From its launch, Apple TV+ wanted to prove that it didn't take futuristic stories lightly. In 2019, the new platform hoped to create a surprise with a completely new story. For All Mankind, an alternate history about space exploration, had no trouble gaining fans around the world. This critical success, however, didn't have the impact needed to make the subscription streaming service a must-have for many households.
Two years later, the company hoped to achieve unanimous acclaim with Foundation. But Isaac Asimov's works are as popular as they are reputedly unadaptable, and the first season struggled to convince fans of the American author. It was ultimately necessary to wait until 2022 and the cryptic Severance for Apple TV+ to finally build a solid reputation in the field. A success that will pave the way for Silo, a post-apocalyptic story inspired by the novels of Hugh Howey
In 2025, Martha Wells's imagination comes to life under the direction of the Weitz brothers. This isn't the first time the two creators have done it; they're the ones who wrote the screenplay for The Creator. They also directed American Pie in the early 2000s. Believe it or not, there's a bit of both in this new project.
"No relation"
Murderbot is a security robot who has found a way to break free from his masters. His newfound free will allows him to choose how he wants to spend his life, and that's watching space soap operas from his headset. But to avoid premature destruction if the company that made him discovers he's a rebel, the Sec Unit embarks on a new mission to a hostile planet. Alongside fallible and strange scientists, he will discover human feelings.
To portray this Pinocchio of the future, Apple TV+ called on Alexander Skarsgård. The actor is the beating heart of the story, even though his character has none. His voice guides viewers through this seemingly rich science fiction universe, but one that we won't linger over exploring any longer than necessary.
Skarsgård excels at this, remaining unfailingly impassive. He is often funny in the way he describes his companions and their strange habits, and sometimes touching in his interactions with them. These internal dialogues are used to satirize our contemporary societies, from our superiority complex to the functioning of large corporations.
Everything is good for reminding us of the emptiness of human existence as well as our species' predisposition to lie, deceive, or abuse others. The series is undoubtedly not as innovative as Silo or Severance, but it is not lacking in interest when it attempts to construct its argument on otherness. “Humans are stupid…”. It’s hard to contradict him.
A plural series
Besides its aesthetics and its science fiction themes, Murderbot stands out as a breathtaking and addictive thriller on a distant planet. The series uses a simple formula to capture its audience's attention: an enemy lurking in the shadows is attacking the team. It will therefore be up to the android and his companions to discover who wants to harm them and why. With its ten episodes of around twenty minutes, the series does not always have the opportunity to take advantage of these mysteries. Without giving too much away, Murderbot cultivates confusion around its hero's liberation, often far too much.
This eagerness is also reflected in the development of the supporting characters and the depiction of the challenges they must overcome. The cast isn't huge, consisting of fewer than a dozen recurring members, but the series still manages to leave a few out. Mensah, who plays a major role in Martha Wells's novels, is ultimately one of the few to be given the spotlight she deserves. In this game, the novel was content with the minimum, telling its story through the eyes of the hero, without bothering to question those around him.
But, after all, the production must also dwell on the series that the main character devours and which offer him the opportunity to better grasp the subtleties of the human race. Colorful and frankly corny sequences that we enjoy discovering in the first moments of the series but which sometimes interfere a little too much with the story which must advance at light speed to respect the format of ten episodes per season.
Another series that no one will see? The stubbornness of Apple TV+ is almost touching. Despite all its efforts to hatch ambitious productions, the platform rarely creates a global event. Severance Ted Lasso and Silo are only anomalies within a catalog that struggles to make a place for itself in the audiovisual landscape. Journal d'un Assasynth will probably not have the same success, but can already congratulate itself on capturing the attention of fans of science fiction and crazy comedies.
It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to convince the platform to continue on this path, with Murderbot and other futuristic universes. On the face of it, if it's a success, Apple TV+ has a series made to last, with seven novels to adapt and a few original story arcs to explore. But will humans, who are stupid, let's not forget, give Murderbot a chance?
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