Murderbot (Apple TV+) 

By: Rachel Brodeur

In Apple TV’s science fiction series Murderbot, Alexander Skarsgård (Succession, True Blood) plays a security robot designed as a ruthless killing machine, capable of high-speed calculations, complex ethical evaluations, but yet panics when faced with something as simple as small talk. This artificial intelligence has become self-aware, and with that awareness comes a deeply relatable, and often paralyzing, anxiety.

The humans he’s assigned to protect remain oblivious to his newfound capacity for free will. Led by team leader Mensah, played by Noma Dumezweni (The Little Mermaid, The Undoing), the group continues to treat their "SecUnit" as just another tool. But the nameless robot lives in fear that this so-called flaw in its programming will be discovered and that could lead to its deactivation or destruction.

The premise of a robot with anxiety sets Murderbot apart, blending action, dry humor, and existential dread into a sharp and refreshingly self-aware sci-fi comedy. The episodes are short, fast-paced, and genuinely funny. A standout performance comes from David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer, Late Night with the Devil)who plays Gurathin, an augmented human skeptical of the robot’s intentions. His suspicion adds tension to the dynamic, especially given the irony: the other humans, mostly researchers and self-proclaimed humanitarians, insist on treating the SecUnit as fully sentient. Gurathin sees it as a threat. And the robot, caught in the middle, tries desperately to appear like an emotionless machine, even as it thinks and reacts more like a person.

Skarsgård’s voiceover as Murderbot offers an interior monologue that feels surprisingly familiar. His narration channels the anxious, irritable, and occasionally homicidal inner voices of the human psyche, though with razor-sharp comedic timing. The result is that Murderbot is a clever, engaging series that never takes itself too seriously. And while it's loaded with action and sarcasm, it sneaks up on you with an unexpected amount of heart.

Rachel’s Rating: 8.5/10  When anxiety is the price of consciousness, Murderbot is an action-packed science fiction series that will make viewers laugh at what it means to be human.