'Murderbot' review: Alexander Skarsgård's sci-fi series is humorous and entertaining
What's the story
Apple TV+ houses some of the most critically acclaimed, inventive contemporary sci-fi series, such as Severance, Silo, and Dark Matter.
It is no surprise, then, that its new offering, Murderbot, charts similar territories.
Led by a competent, reliable Alexander Skarsgård, Murderbot is based on Martha Wells's book series The Murderbot Diaries.
Here's our review of the first two episodes that dropped on Friday.
Premise
What happens when a robot gains free will?
The futuristic series focuses on a high-tech security robot named Murderbot (Skarsgård), who breaks the shackles of enslavement and gains free will.
It becomes more aware, smart, and less mechanical.
It is soon assigned to a group of scientists, and one of them, Dr. Gurathin (described as an augmented human), begins suspecting that there's more to Murderbot than meets the eye.
#1
Slick action and a sense of mystery fuel it
The show is at its strongest when it focuses on intense action, especially when a scientist is attacked by a dangerous creature and quickly saved by Murderbot.
A sense of mystery and foreboding looms large over these episodes, building up anticipation for this wacky robot's future.
What does it want? What is its goal? Can humans figure out its ambition before time runs out?
#2
Skarsgård's voice acting is crucial to the series
As with Netflix's You, internal monologues are the fulcrum of Murderbot.
Skarsgård lets his eyes and body language do most of the talking, and his pitch-perfect dialogue delivery encapsulates his character's cynical, paranoid, and misanthropic nature.
Some of his best scenes are in the second episode, when the robot is relentlessly interrogated by Dr. Gurathin, played by David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil).
#3
Its comedic tone helps the series massively
Murderbot will unsurprisingly remind you of similar projects such as Black Mirror and Star Trek, but what sets it apart is its consistently comedic, wry, and amusing tone.
Murderbot is consistently surprised by humans' stupidity, impulsive nature, and stubbornness, and its judgmental dialogues make the episodes enjoyable, saving the series when it seems to give way.
#4
Pay special attention to the robot's sardonic tone
Murderbot's dialogues are the scene-stealers in these two episodes, and the show pushes the envelope in terms of creative possibilities with a robot.
At one juncture, it is so overwhelmed by the idea of delivering a speech that it says it would rather have an "acid bath."
At another point, it says, "All of their equipment was garbage...including me."
#5
However, the tonal unevenness is jarring
On the other hand, it can sometimes be tough to stay with Murderbot because the tonal shifts are messy.
Scenes go from somber to comedic within seconds, leaving a sour aftertaste.
Moreover, while the episodes feature an interesting group of characters, we don't spend enough time with them.
Hence, keeping up with the plot while also trying to fathom the characters can be exhausting.
Verdict
The opening episodes establish the series well; 3/5 stars
Overall, the opening episodes set a fertile, stable ground for the rest of the series, and while the tonal shits can sometimes be tough to handle, the actors make you keep watching.
The show's commentary on capitalism, production design, inventive nature, and Skarsgård's voice work are among its strongest, most alluring aspects.
Apple TV+'s Murderbot gets 3/5 stars.