Murderbot: Journal d'un AssaSynth

I had high hopes for Murderbot, and in many ways it delivers. The concept of a sarcastic, self-aware SecUnit trying to navigate human interaction while secretly binge-watching soap operas is gold. The 20-30 minute episodes work perfectly for this tone-if they had stretched to an hour, I'm not sure I would have stuck around. It's just the right size for light, slightly quirky sci-fi.

That said, I can't ignore the flaws. The biggest? This is a semi-intelligent AI that hacks its own governor module and defeats far more advanced bots... yet it never tries to improve itself. No scavenging for parts, no copying superior code, no attempt to upgrade its weapons or armor. It just carries on in the same fragile, underpowered body as if nothing happened. For a machine that's supposed to be adaptive and strategic, this feels lazy and illogical.

Then there's the design choice for Murderbot's suit. You can clearly see there's a human inside-it's essentially a black wetsuit with some padding. Why not use the actor's head and build a more robotic body to sell the illusion? Right now it looks more like cosplay than a multi-million dollar production.

Despite all this, I still enjoyed the season. Murderbot's deadpan humor and awkward charm make it watchable, and the supporting cast does a solid job. But I can't shake the feeling that it's a show holding itself back-more focused on surface-level quirks than exploring the full potential of its premise.

Update after all 10 episodes: This is a really good show and a great adaptation, in many ways. The episodes still feel too short, but Murderbot, Mensah, Gurathin (maybe especially) and Ratthi contributes really well to making the show even better. It's been confirmed for season 2, and I'm looking forward to the introduction of a very important character...

In summation: Wait until all episodes are out and binge it in one go.

Big fan of the books, and a lot works for this adaptation. But trying to make a whole season out of the first novella (!) is quite crazy, and results in 20 minute episodes where episode 3 literally is about travelling somewhere. Where is the proper story arc and goal of each episode? It doesn't make sense. If it had a short season of longer episodes, or combined the first few novellas for a longer season, it would be fine, but this just doesn't make sense. You don't get to settle into the episode before it's over. The only way to watch this properly is to binge it. I'll watch them as they come out, but I'd prefer to have them all available already. I love severance and other great apple TV-productions, so this is a let-down to a great universe with lots of potential. The adaptation in itself would benefit from more in-depth coverage of the corporate system etc., something the books doesn't focus much on, perhaps due to it being from Murderbot's perspective (and it doesn't care)...

Also, as others have said, Murderbot should have its helmet on.

Alexander Skarsgard kills it in another hit in a long line of hits from Apple TV. I can't say enough about Apple TV. They continue to put out great shows, it reminds me of when HBO was in their prime and everything they put out was great. That's Apple TV now. I never read the books so I had no idea what to expect so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Murderbot is about a rogue security robot (Skarsgard) who gains the gift of free will. It reluctantly agrees to join a new mission protecting scientists on a dangerous planet when all it wants to do is stop killing and enjoy life free on its own. It may start off a little slow for some but stick with because it gets better and better with each episode. It's definitely best watched as a binge watch. This series does a good job raising ethical questions that apply to us today.

This show is amazing. It's not to serious but still has important messages and points about human life. It's a feel good show. It's action. It's funny. It's something I didn't know I needed. I don't usually like sci-fi but this show wasn't focused solely on being sci-fi, which works well for my tastes. The last episode had me feeling so many different things, but left me feeling good in a sort of melancholy kinda way. Acting, amazing. Writing, amazing. Set, amazing. Of course every show has its flaws but no flaw made this show less enjoyable for me. I would love to see a second season, really hope there could be one. I will most likely be picking up the source material.

Murderbot may not be the exact adaptation I envisioned, but it's still a standout sci-fi series that deserves your attention. While I originally hoped for a tighter season that combined the first two novellas, the choice to expand the world and focus more deeply on the supporting characters was a bold-and ultimately rewarding-move.

The series smartly gives more weight to the human (and non-human) characters surrounding Murderbot, which adds richness to the universe and raises the emotional stakes. Moments like seeing Sanctuary Moon brought to life? A genius inclusion for longtime fans-and a clever entry point for newcomers.

That said, I do wish the pacing were sharper and that the show leaned more into what makes Murderbot, well, Murderbot: that sarcastic, deadpan, and deeply relatable internal monologue. It's one of the highlights of the books, and dialing that up in future seasons could take the show from great to unforgettable.

Still, the foundation is strong, the themes are smart, and the potential for Season 2 and beyond is massive. If you're into character-driven sci-fi with soul, heart, and the occasional awkward robot feels, Murderbot is absolutely worth the watch.