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Right now, Apple TV+ is airing Murderbot, its new sci-fi comedy starring Alexander Skarsgård as a self-hacking security android — called a SecUnit — which has gained autonomy. It could live up to its chosen name and be a Murderbot...but it would much rather binge watch TV shows. Who among us?

Murderbot has been going over extremely well with critics and audiences alike. As of this writing, it holds a sky-high critic rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and reviews have been positive across the board. The show hasn't yet been renewed for a second season, but it seems likely that we'll get to see more.

The success of Murderbot has been especially exciting to watch for many science fiction readers, who were already well-acquainted with the beloved book series by author Martha Wells. Since 2017, Wells has released five novellas and two novels in The Murderbot Diaries, with more on the way.

With Murderbot season 1 steadily pacing towards an impactful season finale, speculations are rife about whether or not the show will return with season 2. Viewers and critics alike have fallen in love with this autonomous android security unit and can’t wait to watch what kind of trouble it lands in further ahead.

The emotional depth and fast-paced narrative of the show have gripped the audience completely, and they are eager to know all about the future of the show. Here’s everything we know so far about a possible season 2 of Murderbot.

What creators had to say about a possible season 2 for Murderbot

The co-showrunners, Chris and Paul Weitz, confirmed that they are eager to adapt the next novels in The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells. They further added that there are six more novels to adapt from, including Fugitive Delivery and Artificial Condition, so there is plenty of raw material to work with.

We're hurtling toward an exciting conclusion on Apple TV+'s Murderbot. After last week's episode gave the SecUnit and PresAux team some time out in the wilderness, they're forced to head back to the habitat — and towards the climactic events of the book, All Systems Red.

Murderbot has been a delight to watch each week, but there's an undercurrent of tension to "Foreign Object" that makes it hard to fully relax, no matter how effective the punch lines are. Things have gotten dangerous for our team of hippie scientists, and Murderbot is thinking hard about whether it's even worth it to keep protecting them when they seem so determined to paint him as a bad guy. And can you blame it? Humans are so ungrateful.

Beware Full Spoilers ahead for "Foreign Object."

Noma Dumezweni, Alexander Skarsgård, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Sabrina Wu in "Murderbot," now streaming on Apple TV...

Murderbot season 1 episode 8, “Foreign Object,” brings sharp turns and revelations you might not be ready for. The sci-fi drama series has taken a serious turn in this episode with Murderbot’s memories and the ominous PresAux transmission proving to be a major crisis. The stakes are higher than ever with trust, identity, autonomy, and internal conflicts all being on the line.

The showrunners, Paul and Chris Weitz, have created an episode that promises external threats and internal trauma, reframing the season’s most important and intimate episode yet. For the fans who enjoy Murderbot’s hidden vulnerabilities and dry wit, this is an emotionally intense chapter that delivers a rather slow burn payoff. It is slowly shifting the show’s gears towards a gripping finale.

Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains spoilers about Murderbot season 1 episode 8 The unity of the PresAux and the reliability of Murderbot are questioned in episode 8

The...

Paramount may be planning a new movie based on Stephen King’s The Stand, but one actor from the 2020 miniseries had a blunt response to the news. Based on King’s classic 1978 novel, the story was first adapted into a four-episode miniseries in 1994.

A later, nine-episode remake, featuring an all-star cast led by James Marsden and Alexander Skarsgård, was released on Paramount+ in December 2020 but received decidedly mixed reviews. More recently, it was announced that The Bourne Identity director Doug Liman had been attached to direct a new film version of The Standfor Paramount Pictures.

Following on from The Stand movie’s announcement, actor Fiona Dourif, who played a gender-bent version of King’s Rat Man, named Rat Woman, in the 2020 miniseries, offered a blunt response to the news via X. Responding to a Variety story about Liman’s appointment to the project, Dourif echoed the reactions expressed by many audiences,...

With all that's been going on in Murderbot the last few episodes, it was kind of easy to forget about Sec Unit's mysterious past and what was erased from its memory. It was something that seems violent, that's for sure and a question that was posed from the very first episode. Though we might finnally be learning what happens in this week's episode. First, when can you start watching?

Murderbot episode 8, "Foreign Object," premieres Friday, June 27, 2025 on Apple TV+ starting at midnight Et. Those of you on the west coast and other parts of the U.S., get yourself ready on Thursday night though as you'll be able to tune in, technically, a bit earlier thanks to time zones. Check out the full release schedule below:

East Coast: 12 a.m. Et on Friday, June 27West Coast: 9 p.m. Pt on Thursday, June 26Midwest: 11 p.m. Ct on Thursday, June 26Mountain: 10 p.

Alexander Skarsgard is reflecting on his challenging years in Hollywood earlier in his career.

During a recent appearance on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s on Me podcast, the actor recalled “crying in the shower” after bad auditions, prior to his 2008 breakout year with his roles in Generation Kill and True Blood.

“I found those experiences — they were horrible — when you go in for something that you know you’re not right for, and you’re not connecting with a character at all, but you’re at a place where you feel like you can’t say no to the audition,” Skarsgard said of his struggles with the audition process, even after he starred in 2001’s Zoolander.

“I was always on the cusp of being fired by my agents,” the Pillion actor added. “If I say no to this [audition], they’re probably gonna drop me, so I gotta go in,...

The upcoming Monsterverse movie Godzilla X Kong: Supernova is shaping up to be the biggest film in the franchise yet. Originally intended to serve as an exciting conclusion to the franchise, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) ultimately reinvigorated the series, paving the way for the sequel, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. However, one constant complaint that has been levied against the series since 2014, with Gareth Edwards' Godzilla, is a lack of an engaging human narrative to pair with the intense kaiju fights. According to one actor in the upcoming film, that specific complaint will be addressed in Supernova.

In an interview with Ktvu in Oakland, Delroy Lindo, who recently made waves for his performance as Delta Slim in Ryan Coogler's Sinners, talked about his upcoming role in Godzilla X Kong: Supernova. As the actor would tell the news station, it was the production team's dedication to crafting an engaging human character...

Stephen King published The Stand in 1978; he's said it was his attempt to create an epic in the style of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, but this is Stephen King we're talking about, so things get twisted. It's about a deadly disease that wipes out the great majority of the human population, leaving the remaining few to divide themselves into good and evil camps. There's a malevolent, otherworldly villain named Randall Flagg who I suppose is our Sauron, except he wears a lot more denim.

Anyway, The Stand has remain consistently popular for decades and has spawned two TV adaptations: one in the '90s and another in 2020. Neither version was a smash hit, but the '90s one has a cheesy charm to it; it stars folk like Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe. The 2020 version is more of a prestige effort but ended up being less memorable,...

Stephen King’s post-apocalyptic epic The Stand is officially heading to the big screen. While it’s already seen two major TV adaptations, director Doug Liman will now craft a feature film based on the source material. Paramount Pictures is developing the new theatrical version of the legendary novel, with Liman attached to direct, per The Hollywood Reporter.

This marks the latest chapter in a long and complicated history of attempts to bring King’s 1978 novel to theaters. Various filmmakers have tried and failed to adapt the sprawling end-times narrative into a single film, including Ben Affleck, David Yates, Scott Cooper, and Josh Boone. Boone eventually directed the 2020–2021 limited series for CBS All Access (later released on Paramount+), which featured a cast that included James Marsden, Whoopi Goldberg, and Alexander Skarsgård, along with a new ending co-written by King and his son Owen. Dread Central favorite Mick Garris was first...

Alexander Skarsgård may have been Hollywood’s favorite tall, brooding heartthrob for years, playing the likable leading man, but he finally flipped the script in 2017 when he decided to play the role of Perry Wright in Big Little Lies. The perfect husband on the surface, but a manipulative, violent, and deeply abusive man on the inside.

The actor brought layers to the role, doing perfect justice to Liane Moriarty’s vision from when she wrote the character. However, Perry Wright is a testament to Alexander Skarsgård’s versatility as an actor, who nailed the role despite his faltering confidence in the beginning.

Alexander Skarsgård was not sure about Big Little Lies Alexander Skarsgård in Big Little Lies | Credits: HBO

Alexander Skarsgård won quite a few awards for his portrayal of Perry Wright, including a Screen Actors Guild award. However, none of the critical acclaim he received for his work would...

A movie adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand is in the works. Originally published in 1978, the classic Stephen King book follows characters during and after the outbreak of a virus that kills 99.4% of the world's population, and the epic battle of good versus evil that ensues. The Stand has been adapted as a television miniseries twice, with the first adaptation in 1994 starring Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, and Jamey Sheridan. The second adaptation, whose cast includes James Marsden, Alexander Skarsgård, and Whoopi Goldberg, was released in 2020.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a movie adaptation of The Stand is in development at Paramount Pictures with Doug Liman attached as the director. Liman, who has previously directed The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Edge of Tomorrow, and the Jake Gyllenhaal Road House remake, will produce alongside Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures. The search will now begin for writers to adapt The Stand,...

After reimagining Road House, filmmaker Doug Liman is set to reboot the Stephen King story The Stand. The tale has already spawned two TV series adaptations in the past, but Liman will be making a big change with this version, as it would be a singular feature film.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Liman is attached to direct a feature film adaptation of The Stand for Paramount Pictures. Tyler Hompson of Cross Creek Pictures is also serving as a producer on the project. Currently, a screenwriter hasn't been named, but with the change in format, they may have their work cut out for them with this adaptation.

The lengthy novel has provided plenty of source material for its TV series adaptations, and it may be a challenge to effectively tell the story with the same impact condensed into one movie. According to the report, Liman's vision is for a one-off story,...

Stephen King’s “The Stand” is getting a new adaptation, with Paramount securing Doug Liman to direct the new adaptation of the author’s apocalyptic 1978 tome.

Liman will also produce along with Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures, with the two previously collaborating on “American Made,” the based-on-a-true-story drama starring Tom Cruise.

Largely thought to be one of King’s greatest accomplishments, “The Stand” takes place in the aftermath of a pandemic caused by a weaponized virus (dubbed Captain Trips), where the survivors are either swayed by the forces of good or those of evil, personified by Randall Flagg, who would go on to become a recurring figure in some of King’s other work, most notably the “Dark Tower” series of novels.

In 1990 King updated and expanded the novel, moving the events from 1980 to 1990 and including more than 400 pages that were cut from the initial printing. The resulting book,...

Stephen King’s “The Stand” may finally be heading to the big screen.

Filmmaker Doug Liman is attached to direct a feature film of the post-apocalyptic bestseller for Paramount Pictures, with Cross Creek Pictures’ Tyler Thompson on board to produce. The project does not yet have a script, however, so development may take some time as Liman and the studio winnow King’s novel — which runs 1,153 pages in its 1990 unabridged version — into a single movie. But the studio sees the movie as a priority and is moving forward aggressively to make it happen.

“The Stand,” first published in 1978, was previously adapted as a television miniseries for ABC in 1994, starring Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Ruby Dee and Laura San Giacomo; and again for Paramount+ (née CBS All Access) in 2020, starring James Marsden, Odessa Young, Alexander Skarsgard, Whoopi Goldberg and Amber Heard. However, the story’s epic scope — using the...

THR reports that Doug Liman is set to direct The Stand for Paramount Pictures. The novel, which is considered to be one of Stephen King’s best, deals with a deadly pandemic that kills nearly the entire population. The survivors are drawn to two opposing communities, one led by the kind, prophetic Mother Abagail and the other by the sinister, demonic Randall Flagg. This all leads to a final battle between good and evil. The search is now on for a writer to tackle the project. In addition to directing, Liman will also produce alongside Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures.

At 1,152 pages, The Stand is King’s longest book. While you might think that Paramount will be viewing this as something that will span multiple films, sources tell THR that “Liman and the studio have a particular take and that the feature would be a one-off, not a multi-movie endeavor.

Apple TV+ has recently aired yet another successful sci-fi series, adding to its growing library of titles, with the genre in particular being abundant on the streaming platform. There are, of course, various sub-genres within these titles, and the newest series in question, Murderbot, is filled with plenty of comedy for viewers to enjoy. The series tells the story of a SecUnit robot played by Alexander Skarsgård, who gains the gift of free will but is reluctantly assigned to a mission on a dangerous planet. As it turns out, playing an emotionless robot came with a unique set of challenges, as the lead actor revealed in a recent interview.

While speaking with CinemaBlend about Murderbot, Skarsgård described the various situations in which he found himself breaking character due to his costars. The inherent nature of playing a robot involving having a Stoic demeanor and an unflinching response to even the...

Apple TV+’s Murderbot, based on Martha Wells’ bestselling books, continues season one with episode eight, “Foreign Object.” The teaser clip for episode eight shows the titular character struggling to contain its composure when an enemy suggests things can be solved without violence. Episode eight will stream on Friday, June 27, 2025, and the season finale is set for July 11th.

The series stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular character, Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent) as Mensah, David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer) as Gurathin, Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride) as Pin-Lee, Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident) as Ratthi, Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Arada, and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range) as Bharadwaj. Skarsgård also executive produces along with series creators Chris and Paul Weitz.

“Foreign Object” Plot: The PresAux team receives a message from their mysterious enemy. Gurathin reaches into the darkest recesses of Murderbot’s mind and uncovers a troubling memory.

David Dastmalchian and Alexander Skarsgård...

There's a new No. 2 on Apple TV+. Echo Valley, the new Ridley Scott-produced thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Julianne Moore, has been kicked to third place by the new sci-fi series Murderbot.

Per FlixPatrol, Murderbot has jumped up three spots on Apple TV+'s Top 10 Overall list to No. 2, knocking Echo Valley down one spot to No. 3. However, Murderbot was unable to dethrone the reigning champion, Stick, the new Owen Wilson sports comedy series about a washed-up pro who turns to a young gifted golfer to turn his life around, which is holding onto that No. 1 spot. Of course, Echo Valley is still No. 1 when it comes to just movies on Apple TV+, while Stick and Murderbot are No. 1 and No. 2 for TV shows.

Murderbot is based on Martha Wells' The Murderbot Diaries, with the first season adapting All Systems Red, the 2017 novella that kicked off the sci-fi series.

Here’s The Spy Series You Might Like If You’ve Watched Fubar! ( Photo Credit – Prime Video )

The second season of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s spy action-comedy series Fubar premiered a few weeks ago. Although many fans were excited to watch the Terminator star on the small screen, the show didn’t find favor with several critics. Overall, it has a 52% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score. If you are rowing the same boat and looking for a gripping and entertaining spy action series on Ott, we’ve got you covered!

This 90%-rated, Emmy-winning series streaming on Ott will keep you glued to the screen and is perfect binge-watch material. We are talking about last year’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith series, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in the titular roles. Read on to discover what it’s about and where to stream it.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith – Plot & Cast

Created by Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover,...

Murderbot is back with a new episode this week, episode 7, "Complementary Species." It's a very fitting title as it's two creatures who, well, complement each other that are the reason Sec Unit and the team are still alive. Here's a recap of what happened in the Apple TV+ series. Spoilers below.

As it has basically all season, episode 7 begins almost right where episode 6 ended in the aftermath of Murderbot killing Leebeebee after she threatened the team. He also revealed that he enjoyed it, which you know the humans don't want to know or hear. We don't get more answers into who she was working for just yet, though something interesting does happen.

Alexander Skarsgård, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Sabrina Wu in "Murderbot," now streaming on Apple TV+. Some of the team is wary of Murderbot

The team gets ready to evacuate and leave because whoever Leebeebee was working with...

It's Murderbot Friday, and that means a new episode of Apple's comedic sci-fi series is out! We're into the tail end of Murderbot's first season, and it continues to deliver week after week. "Complementary Species" is all about the dynamics between the members of the Preservation Alliance team and Murderbot, all of whom are reckoning with the sudden act of violence at the end of last week's episode.

This episode is the full package, with some really great character drama, a lot of humor, dysfunction, action, and even some unexpected alien worm coitus. Yup, things got pretty weird this week on Murderbot. Beware Full Spoilers ahead for "Complementary Species."

David Dastmalchian in Murderbot episode 6 on Apple TV+ | Image: Apple TV+ Murderbot Episode 7 review: "Complementary Species"

Murderbot's seventh episode kicks off in an unexpected way: with a flashback that takes us to the eve of Preservation Alliance's mission launch,...

We are all just broken codes pretending to be algorithms of perfection. I once scribbled that line at 3 a.m., lost in the fog of too much caffeine and too little sleep. But never did it strike as true as it did after watching Episode 7 of Murderbot. I’m not saying this episode cracked open my chest and reprogrammed my entire emotional matrix, but I’m also not not saying that.

In this hour, we’re launched into a psychological skirmish masquerading as sci-fi, where interspecies threesomes crash spacecrafts and unspoken loves rot beneath the surface like rust in titanium joints. Gurathin’s (David Dastmalchian) aching projections, Murderbot’s reluctant tenderness, Mensah’s infinite trust: it’s all here, woven with tension sharp enough to slit steel.

We revisit a month-old dinner just to taste the bitterness still stuck between the teeth of this group. The fighting isn’t always with guns.

After this week's episode of Murderbot, there's only three more left until the end of the season. Will we get all the answers to the questions we've been asking since the start of the sci-fi comedy? We'll have to wait and see. Though it does seem like we're moving more in that direction, starting with this week's new episode. When and how can you tune in?

Murderbot episode 7, "Complementary Species," premieres Friday, June 20, 2025 on Apple TV+. The episode, as always, drops starting at 12 a.m. Et. That does mean those of you on the other sides of the U.S. get to watch when the episode is released at that time, though it's technically still Thursday night. Thank you time zone differences. Am I right? Here's a breakdown of the episode release times to help you keep track of it all:

East Coast: 12 a.m. Et on Friday, June 20West Coast: 9 p.

Margot Robbie Stepped In After Emma Stone Passed—The Movie Looked Big But Didn’t Land As Expected (Photo Credit – Wikipedia)

When The Legend of Tarzan came swinging into theaters in 2016, it had all the jungle juice it needed big names, big budget, and big legacy. According to IMDb an early casting decision could’ve changed everything—Emma Stone passed on playing Jane, leaving the path clear for Margot Robbie to swing into the role.

With The Wolf of Wall Street already under her belt, Robbie brought star power and steel to the Countess of Greystoke. The role was originally up for grabs between her and Stone, but the studio chose Robbie in early 2014. Even with that casting coup, The Legend of Tarzan struggled to find footing.

When Tarzan Swung and Missed: How a $180M Epic Lost the Jungle Beat

Directed by Harry Potter veteran David Yates, the film dropped...

Right now, Apple TV+ is in the middle of airing Murderbot, its new comedic science fiction series based on The Murderbot Diaries books by Martha Wells. I've been enjoying the show quite a lot, and it seems like a lot of other people are too. As of this writing, it holds a 97% rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an 80% among general viewers. The buzz has been good; just today it popped up on New York Times' list of favorite shows of 2025 so far.

But in the age of streaming, it's always hard to be sure just how well a show is doing. Streamers are notoriously cagey about releasing viewership data, so we really have no solid numbers from Apple about how many people are watching Murderbot. Now that we're nearing the end of its 10-episode first season, you may be wondering if we'll get another season; I know I am.

Apple TV+’s Murderbot continues with episode seven, “Complementary Species.” The preview clip shows Mensah trying to help the titular character as a debate rages over whether it’s a danger to the group. Episode seven premieres on Friday, June 20, 2025.

The series stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular character, Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent) as Mensah, David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer) as Gurathin, Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride) as Pin-Lee, Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident) as Ratthi, Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Arada, and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range) as Bharadwaj. Skarsgård also executive produces along with series creators Chris and Paul Weitz.

“Complementary Species” Plot: While hiding in a remote forest from their pursuers, the PresAux team debates whether Murderbot is trying to kill them or protect them. Two hostiles appear, leaving something unexpected behind. Murderbot faces its nemesis again, and Gurathin’s health takes a turn for the worse.

David Dastmalchian, Tamara Podemski,...

“Your strength breaks men’s bones. I have the cunning to break their minds.”

There are some stories that stand the test of time, tales so essential that they ripple through generations sparking multiple retellings in various forms. Though most of us are familiar with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, few know the story on which it’s based.

Robert Eggers brings this tale to life with a historically accurate retelling of the Norse legend of Saxo Grammaticus’ Gesta Danorum, or History of the Danes. Books three and four of this sixteen-volume text follow Amleth and his mother Queen Geruth. Eggers uses this essentialist story to examine the concept of gendered strength in The Northman.

Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) is just a boy when his father King Aurvandil War-Raven (Ethan Hawke) is murdered by his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang) in a devious attempt to claim the throne. Amleth manages to escape, but vows...

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Books and TV shows have had a special relationship for over a century now. There have been countless TV adaptations of popular books, and even if we count this year (which isn’t over), there have been over seven or eight. While there have been many brilliant books that were adapted through the years, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the TV shows are also good, and that’s why we decided to compile a list of the absolute best TV shows that were based on books. As a side note, we also decided not to include Game of Thrones and Dexter, mainly because of how they ended.

True Blood Credit – HBO

True Blood is a fantasy horror drama series created by Alan Ball. Based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries by author Charlaine Harris, the HBO series is...

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True Blood is a fantasy horror drama series created by Alan Ball. Based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries by author Charlaine Harris, the HBO series is set in a world where vampires’ existence is known and they consume synthetic blood to survive. The story of True Blood takes place in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, and it follows Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic young woman working as a waitress who begins falling in love with a vampire. True Blood stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Nelsan Ellis, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Michael Raymond-James, and William Sanderson. So, if you loved the supernatural drama, compelling story, and entertaining stories in True Blood, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Midnight, Texas (Rent on Prime Video) Credit...

Did you love Mike White's globe-trotting HBO "anthology" series "The White Lotus" but wish it starred Nicole Kidman in a series of increasingly baffling wigs? You're in luck! That show exists, kind of!

Fans of "The White Lotus," a mystery show set in beautiful and far-flung locales including Hawai'i, Italy, and Thailand, should definitely check out "Nine Perfect Strangers," the second season of which is airing on the streamer weekly as I write this. Lots of folks are already checking it out: According to FlixPatrol, it's sitting in the number four slot in Hulu's top 10 TV shows as of June 13, 2025.

Based on a best-selling book by Liane Moriarty (more on her shortly), the series stars Oscar and Emmy winner Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko, a woman hailing from Russia who's famous for her wellness center, Tranquillum House, in California. In both seasons, nine people show up at her center...

Actor Alexander Skarsgård has had roles in many popular movies and television shows, including The Legend of Tarzan, The Northman, True Blood, Big Little Lies, and Succession.Skarsgård gave an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning performance as Perry Wright in HBO Max’s Big Little Lies. Now, the award-winner is starring in a new sci-fi comedy/drama on Apple TV+ that is making its way to the top of the charts for the streamer.

Skarsgård plays the titular character in Murderbot, which premiered on Apple TV+ on May 16. Per FlixPatrol, Murderbot currently holds the No. 2 spot in Apple TV+’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. The series, which also stars Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tamara Podemski, and Tattiawna Jones, is just behind the new Owen Wilson sports-comedy, Stick.

Apple TV+ Top 10 Shows Image via FlixPatrol Murderbot is a Departure for Skarsgård

The role is a...

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2025 is quietly shaping up to be the Year of the Skarsgård. Coming off the science fiction blockbuster hit "Dune: Part Two" from last year, patriarch Stellan Skarsgård has once again helped elevate genre content with a stunning dramatic turn in the "Star Wars" prequel series "Andor" on Disney+. Meanwhile, Bill Skarsgård has returned to the world of Stephen King and Pennywise the Clown, reprising the role that made him a household name in the HBO series "It: Welcome to Derry." But perhaps most significant of all is the latest endeavor of Alexander Skarsgård, an arguably underrated member of the acting dynasty currently leading "Murderbot," one of the buzziest shows of Apple TV+ triumphant 2025 run.

It's possible Alexander doesn't get as much attention because his most high-profile swing at a blockbuster turned out to be a major box office bomb. There...

Welcome to the Gold Ticket, your VIP guide to the best of pop culture for the weekend ahead, curated by the Gold Derby team of experts. (June 13-June 15)

The main stream

Our top movie pick this week is Apple TV+’s straight-to-streaming thriller Echo Valley, which finds Julianne Moore doing anything for her daughter Sydney Sweeney. Moore plays Kate, a recently widowed woman whose daughter Claire’s (Sweeney) heroin addiction has made her manipulative, unreliable, and prone to getting caught up in bad situations. One day, Claire shows up at Kate’s farm covered in her abusive boyfriend’s blood, and asks for Kate’s help getting rid of his body. It only gets twistier from there.

The film is directed by Michael Pearce, who is working in similar psychological thriller territory as his BAFTA-winning debut, the Jessie Buckley-led Beast. He gives Moore and Sweeney space to go to dark places.

Murderbot has been a pretty consistent new series on Apple TV+ overall so far, though I think Murderbot episode 6, "Command Feed," is arguably its best one yet. It could have to do with the fact that Sec Unit and Mensah were teamed up alone in the episode, the only two characters I frankly care about. We don't learn much, but there's a bit more information revealed. Plus, Sec Unit enjoys a violent act a little too much. Here's a recap of the episode. Spoilers below.

As we saw in the final moments of the previous episode, episode 5, Mensah and Murderbot decided to go to the beacon to ask for help following the deaths of the DeltFall team and their rogue Sec Units. However when the two get close, it explodes. The sixth episode picks up where we left off, and unsurprisingly (and thankfully) the two partners are ok.

Noma Dumezweni...

We've officially crossed the halfway point in the first season of Murderbot on Apple TV+, and things are starting to get pretty dicey for Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård), Doctor Mensah (Noma Dumezweni), and the rest of the PresAux survey team. Last week's episode ended with another cliffhanger, as Murderbot and Mensah's hopper was caught in an explosion from their sabotaged emergency beacon. Their shuttle has crashed, and now they'll have to work together to get back to safety.

Meanwhile, Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), Bharadwaj (Tomara Podemski), Arada (Tattiawna Jones), Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu), and Ratthi (Akshay Khanna) find out that there's more to the DeltFall refugee Leebeebee (Anna Konkle) than they thought. By the end of the episode, it all comes crashing back together as Murderbot is forced to finally do a bit of murdering.

Full Spoilers for Murderbot Episode 6 ahead.

Noma Dumezweni and Alexander Skarsgård in Murderbot episode 6 on Apple TV+ | Image:...

What do you do when your safe space starts looking like your reality? You delete the manual and binge the 19th season. This is me, rethinking life choices after watching Murderbot Episode 6, titled Command Feed.

You know you’re knee-deep in a cracking good episode when your favorite emotionally constipated cyborg ends up as both therapist and spare parts. After the previous emotionally intelligent sci-fi episode, this week’s chaos of Murderbot is like an existential crisis wrapped in a broken hopper and seasoned with enough social awkwardness to host a high school reunion.

Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård), our beloved angst-powered SecUnit, has finally come face-to-face with its own psychology, and unfortunately, that face is Mensah’s during a full-blown panic attack. From making space in its internal storage by yeeting the hopper repair manual, to being used as a literal spare part, spinal nerve and all, this episode pushes every...

A new fan-made trailer has reignited interest in Tarzan once again. The video created a lot of buzz due to its visual reimagining and casting of Chris Hemsworth as the legendary jungle hero and Blake Lively as the conflicted Jane Porter.

The trailer, created by Ultimate Studio, made the classic hero a fierce protector of nature in a modern world gone wrong. But while viewers are praising the portrayal of Tarzan by Hemsworth, there’s one element they’re not buying: Blake Lively as Jane. Of course, that has everything to do with her current public image. Lively is not leaving without sparking a heated online backlash, even though it is an unofficial trailer.

Chris Hemsworth stuns, but fans are unhappy with Blake Lively in the Tarzan concept trailer Chris Hemsworth in a new Tarzan concept trailer | Credit: Ultimate Studios

Created by Ultimate Studios, a popular digital creator known for AI-enhanced fan trailers,...

We're deep into the first season of Murderbot on Apple TV+, and the hits keep coming. In the fifth episode of the series, our reluctantly heroic SecUnit played by Alexander Skarsgård was brought back from the brink by the Preservation Alliance team after it sacrificed itself to save them from a rogue SecUnit at the ruined DeltFall habitat. This led to some frank conversations where Murderbot's biggest secret finally came out. But by the time the credits rolled, it was once more in a dire situation as the emergency beacon it was flying toward with Doctor Mensah (Noma Dumezweni) exploded, causing their shuttle to crash. Can't a Murderbot catch a break?

The show is excelling at these sorts of quick, catchy cliffhangers. Thank goodness we've still got five more episodes of the series left to go.

The cast has been out there drumming up excitement for the show and...

You know, I'm something of a humbug myself. In one of the most insane film announcements in living memory, and yet one that makes a lot of sense, Willem Dafoe is the top target to star in A Christmas Carol under the direction of Robert Eggers, the visceral and demented filmmaker behind the likes of The Witch, The Lighthouse,The Northman and Nosferatu. Dafoe is set to take on the iconic role of Ebeneezer Scrooge. The project is currently in development at Warner Bros. Pictures, with Eggers not only set to write and direct, but also produce alongside Chris Columbus and Elenor Columbus via their Maiden Voyage banner.

For Eggers, A Christmas Carol is practically tailor-made. The 1843 novella by Charles Dickens isn’t just a festive fable—it’s a grim, Gothic tale filled with ghosts, regret, and redemption. Add in Eggers’ love of period-accurate misery, candlelit horror, and the...

Mountainhead has been making the rounds on the internet as an iconic comedy/satire film about the lives of billionaires who band together and set out to solve an international crisis.

Starring Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Cory Michael Smith, and Ramy Yousef, the film is written and directed by Jesse Armstrong. You may know him as the creator and writer of the iconic HBO show Succession. Speaking of, did you know that a Succession character was nearly going to star in this satire film?

Lukas Matsson was almost going to be a part of Steve Carell’s Succession

Portrayed by Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård, fans may know the character Lukas Matsson from the HBO show Succession. Being the founder and CEO of GoJo, Matsson was the primary antagonist (and later the secondary antagonist) in Succession.

Alexander Skarsgård as Lukas Matsson in Succession | Credits: HBO Entertainment

During the series finale, Lukas...

Apple TV+ are known for their consistent production of high-quality television, with the likes of Seth Rogen’s The Studio, Cate Blanchett's Disclaimer, Severance, and more dominating TV discourse in recent memory. Another such high-profile series to dominate our latest viewing habits is the Jon Hamm-led Your Friends & Neighbors, which has held the top spot on the streamer's ranking of most-watched series for quite some time.

That is until the arrival of Owen Wilson’s feel-good series, Stick, which is being hailed by some as the next Ted Lasso, with its dedication to telling a touching human tale through sport. As of June 9, 2025, Stick has officially beaten its fiercest competition to become the most-watched show on Apple TV+, even in light of the recent news that Season 2 of Your Friends & Neighbors is now in production. Other shows left floundering in the bunker while Stick claims a...

Fans of Big Little Lies, the HBO series with one of the best casts in modern television, we have got some good news for you. Showrunner David E. Kelley has teased the possible development of Season 3. This would mark the return of the drama series six years after Season 2 wrapped. News about a possible return has been scarce, but now Kelley reports that we could be going back to the "perfect" small town in Monterey, California.

According to a report by People, Kelley, who also created The Undoing and Love & Death for HBO, spoke at the Gotham TV Awards about the possible return of the show. Although there's nothing official about a possible revival, and HBO has not renewed the show, the showrunner said that everyone involved is "committed" to returning and making Season 3:

"We're hoping it happens. We had a great time doing the first two seasons,...

Apple TV+’s sneak peek clip from Murderbot episode six shows the titular character using an unusual method to try and calm down Mensah. Episode six, “Command Feed,” will premiere on Friday, June 13, 2025.

“Command Feed” Plot: A critical setback sends the team into a spiral. Mensah rolls the dice on a tricky procedure. LeeBeeBee (guest star Anna Konkle) changes her tune.

The series stars Alexander Skarsgård as the titular character, Noma Dumezweni (Presumed Innocent) as Mensah, David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer) as Gurathin, Sabrina Wu (Joy Ride) as Pin-Lee, Akshay Khanna (Critical Incident) as Ratthi, Tattiawna Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Arada, and Tamara Podemski (Outer Range) as Bharadwaj. Skarsgård also executive produces along with series creators Chris and Paul Weitz.

Noma Dumezweni and Alexander Skarsgård in ‘Murderbot’ episode 6 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+) Murderbot Season 1 Description:

Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series, Murderbot is a sci-fi comedic...

The expected third season of Big Little Lieshas gotten an optimistic update from its series creator, David E. Kelley. Big Little Lies, which won 8 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Casting in a Limited Series, originally premiered on HBO back in February 2017, with its most recent episode, season 2's finale, releasing on July 21, 2019. The cast of Big Little Lies is one of the best aspects and biggest pulls of the psychological drama series, which includes Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Laura Dern, Adam Scott, and Alexander Skarsgård.

In an interview with People at the Gotham TV Awards on June 2, 2025, Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley gave some positive updates on the potential Big Little Lies season 3. He revealed that there is still a strong push to bring the third season to life and that "everyone is very committed" to making it happen. "We had a...

With the 10-episode “Murderbot” series, we actually get two sci-fi shows in one: There’s the main sci-fi comedy from Chris and Paul Weitz about a rogue security robot (Alexander Skarsgård) hiding his free will while on a dangerous mission with a group of scientists. In addition, there’s Murderbot’s favorite space soap opera that he watches for escapist fun: the cheesy “Star Trek” parody, “Sanctuary Moon” (starring John Cho as the Captain).

For production VFX supervisor Sean Faden, this meant wrangling a diverse array of nearly 1,800 VFX shots. This included the opening and closing of Murderbot’s helmet (his practical white suit was created by costume designer Laura Jean Shannon), the Ui that reflects his Pov (accompanied by his snarky voice-over commentary), a giant alien worm, and the realistic VFX used on the bridge of the spaceship on “Sanctuary Moon.”

“For the opening and closing of the helmet,...

David Dastmalchian is a deeply human machine of creativity. In addition to acting, he screenwrites, dons the cape of Dr. Fearless, hosts Grave Conversations, runs his own horror-centric production company, and writes comics that Daily Dead founder and editor-in-chief Jonathan James praises. Given all this creative bandwidth, Dastmalchian’s latest role couldn’t make more sense.

In the bloody, funny, and offbeat Apple TV+ series Murderbot, he plays Gurathin — an augmented human with access to plenty of data. That access is part of why he distrusts the titular robo-protector (Alexander Skarsgård), whose job is to safeguard peace-loving hippie scientists on the job. The show is a heightened yet grounded adaptation of Martha Wells’ work, blending sci-fi action and tasty gore with human conflict and comically mundane squabbles.

Dastmalchian, also known for Late Night with the Devil, recently spoke with Daily Dead about the bloody fun show, his comics and horror hosting duties,...

Apple TV+’s favorite android, Murderbot, is winning hearts by the minute as more and more people are streaming the sci-fi hit, and for good reason. The series features Alexander Skarsgård as the rogue security bot in the show, torn between finding his autonomy and watching sci-fi soap operas.

The show is an adaptation of the book All Systems Red, from the hit sci-fi series written by Martha Wells called The Murderbot Diaries. We are surprised to see that the makers made such a big revelation so early on in the show. It is a bold move because this secret has been guarded for a long time in the book, but the show version revealed it right in the second episode.

The show version gives away a big Murderbot hook very soon

In the original novel, the grand secret of Muderbot being rogue is revealed rather gradually, however, that isn...

Apple TV+’s Murderbot hits its mid-season stride with “Rogue War Tracker Infinite,” a densely packed episode that juggles new characters, deepening distrust, and a whole lot of emotional awkwardness for both humans and cyborgs.

After Murderbot Season 2 Episode 4’s dramatic self-termination, Murderbot reboots into a ship full of people with questions… and one DeltFall survivor with absolutely no filter.

If you ended the last episode wondering what would happen after a SecUnit voluntarily blew a hole through itself, this episode wastes no time answering. Murderbot is repaired but not trusted.

(Apple TV+)

Gurathin paralyzes him just to be safe and leads a tense crew meeting about whether their pet murder machine should remain part of the group.

It’s a moral dilemma that’s been simmering all season, and now it explodes into open debate.

Resident Alien Season 4 Premiere Review: “Prison” Locks Everyone in More Ways Than Oneby Carissa...

Murderbot has come a long way since its debut, and with each episode, the Apple TV+ series continues to pull in both longtime fans of the book and newcomers alike. The fifth episode marks a turning point in the series, not just for the sake of the story, but also in how the bot is perceived.

After Gurathin plugs into the SecUnit’s system, Murderbot’s rogue status is finally exposed. Yet instead of deactivating it, the team chooses to keep it around, maybe because of its heroic actions and sacrifices. In turn, Murderbot doesn’t flee or rebel; it keeps serving. That loyalty is put to the test when it and Dr. Mensah make the bold call to hop on the hopper to connect the beacon signaling for the starship.

Explosion at the beacon Alexander Skarsgård as Murderbot in Murderbot | Credits: Apple TV+

In Episode 5 of Murderbot, tensions escalate...