Apple TV+‘s latest foray into slick science fiction adaptation is also its funniest genre adaptation yet. The new Apple TV+ show Murderbot takes Martha Wells’s beloved book series and transforms it into an addictive, hilarious, and action-packed jaunt. Alexander Skarsgård stars as the titular “Murderbot,” a “SecUnit” robot designed to protect clients for the “Company.” What his current band of charges don’t know, though, is that Murderbot has managed to hack the governance module that’s supposed to keep him unable to think or act for himself. What will Murderbot do with this awesome power? How will the killing machine keep his secrets? Most importantly, when will Murderbot come out on Apple TV+?
Created and written by Chris and Paul Weitz, Murderbot Season 1 brings Martha Wells’s novella All Systems Red to vivid, colorful life. The story is narrated by Murderbot himself, a lower-end SecUnit paired with a team of sweet space hippies hailing from the Preservation Alliance. In order to nab a research contract on an alien world, they have to rent said SecUnit. Sure, they don’t know that he’s fully broken free from external control. But Murderbot’s not using that precious freewill to cause havoc. Instead, he’s using it to download and binge “content” like soapy, space opera “The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.”
It’s only when Murderbot comes to the team’s rescue in an extraordinary way, that questions begin to crop up… Questions about what’s going on with the SecUnit and questions about what’s going on with the planet they’re exploring.
Fan of Martha Wells’s indelible world-building? Jonesing for a new comedy obsession? Wild about all things sci-fi?Here’s everything you need to know to watch Murderbot on Apple TV+…
According to Apple TV+, the first two episodes of Murderbot are scheduled to premiere Friday, May 16. However, hardcore Apple TV+ devotees already know that new episodes of the streamer’s originals regularly drop the night before their designated premiere dates. This means you should be able to watch Murderbot as early as Thursday, May 15.
Want to watch Murderbot as soon as humanly possible? The first two episodes of Murderbot should be available to stream on Apple TV+ as early as Thursday, May 15 at 9 PM ET. If the episode doesn’t appear right away, simply try refreshing your browser or Apple TV+ app. Sometimes new episodes take some time to load.
Murderbot Season 1 consists of 10 episodes, with two premiering on May 16, followed by one new episode dropping weekly until the July 11 finale.
New episodes of Murderbot will be released weekly on Fridays until the finale on July 11. (But, remember, keep your eyes peeled for early Thursday evening drops!) Worried you might miss a single episode? Here’s your official guide to when all 10 episodes of Murderbot come out:
Because Murderbot is an Apple TV+ original series, you need Apple TV+ to watch the new Alexander Skarsgård show.
For those interested in trying out the streamer, Apple TV+ offers a 7-day free trial before charging $9.99 per month for access to Murderbot and it’s impressive slate of original streaming series and movies.
The Murderbot cast features a mix of famous faces, popular character actors, and rising TV stars. You’ll recognize actors in the cast from shows like Succession and True Blood, The Undoing, Outer Range, and Twin Peaks: The Return. Here’s a guide to who’s who in the Murderbot Season 1 cast: