bout four minutes into this week’s all-new episode of Murderbot on Apple TV+, Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård) asks a question that many of the show’s most hardcore fans are probably also asking: “Wait. Who is that?“
** Spoilers for Murderbot Episode 5 “Rogue War Tracker Infinite,” now streaming on Apple TV+**
Murderbot Episode 5 “Rogue War Tracker Infinite” picks up immediately where last week’s episode left off. Murderbot has shot itself after being infected with rogue programming. It reasons this is the one way to keep itself from turning on its clients, murdering them all. Unfortunately for Murderbot, its sweet clients instead do all they can to save it.
They also welcome a random DeltFall survivor named Leebeebee (Anna Konkle) into their fold.
While Apple TV+’s Murderbot has taken some liberties with its source material — Martha Wells’s award-winning sci-fi novella All Systems Red — this moment is by far the biggest change from page to screen. Leebeebee is a wholly original character created for the Apple TV+ show. She never pops up in Wells’s worlds, but she does offer a kooky dash of comedy right as the show’s plot begins to become more and more tense.
So who is Leebeebee on Murderbot? What is her deal? Where have you seen actress Anna Konkle before? What does this change mean for the Apple TV+ show Murderbot?
Here’s everything you need to know about Leebeebee on Murderbot Episode 5…
Leebeebee is the sole survivor of the mysterious massacre at rival DeltFall’s station in Murderbot. Arana (Tattiawna Jones) almost shoots Leebeebee when she emerges from her hiding spot, but the PresAux team intervenes in time to stop her. The hippy dippy group of scientists then bring Leebeebee back to their base while they try to save Murderbot.
Throughout Murderbot‘s run, our protagonist and narrator has consistently expressed it identifies as just a genderless, sexless “Murderbot.” It doesn’t have genitals, nor does it feel desire. As if to put a point on this, the Apple TV+ show lets Leebeebee express awkward desire for the SecUnit played by international heartthrob Alexander Skarsgård. She wonders aloud if it comes with a penis and later biffs an attempt to kiss it.
Actress, writer, and comic Anna Konkle lends her trademark awkward energy to Leebeebee. Konkle is best-known for her work on Hulu’s Pen15. Anna Konkle co-starred in, co-created, co-wrote, and co-produced the hit comedy with real life bestie Maya Erskine. Konkle more recently starred in another Apple TV+ comedy, The Afterparty.
Leebeebee is a wholly original character created for Apple TV+’s Murderbot. She does not appear in any of Martha Wells’s books. In fact, PresAux doesn’t find any survivors at the DeltFall camp. Oh, and no one — and I mean no one — tries to kiss Murderbot in the book.
All that horny humor? That’s all for Apple TV+, baby.