helmed classic comedies like the American Pie films, clearly know how to write for an audience that is already aware of tropes within the genre and enjoys a bit of subversion. It’s also a true showcase for Skarsgård, who, despite often being cast as stoic and brooding characters, is far funnier than he has ever been given credit for. Those who have read Wells’ novels know that her second book, Artificial Condition, has a ton of potential for an exciting second season that gets even weirder and more humorous. While there are hints within the first season of Murderbot about where the show could go, it reaches a self-contained solution that ensures a satisfying ending that isn’t bound to disappoint any viewers who want to binge it right now.