An Apple Original series Produced by Paramount Television Studios sounded like a possible formula for too many chefs in the kitchen, but “Murderbot” has managed to pleasantly avert expectations throughout it’s stellar opening 10 episode run. the series was actually renewed ahead of this week’s season finale, which set expectations high for the last episode we might get for quite awhile.
Alexander Skarsgård did a spectacular job of carrying the series as a rebooted Murderbot down the final stretch of the story as the climactic battle in the penultimate episode put an end to the external conflicts…even though Murderbot’s fight for survival and sentience is still quietly raging for the first act of the finale. Warning, beyond this point there are spoilers for the “Murderbot” season 1 finale.
…the climactic battle in the penultimate episode put an end to the external conflicts…even though
Murderbot’s fight for survival and sentience is still quietly raging for the first act of the finale.”
Episode 9 really gave Murderbot or “Seccy” (as he’s affectionately known by bumbling crew member Ratthi) it’s moment to shine and save the crew. His selfless fall after the big explosion made the character without a heart seem very emotionally vulnerable which is…disturbing to say the least, but in the best way it can be in an age where the dangers of AI are lurking around every corner threatening to destroy our minds long before our bodies are in danger.
The series also gives hop0e that humanity and AI can coexist as the crew members realizing how many times that Seccy has saved them race to stop him from losing his memories and being reprogrammed. In a hilarious twist, the team uses Murderbot’s favorite fake series, a melodramatic space soap opera called “Sanctuary Moon” that it relentlessly binge watches as the tool to find the units original memory files which allows the team to restore Murderbots memories after the villainous corporate overlords who owned him had erased his memory Andi ultimately sent him to the trash heap to be melted down.
The entire team pulls together, each utilizing their own formerly useless strengths to cut through the myriad of galactic bureaucratic red tape that stands between them and Seccy’s destruction. Seeing the team that bumbled along the whole season in an unfamiliar setting take charge in this manner is a good contrast for the cast and gives each character much more dimension before the end of the season,
After the initial excitement of saving Seccy dies down, the crew ultimately give the unit it’s own choice as to it’s destiny and it chooses to go off on it’s own adventures, a free robot with a clean slate, no longer in danger of being found out for his autonomy and melted down alive. With a renewal already announced, it’s anyone guess what’s kind of ‘Star Wars’ pirate adventures Murderbot might find himself in for season 2. As Apple+ series tend to take longer than usual waits between many of their series, but since “Murderbot” is basing season 2 off of the existing ip, hopefully that isn’t the case. The next season will reportedly be based off of the second book in the sci-fi series “The MurderBot Diaries” and is called “Artificial Condition”. It’s also possible that elements from other books are also incorporated in smaller ways into season 2.
In the book, “Murderbot” goes to investigate his past to try to get to the bottom of the mystery massacre that glitches in and out of it’s memories although the TV version may choose to set a lighter tone for the sophomore outing with skeletons form Seccy’s past somehow finding him. Either way, it’s great news that the sci-fi sleeper hit will be bringing us more stories and more instances of a robot obsessively binging it’s favorite shows.
Did you see season 1? What do you think? Will Murderbot get to the bottom of the mystery that haunts his programming? Will we see the rest of the hilariously flawed crew in season 2? Will Gurathin (David Dastmalchian) find his own version of programmed peace after finally realizing he was on the same side as Seccy? Let us know your thoughts about “Murderbot” in the comments below!
