Sci-fi is having a moment again — this time thanks to Apple. Their new series Murderbot , based on Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries, has earned a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes in its first few days and is quickly becoming a genre-defining event.
In recent years, Apple TV+ has become a home for some of the most ambitious and unconventional sci-fi projects. But Murderbot stands out for its rare blend of big ideas, genuine emotion, and pure entertainment value.
What the series is about
The story centres on an android officially assigned to guard scientific missions — until one day, through either a glitch or a conscious decision, it hacks its own operating system. From that point on, everything changes.
No longer a soulless machine, it gains free will — along with anxiety, uncertainty, and an unexpected love of television dramas. A conflicted and oddly touching figure, the android would rather binge soap operas than carry out kill orders. But it continues to pretend to be just a machine — because discovery means death.
Who’s in it
The title role is voiced and played by Alexander Skarsgård , in what critics are calling one of his most distinctive performances. His deliberately stilted delivery makes the character sound like a robot trying to be human — and that’s the point. It gives the viewer access to the bot’s inner struggle: between cold programming and a creeping, messy humanity emerging from beneath the metal and code.
As the story unfolds, Murderbot joins a team of scientists exploring an uncharted planet. They don’t realise their bodyguard is sentient. The bot, meanwhile, fears being exposed — but slowly forms a quiet emotional bond with the group. At its core, this is a story about what it means to be a conscious machine in a world that won’t let you be yourself. And why, sometimes, even androids just want to be left alone under a blanket with a good show.
What critics are saying
Despite its potential for dark philosophy, Murderbot is full of humour and lightness. It plays with contrasts — set against deserted planets, malfunctioning robots, and sandworm battles, it weaves in subtle drama and awkward comedy. All of it seen through Murderbot 's own sarcastic, dryly emotional perspective.
Early reviewers who gave it that 100% freshness rating say it made them laugh out loud and cry in equal measure — a rollercoaster of feeling. Apple is steadily building a strong sci-fi collection, but Murderbot is something special.
This isn’t just a story about artificial intelligence — it’s a story about growing up, discovering who you are, and fearing what that means. All wrapped up in sleek, fast-moving, and effortlessly charming science fiction. The series debuts on May 16 — don’t miss it.
